Mr. Joseph Ma, left, started to inquire about the possibility of having music lessons with me on this night that a young boy perform piano music with the permission from Palau Royal Resort DOB Michelle Liao, 2nd from left. Mr. Ma is holding my business card where he wrote the model of Yamaha keyboard that I'm using at Breeze Bar.
(Photo by Roberto Hernandez)
TAIWAN EMBASSY MINISTER
MR. JOSEPH MA
IS MY MUSIC STUDENT
EXACTLY 355 days ago, on August 30, 2014, Palau Royal Resort Director of Board (DOB) Michelle Liao asked me to let a young boy play the piano.
While he is playing, I have a conversation with Taiwan Minister Mr. Joseph Ma after giving him my card, about the models of Yamaha keyboards that he is planning to buy in Taiwan.
I recommended to him the 76-key Yamaha Digital Grand DGX 205 that I'm using when playing at Breeze Bar of PRR from 9-11pm every night except Friday nights.
After the performance of the boy, Madam Michelle asked me, "Not bad, huh!" The boy is good and can play with expression already at his young age.
Ma'am Michelle noticed the intensity of my conversation with Minister Ma.
Weeks later, I was told by Ma'am Michelle that Minister Ma wants to have music lessons with me. She asked how much I charge. I told her that if it's once a week, $12.00/hour and if twice a week, $10.00/hour.
A week before the actual teaching, Ma'am Michelle asked for discount --$10.00/hour - once a week. I willingly agreed. She said, "Don't mention to him that I was able to get a discount for him."
On Jan. 31, 2015, Minister Ma text me with this: "Hi, Robert. I am Joseph Ma, the Minister of Taiwan Embassy. I would like to learn keyboard from you. I want to discuss the time and place with you. Could you please call me when you are available? Thanks."
We agreed that I will lend him my spare Yamaha PSR400 keyboard while he hasn't buy yet one of his own.
We have discussed the time, day and place of the first lesson -- it's on Saturday morning, Feb. 07, 2015 from 10am-12noon at the apartment owned by Sandra Pierentozzi and his Italian husband. It's just above the Elilai Restaurant (3rd floor).
I brought the spare keyboard and the Yamaha Portable Grand DGX205 that I'm using at Breeze Bar.
I've been to that place before because at the 2nd floor of that building, I taught Chris Johnson, the Swedish Chef of Elilai Restaurant, many times and I also lend him the same keyboard that I'm lending now to Minister Ma.
The first lesson of Minister Ma was unforgettable one. He's oozing with talents and the willingness to learn at later age. He owns also a very nice sounding acoustic guitar that costs $1,200.00. He plays very good guitar, too. One funny moment is that I was able to teach him the most popular Chinese song "Yue Liang Dai Biao Wo De Xin" and we sung it together to the delight of his wife.
The lesson exceeds by about 30 minutes but I didn't charge extra. It's worth it. Two hours and 30 minutes is like 23 minutes if you are enjoying what you are doing!
Unfortunately, he has to go back to Taiwan for a few months so the next lesson (2nd one) will be when he comes back in mid-April, 2015.
On March 27, 2015, I've got a new guitar student - Brandon Kyle Lagmay Soriano, that I'm teaching on Friday 5:30-6:30 pm and same time the next day (Sat.). Two days later, Bianca Adriano was added for the time slot of same time but on Mon. and Wed.
Nine days later, Taiwanese girl Samantha Tsao and her brother Shane were added to my new guitar students. Their time slot is 3:30-5:30pm on Fridays and 8-10am on Saturdays.
When Minister Ma came back to Palau, I taught him again on April 18 (Sat.) after teaching Sam and Shane. When I parked the car during the first lesson of Minister Ma, the Italian husband of Sandra Pierentozzi asked me, "Where are you going?" I told him that I'm teaching Minister Ma music.
This time, they called Palau Royal Resort to ask what I am doing there parking my car. My car has a parking permit of PRR. I asked the front desk of PRR to tell Mr. Pierentozzi that I'm teaching music to Taiwan Embassy Minister. Since then, I'm not being bothered by parking in their space.
Regular lessons ensued until May 23, 2015, his last lesson before my 22-day vacation in Philippines with my wife. We will have one last session after I came back from vacation. Minister Ma and his wife have their vacation also in Taiwan.
There is no power on that Sat. morning so we had a lesson at 11:30-2:00. Minister Ma mentioned to me that he had been assigned in Sweden for 7 years. His next post in California is a sort of a reunion with his daughter in California, too. He said she is a member of an orchestra playing piano. I teased him that maybe he can surprise her with some songs that he can play/sing with keyboard or piano.
I have taught Minister Ma a variety of songs, mostly American songs --- Beautiful Sunday, Tennessee Waltz, Let It Be, Imagine, Take Me Home Country Roads, Feelings, Besame Mucho, Unchained Melody, Careless Whisper, Edelweiss, More Than I Can Say, Your Cheating Heart and the last 2 songs about California -- I Left My Heart in San Francisco and It Never Rains in Southern California, because he will be assign in San Francisco for his next post as Director General at Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in San Francisco.
During our lessons, Minister Ma's wife always prepare tea for us. Lately, there are 3 kinds of fruits aside from tea. It's the first I ate a bunch of dragon fruit when it was served with slices of pears, oranges, apples, cantaloupe or honey dew melon.
On June 27, 2015, it's the last day of our lesson. Minister Ma wants to have 2 hours in the morning and another 2 hours in the afternoon. In that session, I teach him the song "I Left My Heart in San Francisco" and later, the other song "It Never Rains in Southern California", in which I have to listen to the original song to freshen my memory about its melody.
They gave me a big microwave oven which they don't like to bring to Taiwan because it's heavy. I donated it to the church where I'm regularly attending -- the Pentecostal Missionary Church of Christ in the 4th Watch (Palau Locale).
After attending the Sunday School/Services on June 28, 2015, Minister Ma called me to give him one final lesson as he is leaving on Monday evening (June 29). We have one final lesson for more than an hour.
He also added that the next occupant of their place is a Japanese family working at Japan Embassy and that they will be moving there on the 11th of July. They like their daughter to have keyboard lessons with me also. They don't have a keyboard yet and I will lend them the same keyboard again.
The next day, June 29, Monday, Mr. Ma called me at 9:45 in the morning and asked me to come to the apartment to meet Mr. Koji Tomita, who will occupy the place.
I go there and met Mr. Tomita, who is the new Counselor of Japanese Embassy in Palau. That's the time that my keyboard was returned to me by Minister Ma.
We said goodbye and he gave me his new card with USA address and new email address. We will keep in touch through emails.
GOOD LUCK TO A FRIEND, A STUDENT, A FATHER AND HUSBAND AND MY BEST ADULT STUDENT!
The Airai State Governor come to me and said, "So, you're also teaching the Minister music, ha? I guess he will never find a teacher like you that whatever song request they throw at you, you can play those songs."
(Photo by Roberto Hernandez)
Sources: Music and Me
By Roberto Hernandez
March 2012-July 2015
Chess and Music (Perfect Combination)
The Beginning of Chess in Palau
By Roberto Hernandez
To be published as a book in the future
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