(1570) MUSIC AND ME (Aug. 09, 2018) OMGI--MY SWEETEST GIRL MUSIC STUDENT

COUSINS THEY ARE -- OMGI AND YARS
    These two piano students of mine are cousins and were featured in the 24th issue Tia Belau Newspaper (Chess Mate by Roberto Hernandez) in March 26, 2018.

       OMGI-- MY SWEETEST GIRL
                MUSIC STUDENT

IN Feb. 02, 2018, while I am teaching Kai Hindenburg piano, a Palauan mother is waiting for me to finish the lesson to talk to me about the possibility of teaching her daughter piano, guitar or ukulele.

Vameline, the mother, and I agreed on Feb. 7 Wednesday afternoon lesson for her daughter Omgi from 1:30-2:30 pm.

After attending the morning devotion at Pentecostal Missionary Church of Christ (4th Watch) Palau Locale from 5-6:30 am, I went jogging at Palau Track and Field Oval and proceed to the house that Vameline instructed me and check the place.

A text reminder from Vameline while I am having lunch at Palau Royal Resort cafeteria confirmed my first tutorial to Omgi.

I brought a guitar, keyboard and ukulele to test which instrument will fit her most. There is a guitar there. When I test it, it's out of tune and even if I tune it, it still not good enough to encourage Omgi to learn guitar. That cheap guitar is good only as toy.

I told Omgi's grandmother that it is not advisable to teach Omgi with that out of tune guitar so I get the keyboard from the car and there it is! Omgi likes it.

We started with drill so that her soft and delicate fingers will be flexible. She is only 6 years old. She can't do 3 fingers chords so I am teaching her Jambalaya, Leaving on a Jet Plane and the Palauan song Dil Dil Lomais using the "single fingered" mode of the keyboard, like what all Palauan musicians are using. I have never seen Palauan keyboard players that use fingered mode. 

I remember playing for the inauguration of Melekeok State governor 24 years ago that one of the singer/entertainer of that event is Haley Erich. When he performs, he is standing. He holds the mike with his right hand and doing the single fingered chords with his left hand. Pressing one key, and he's ready to sing while chewing betel nut. After a song, he will spit in the "olbaul" or spitting can (empty Budweiser beer can).

Although the first lesson of Omgi is not impressive, her grandfather, former high government official of Palau Alex Merep, was able to sing/hum to the tune of Palauan song Dil Dil Lomais.

In the succeeding lessons, I've noticed some very sweet characteristic of Omgi... she will hug me after each lesson and will say, "See you next week, Robert".

There's one time that she hugged me 3 times and saying the same "See you next week, Robert".

SHE HUGGED ME MORE THAN MY ANY OTHER MUSIC STUDENTS COMBINED!

When I text Vameline these words, she said, "Awee...I'm so glad to hear that. Thank you. I will make sure to tell her she's doing good."

There were 2 times that Omgi forgot to hug me when they are leaving hurriedly for outdoor activity (swimming, etc) but she will make up in the next week and will hug me twice.

When the school year 2018 started, we changed the Wed. 1:30-2:30 slot to Monday, 3:00-4:00 because her school is finished at 2:30.

A day before going to 2018 World Chess Olympiad in Batumi, Georgia, I asked Vameline if it is still possible to teach Omgi 3-4 pm today Monday, Sept. 17, 2018? She text me, Yes.




Sources: Chess Mate by Roberto Hernandez
               Tia Belau Newspaper
               December 29, 2002 -- September 17, 2018

               Chess and Music (Perfect Combination)
               The Beginning of Chess in Palau
               By Roberto Hernandez
               Soon to be published as a book

               Music and Me by Roberto Hernandez
               Tia Belau Newspaper
               March 15, 2012 -- April 18, 2013
               http://palau-chess.blogspot.com
               April 25, 2013 -- September 17, 2018

              The History of Chess in Palau
              By Roberto Hernandez
              June 09, 2002 -- September 17, 2018

(1365) MUSIC AND ME (Feb. 23, 2017) 19 PALAUAN LADIES ENJOY MY PALAU MUSIC (Tips--$17.00)

19 PALAUAN LADIES ENJOY MY PALAU MUSIC AND GAVE ME A TOTAL OF $17.00 TIP

It is not an ordinary Friday evening, Feb. 17 at Waves Restaurant of Palau Royal Resort as I have 19 Palauan ladies in front of the piano.

 Ley Balba, Mylz Esmeralda Toboso and Vina F Liwanag are having dinner w/ HR Manager Bob Hsiao. I know Ley’s usual requested song I played first Ley's favorite song "Somewhere in Time" followed by all- Palauan songs.

When I played Omruud a Reng, the lady at right asked me to sing it but I haven't memorized yet its lyrics. I followed it up with Ngesuas which I know the chorus. I played more Palauan songs.

 When I am singing Dil Dil Lomais, Jay Orio, buffet man, wants to sing with me and some other ladies. I put on the lyrics and it's amazing that Jay can sing it although he messed up with the accent in "Maral meringel Rengak".

 When I played and sang the Peliliu song Odasangel, the ladies showed their tradition of giving at least a dollar to me by each of them. I am surrounded by more than a dozen Palauan ladies with money to give me while we are singing Odasangel! 

I think most of them are from Peliliu. One of them is taking a video of us. No time for me to capture that special moment so I just took some photos with money on top of the piano.

 Another lady added $5.00 and another one - $3.00 for a total of $17.00 which Mylz jokingly said she will total/assess it for "tax" while they are passing by after their dinner.

Sources: Chess Mate by Roberto Hernandez

              Tia Belau Newspaper

              December 29, 2002 -- April 04, 2017

              Chess and Music (Perfect Combination)

              The Beginning of Chess in Palau 

              By Roberto Hernandez

              Soon to be published as a book

              Music and Me by Roberto Hernandez

              Tia Belau Newspaper

              March 15, 2012 -- April 18, 2013

              http://palau-chess-blogspot.com

              April 25, 2013 --April 04, 2017    

(813) MUSIC AND ME (Aug. 21, 2014) ALL IN THE FAMILY (CONTAGIOUS IN GIVING TIPS)

JAPANESE HUSBAND AND WIFE -- $10.00 TIP EACH
      The Japanese guy in red cap appreciated my rendition of Japanese songs and gave me $10.00 without requesting a song or two. I guess that I might not have a chance to have photo session with him so I took this stolen shot with the $10.00 tip on top of the upright piano. Her wife also gave me another $10.00 before they left.
                              (Photo by Roberto Hernandez)



              ALL IN THE FAMILY
  (CONTAGIOUS IN GIVING TIPS)


I'VE HAD some memorable experiences with families of different nationalities.

The latest is with a Japanese couple on Oct. 08, 2014. As I'm playing alternately Japanese, American and Chinese songs, they don't seem to bother to listen to my music.

When I concentrate to Japanese songs, the guy notice it as I'm playing with expression. He later come to me and gave me $10.00 tip.

His wife, not knowing that he gave me tip already, also gave me another $10.00. The guy is not looking when she gave it to me. I think he doesn't care. Unlike others, when they gave already and some of their companions are about to give tips, they are preventing them.

Two days earlier, (Oct. 06, 2014), Mr. Richard Misech, the General Manager of Palau National Telecommunications Corporation, and his family, had a dinner at Waves Restaurant of Palau Royal Resort.
 
They are sitting in front of me at a long table. When I started playing Palauan songs, Mr. Misech's oldest daughter started singing (without microphone, of course). I also sung with her if I know the lyrics.

A few minutes later, a lady nearest to the piano gave me $5.00 tip. When I sing "Dil Dil Lomais", another girl gave me $1.00. The like my accent in the part "Meral Meringel Rengak" and "Era PRR" instead of "Era Ombal". Ombal was the most popular bar in the 80's-90s. When I'm working at Image Restaurant, I sang it "Era Image", "Era Rose Garden" when I'm playing at Rose Garden Resort in 2005 for 11 months.


I continue to play all Palauan songs till 9pm. As I am securing the piano, song books and my other things, Mr. Misech approached me and gave me $5.00.

He said it's a farewell party for his 2 daughters who are coming back to USA the next day to resume their studies. I thought that the one who always sings is his sister but she's his oldest daughter.




In 2011, it's not a family but a company party. While getting food from buffet, Mr. Bumpei Iwata gave me his 2 cards (both written in Japanese and English at the other sides).

Mr. Iwata was the first one to give me $10.00 tip on top of the piano's right side. 

Another Japanese guy in the middle gave me another $10.00. The Japanese guy at the left side of the long table is about to put single dollars on top of the piano but when he saw that all the money there are all $10.00 bills, he asked his other friends to make it $10.00.

The last Japanese guy who gave me $20.00 is the one who sits beside me with his harmonica. He played a popular American song (I forgot the title) and I accompany him with the piano. He's very good and can play with expression.


Source: Chess And Music (Perfect Combination)
           The Beginning of Chess in Palau
           By Roberto Hernandez
           2011 - August 2014
           To be published as a book in the future