Teddie's Story:

"Music is about communication on personal levels.  As part of expanding my artistic horizon, I decided at one point to present music in ways that I've never done before.  Much inspiration came from observing musicians from non-classical traditions and seeing how they connect with the audienceThe process brought me back to the essence of music and music-making, which I then realized is what I want to share with my listeners.  

Ultimately, playing a piece of music is like telling a story. Sometimes there can be a distinct story line with drama and colorful characters, other times abstract visualizations are evoked by the shape of the melody or musical structure.  Without question, everyone loves a good story. 

Encouraged by colleagues and friends, I've dispersed my thoughts about certain musical pieces through internet platforms and most recently, I've brought them with me onto the concert stage.  Between pieces I'd share historical and personal anecdotes, my musings, anything inspired by the music.  Stories, music, and fantasy weave in and out of each other and, most importantly, every listener naturally engages their own thoughts and imagination during the experience.  It has been particularly heart-warming when audience members come up to me afterwards to share their story triggered by something in the performance. Like wines with a long finish, conversations carry on long after the music stops sounding. 

Being trilingual, I've done such storytelling concerts in English, Chinese, and GermanDespite all kinds of differences that exist in our world, the human emotion is ultimately our universal language."

                                                                                  ~Teddie Hwang