I'm back from the Far East - a blog
the experience was one of the greatest of my life
a chance for me to be a violin soloist for 2 months - traveling from city to city...

9.18.09 in the evening, written by Calvin Lee, MD

I spent all of July, August, and part of September in the Far East - playing the violin, and also advancing my acupuncture studies.  Dr. Tammy Wu and I went together.  After winning the YouTube Symphony auditions for a violin spot in the YouTube Symphony Orchestra and playing in Carnegie Hall, word spread around the globe to Asia.  I had a chance to play violin soloes with doctor run organizations in the East.  Initially it was the Hong Kong Medical Association that contacted me through Dr. Wong of Hong Kong.  Through that association was born the chance to play in Taipei and Macau.  I played in world famous concert halls:  The Hong Kong cultural center and the Taipei's National Taiwan Concert Hall.  In Macau, I played Sarasate's Zigeunerweisen with the Macau Youth Orchestra.  Of course, while I was in the East, I had to take the opportunity to further my needling skills with Acupuncture.  When I had some downtime I made a webpage called Video Games for Surgeons - there really wasn't that much down-time!

This was my YouTube Symphony Audition Violin video that started it all:

 
Dr. Calvin Lee playing violin in his house

Below was my performance in Taipei as Guest Concertmaster of the Taipei Civic Orchestra with members of the Physician's Chamber Orchestra of Taiwan - we played the Schindler's List Theme in the video - we played a bunch of other pieces as well:

 
Dr. Calvin Lee, guest concertmaster playing in the Taipei National Concert Hall, Taiwan

I'm now back in the swing of things in my office in Modesto, CA.  And I can say that in the last few months:  I played violin at these stages (in the following order):  Carnegie Hall, MJC (Modesto Junior College) Recital Hall, Gallo Center, Taipei National Concert Hall, and Hong Kong Cultural Center.

Our Plastic Surgery Modesto office was still somewhat operational while we were gone.  We still had office staff answer the phones and talk about skin care.  It is good to be back.  As I've said to a few people.  It is a challenging life to lead as a musician soloist.  The traveling isn't easy for me, and there is definitely anxiety with unfamiliar settings, different orchestras, airlines, and the stress of playing violin well.  I made an attempt at making a webpage while on my violin playing trip:  it is http://www.calvinleeviolin.com (my previous piano blog is a different website)

Being a doctor can be anxiety provoking as well, but I am glad to be home as it is quite comfortable for me to fit into my long white coat.  I'm back providing services in acupuncture, veins, and cosmetic injections (Botox, and fillers) and eating at Thai House, Modesto.  Soon Dr. Tammy Wu will be back doing Tummy Tuck, Breast Augmentation, laser, liposuction, and other cosmetic surgeries.

Calvin Lee, MD

Links:

• Hong Kong Medical Association

• Hong Kong Medical Association Orchestra 20th Anniversary concert with Dr. Calvin Lee as one of the soloists

• Video of Dr. Calvin Lee in Hong Kong playing Mendelssohn Violin Concerto in E Minor 2nd and 3rd Movements

• Dr. Calvin Lee's biography as written up in the Hong Kong Program - picture by Adrian Mendoza, Modesto, CA

• Physician's Chamber Orchestra of Taiwan

• Taipei Civic Symphony Orchestra

• Calvin Lee Violin

• Surgical Artistry Modesto Vein Center

• Plastic Surgery Modesto with list of organization that we support

• Plastic Surgery Modesto - Dr. Tammy Wu and Dr. Calvin Lee (me)

• Thai Food Modesto, Chinese Food Modesto

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Thank you for visiting:  a blog about my violin playing adventures in Asia

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