(1202) MUSIC AND ME (Feb. 25, 2016) OLD AND YOUNG PIANISTS GUESTS OF PRR

A PIANIST IN HONG KONG IN HER YOUNGER DAYS
     A little rusty but this lady pianist from Hong Kong can play classical songs. She likes soft music. When Roberto learned that she's from Hong Kong, he plays Chinese songs but she doesn't like Chinese songs.


  OLD AND YOUNG PIANISTS GUESTS 
          OF PALAU ROYAL RESORT
 

ON FEBRUARY 17, 2016, an old lady from Hong Kong appreciated my rendition of Chinese songs that I played alternately with American and Japanese songs. Sometimes she would come near me and watch how I play especially with the 2 pedals that I played almost the same number of times.

                She gave me $20.00 tip and later asked if she can play for a few songs. I let her play and she’s good but a little rusty. She said she is retired now but used to play in restaurant/hotel in Hong Kong during her younger years.

                After her short performance, she sits again at her table and I played more Chinese songs. Later she comes back again and asks me not to play Chinese songs. I know a lot of guests/friends/colleagues that don’t like music from their countries: Yuriko Irikedamoto doesn’t like me to play Japanese songs at her Teppan Dragon or Donburi Dragon Japanese restaurants. She wants me to play Italian songs. I can play for only 30 minutes straight all Italian songs but I can play for more than 2 hours straight playing Japanese songs; Kasiano Sugiyama, a Palauan singer/recording artist, doesn’t like Palauan songs. He likes American songs more than Palauan songs; and now this lady from Hong Kong, who also prefers softer and slow tempo music.

While the lady from Hong Kong is playing, I took a shot of her with Palau Royal Resort's Chief Engineer Tony Penas and her girlfriend Shirley, Manager at Mandara Spa, while having dinner.

                                        (Photo by Roberto Hernandez) 

                In August 17, 2015, a Japanese boy is watching me play piano as if he doesn’t know about music. I let him sit on the right side of the piano chair and hold his 2 fingers and we played the song “Chopstick” with me playing the accompaniment on the left side and him playing only 2 fingers to the delight of his parents and younger brother.

                To my surprise, the father asked me if I can let the boy play the piano and when he play, Oh boy, he’s very good at his very young age and playing classical pieces. I think the boy has formal training on classical piano music at his young age.

                There’s another Japanese father with his 2 girls watching the boy plays, who cannot even reach the 3 damper pedals of the upright piano. After his performance, I gave the boy my card, which I always do to anybody who became my ‘guest’ performer.

Sources: Music and Me
                   By Roberto Hernandez
                   Tia Belau Newspaper
                   March 15, 2012 -- April 2013
                   http://palau-chess.blogspot.com
                   April 2013 -- February 25, 2016

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

(898) MUSIC AND ME (Feb. 26, 2015) A RARE EXPERIENCE FOR 2 JAPANESE COUPLES

MY OWN AD AT DRAGON TEI, TEPPAN DRAGON AND DONBURI DRAGON
     A notion to have my own advertisement of my playing times, days and places for being the pianist of Teppan Dragon and Donburi Dragon, will only materialize if I will make my own... This is it!


I've got the keyboard design from an old teaching tool for teaching music to children. The photo in the middle is the only photo (black and white) I have with my music partner in the 1994 New Year's Eve Countdown at Image Restaurant -- Mike Hernandez of Condition Four Band from Guam.

Mike Hernandez, left, singing Hawaiian song "Baby Blue" during his performance with Roberto Hernandez, not related, on New Year's Eve Countdown at Image Restaurant on Dec. 31, 1994.
                             (Photo by Roberto Hernandez)


Roberto knows how to write his name in Japanese character (Katakana) that is written at the left upper part of the ad. It says there "Roberto" Pianist at Donburi Dragon from 11:00am-2:00pm at Lunch time and 4:30pm-6:30pm at Dinner time.

He will then proceed to Teppan Dragon, about a kilometer away from Donburi Dragon (across Palasia Hotel) to play the Kawai electronic piano there from 6:30pm-9:30pm every night except Sunday.

The piano that he is playing at Donburi Dragon is the same piano that he is playing at Image Restaurant from 1998-2005. The owner/manager of Image Restaurant Margarita Borja Dalton sold the piano to Dragon Tei owner/manager Yuriko Cho Irikedamoto.

When the piano was sold to Ms. Yuriko, Roberto started working there as musician for 11 months. When Donburi Dragon closed down in Jan. 2007, the piano was sold to Palau Royal Resort in June 2007 and Roberto start working there as musician from June 2007 up to present. 
         SO, WHEREVER THE PIANO GOES, ROBERTO GOES!

The small photo in the middle is the photo of Roberto's driver's license while his photo on his work permit is at the right upper part that has been issued on June 19, 2006 and will expire on June 19, 2008.

Donburi Dragon is open on Sunday but Roberto plays there on Monday-Saturday.

Teppan Dragon is open on Monday - Saturday.

       SAVORING A JAPANESE FARE
             (and non-stop piano entertainment)

                                                                          Text and photos by
                                                        RAQUEL C. BAGNOL

IF YOU'RE looking for a place to eat and at the same time give your senses a chance to relax to the wonderful stains of music from a piano, the right places to go to are Don Buri Dragon Restaurant, a few meters across Palasia Hotel, and Teppan Dragon at the Topside.

From various selection of delectable Japanese cuisine (Don Buri dishes), we sat down to sample Fry Fish Don, which turned out to be rice placed inside a buri (bowl) and topped with eggs, onions and crispy-fried fish.

 The order, which came in an average portion, came with Miso soup, enough to fill in a regular hungry stomach but for an additional dollar, it can be added unto to make a generous serving.

 A customer feels immediately at home when entering Don Buri and Teppan Dragon. These restaurants, owned by Yuriko Cho Irikedamoto, (including the Dragon Tei) are the only places in Palau which offers non-stop playing by pianist Roberto Hernandez, pianist and disc jockey at the Image Restaurant for the past 13 years.

 Hernandez’ repertoire is composed of almost 2,000 songs from different countries – Japanese, Filipino, Greek, Spanish, Italian, Chamorro, Chinese, French, Arabic, Palauan and English songs. He makes the customers feel at ease and relate by playing songs from their countries.

 As an added appeal majority of the customers (Japanese), Hernandez enjoys playing the most requested songs like Itoshino Elly, Oribia O Kikinagara, Subaru, Kimito Itsumademo, Kita Sakaba and Tsunami.

 He also plays more than 30 Palauan songs and is gaining popularity with the locals. His favorite includes Ngesuas, Kaneohe, Odasangel, Omruud A Reng and Betik Ra Renguk A Lekebil, a beautiful Palauan love song. He also adjusts his songs to the age bracket of the customers.

 The lounge/piano bar at the Teppan Dragon is an ideal place to relax, chat with friends or simply enjoy coffee or cocktail. Bartender Freddy Gloria whips up fantastic cocktails which would fit any mood or occasion at affordable prices. He whipped up Monkey Magic for me and Ever Green for my buddy and a special “Blow Job” for us, four layers of different spirits in a jigger with actual flames on top. You have to sip it in a straw real quick (or else your straw will melt). This is going to be in the market soon.

 Hernandez plays the piano non-stop at the Don Buri from 11 am to 2 pm and 4:30 to 6:30 pm on Tuesdays to Saturdays. He plays at the Teppan Dragon from 6:30 to 9:30 pm every night, except Mondays.  RCB

Source: Island Times Newspaper

              Billboard Section

             Island Flavor Column by Raquel C. Bagnol

             Page 13

             November 23-29, 2006

               

During their early meeting, Roberto asked Ms. Yuriko, "Why is it that all your Japanese Restaurants have "dragon" in their names? Is it because you were born on the year of the dragon?"

Yuri san's reply, "YOU'RE THE ONLY ONE WHO GUESSED IT RIGHT!"

      

A RARE EXPERIENCE FOR 2 JAPANESE COUPLES

June 21, 2011 at 2:29am

(Facebook Article)

          How many people can experience these: Dragon Tei is short of driver so I picked 4 Japanese guests up at Palau Plantation Resort. While driving them, I told them that I'm the pianist at Teppan Dragon. 

         When we arrived there, I opened the car doors for them, showed them the poster of me in the bulletin board and lead them to the teppan yaki table.

         While they are eating, I played Japanese songs for them. They had their dessert and coffee near me.

         I gave them my Japanese songbook and they enjoyed the night singing Japanese songs.     When it's time to go home, I drive them back to PPR. 

        One of them said, "We have enjoyed this night very much." He gave me $20.00 tip.

Sources: Chess and Music (Perfect Combination)

                The Beginning of Chess in Palau

                By Roberto Hernandez

                To be published as a book in the future

                Music and Me

                By Roberto Hernandez

                1994-2015

                Island Times Newspaper
                Billboard Section
                Island Flavor Section by Raquel C. Bagnol
                Page 13
                November 23-29, 2006


 

 

(891) MUSIC AND ME (Feb. 05, 2015) ESTONIA'S MOST POPULAR SONG "KUNGLA RAHVAS"

OWN HANDWRITING OF AN ESTONIAN LADY MUSIC TEACHER
    The music score of "Kungla Rahvas" was the own handwriting of an Estonian music teacher that I met while playing piano at Teppan Dragon Japanese Restaurant in late 2006 or early 2007. The handwriting in the lower part of the music score is mine.  (Photo by Roberto Hernandez)


              KUNGLA RAHVAS
  (Estonia's Most Popular Song)

ONCE in a while, if there is no available driver at Dragon Tei or Teppan Dragon Japanese Restaurants where I'm playing piano, I used to dropped by some guests to their hotels.

It's late in 2006 or early 2007 that I have a group of European guests (about 6 or 7 people) that I dropped at Cliffside Hotel, just 50 meters from Image Restaurant where I played music for 13 years under contract with its owner/manager Margarita Borja Dalton. She treated me, my wife Flor and daughter Karen like her own family that's why I stayed very long with her.

Before reaching the Cliffside Hotel, I can't resist myself to ask them, "Are you Italians?" Because I thought their language is similar to Italy.

They said they are from Estonia. Upon hearing a new country citizens to me, I asked them, "What is the most popular Estonian song? Because I know some international songs but I don't know a single Estonian song yet."

A lady mentioned a song but I didn't remember it. They said they will be back and dine again at Teppan Dragon tomorrow,where I played music every night and they will teach me the most popular Estonian song. They are very excited about my request. It's a way of promoting Estonian music/culture through song and also helping me to add to my repertoire an Estonian song.

True to their words, they're back the next night. One of the lady asked for a pen and a piece of paper. She can write music score very fast. She said she is a music teacher in Estonia.

After writing it, she began to explain the meaning of the song "Kungla Rahvas"and she wrote under the title "Nation (people) of Kungla". She softly sung it slowly first. The beat is a little upbeat so while learning the song, the beat becomes faster. 

At the end and lower right of the score sheet, she wrote "Estonian God of Song" and "Vanemuine" which I believe is the singer/composer of the song.

They go back the next day with 2 new compatriot and when I played the Kungla Rahvas, all of them sung and enjoy the night. Everybody is impressed with the way I learned it that fast. Actually, the melody is not yet very much familiar to me up to now but because the chords of the song are easy, I just follow those and use my 'music instinct' (or playing by ear) which I'm using effectively if Japanese guests are singing at Breeze Bar of Palau Royal Resort using a 1982 Karaoke Songbook all written in Japanese. It has chords and sometimes music score which I follow when they are singing it. They will be impressed when I told them the word "Hajimete" which means ''It's the first time that I played it".

Estonia is currently the No. 50 country in the FIDE Rating list. It has 5 GMs, 1 WGM, 8 IMs, 3 WIMs, 5 FMs, 6 WFMs, and 1 WCM.

     

Estonia  (Top 100 Active players)  February 2015

#	Name	Title	Fed	Rating	G	B-Year
1	Kulaots, Kaido	g	EST	2558	11	1976
2	Kanep, Meelis	g	EST	2509	0	1983
3	Volodin, Aleksandr	g	EST	2484	9	1990
4	Rychagov, Mikhail	g	EST	2457	0	1967
5	Liiva, Riho	m	EST	2456	0	1975
6	Shvyrjov, Igor	g	EST	2433	0	1955
7	Seeman, Tarvo	m	EST	2426	11	1969
8	Kalinichev, Andrey	f	EST	2424	0	1986
9	Sepp, Olav	m	EST	2411	0	1969
10	Ladva, Ottomar	m	EST	2410	11	1997
11	Firstov, Juri		EST	2389	0	1982
12	Shishkov, Andrei	f	EST	2387	0	1978
13	Lauk, Ular	m	EST	2385	0	1968
14	Kiik, Kalle	m	EST	2384	0	1963
15	Zavoronkov, Vladimir	m	EST	2346	0	1976
16	Zjukin, Sergei	m	EST	2304	0	1972
17	Soskov, Vjatsheslav		EST	2289	0	1987
18	Sirosh, Ilja		EST	2285	9	1998
19	Vovk, Ilja	f	EST	2274	0	1988
20	Krupenski, Juri	f	EST	2259	0	1982
21	Remmel, Anto		EST	2257	0	1946
22	Gansvind, Valeriya I.	wf	EST	2247	0	1965
23	Jezov, Roman		EST	2245	11	1990
24	Vorobjov, Pavel		EST	2231	0	1981
25	Golubenko, Valeri		EST	2225	0	1961
26	Dubrovin, Robert		EST	2221	0	1986
27	Narva, Jaan	f	EST	2220	0	1958
28	Valner, Uku		EST	2215	0	1990
29	Koop, Vyacheslav		EST	2204	0	1979
30	Fomina, Tatyana	wg	EST	2201	0	1954
30	Korstin, Maris		EST	2201	0	1981
32	Peebo, Kalle		EST	2200	0	1949
33	Konovalkin, Eduard		EST	2196	0	1973
34	Rauk, Tonu		EST	2190	0	1970
35	Holvason, Juri		EST	2186	2	1992
36	Kukk, Sander		EST	2184	0	1987
37	Narva, Mai	wm	EST	2179	9	1999
38	Tarakanov, Oleg		EST	2161	0	1953
39	Korchagin, Oleg		EST	2158	0	1965
40	Kuusk, Andres		EST	2157	0	1981
41	Aleksejev, Igor		EST	2139	0	1986
42	Zainetdinova, Svetlana	wf	EST	2129	0	1962
43	Tolmatshov, Eduard		EST	2126	0	1963
44	Garber, Vjatseslav		EST	2118	0	1936
44	Sarv, Arvo		EST	2118	0	1943
46	Tsiganova, Monika	wm	EST	2113	0	1969
47	Soot, Margus		EST	2101	0	1980
48	Muutnik, Valdo		EST	2098	0	1961
49	Tominga, Eke		EST	2082	0	1997
50	Haavamae, Henrik		EST	2074	0	1998
51	Narva, Triin	wc	EST	2073	0	1994
52	Kukk, Raul		EST	2067	0	1964
53	Chukavin, Kirill		EST	2063	0	2002
53	Kasela, Sten		EST	2063	0	1990
55	Piarnpuu, Leili	wm	EST	2060	0	1950
56	Nahkur, Madis		EST	2043	0	1992
57	Petrov, Dmitri		EST	2035	0	1998
58	Tuul, Tarmo		EST	2034	0	1988
59	Vahtra, Tuuli	wf	EST	2025	9	1989
60	Dusman, Alexander		EST	2018	0	1982
61	Dragun, Valentin		EST	2016	0	1997
62	Narva, Regina	wf	EST	2007	0	1970
63	Abozenko, Georg		EST	1984	0	1996
63	Nikitin, Pjotr		EST	1984	0	1941
65	Brokko, Margit	wf	EST	1972	18	1973
66	Teemae, Leo		EST	1970	0	1932
67	Medar, Marti		EST	1960	0	1996
68	Petrov, Aleksandr		EST	1939	0	1941
69	Nikulin, Oleg		EST	1936	0	1996
70	Makin, Kirill		EST	1918	0	1985
71	Kruusiauk, Heda		EST	1902	0	1949
72	Tominga, Ago		EST	1887	0	1995
73	Korban, Katrina		EST	1864	0	1997
74	Skladtsikov, Andrei		EST	1858	0	2000
75	Olde, Margareth		EST	1855	0	2000
76	Lumiste, Rene		EST	1853	0	1999
76	Orlov, Roman		EST	1853	0	2000
78	Sirp, Karl Aleksander		EST	1851	0	1999
79	Sagadijeva, Anna	wf	EST	1838	0	1998
80	Hanzatjan, Anaid		EST	1830	0	1995
81	Ivanov, Platon-Jaan		EST	1815	0	2000
82	Poom, Mati		EST	1803	0	1944
83	Skladtshikov, Andrei		EST	1798	3	2000
84	Ruus, Rein		EST	1782	0	1955
85	Kestlane, Harry		EST	1776	0	1965
86	Raudsepp, Teet		EST	1775	0	1944
87	Pedoson, Georg Aleksander		EST	1763	1	2004
88	Garanin, Aleksei		EST	1749	0	2001
89	Sepandi, Jaak		EST	1739	0	1939
90	Liebert, Erwin		EST	1737	10	1999
91	Jurtov, Aleksei		EST	1710	0	1997
91	Nero, Georg		EST	1710	0	1999
93	Viikmaa, Karmen		EST	1707	0	1983
94	Timoshin, Andrei		EST	1703	0	2003
95	Bondar, Daniil		EST	1700	0	2001
96	Paan, Karel		EST	1682	5	1998
97	Olde, Grete		EST	1671	0	2002
98	Obolonin, Filipp		EST	1664	4	1997
99	Tiisler, Tanel		EST	1663	12	1997
100	Zubehhin, Aleksei		EST	1634	2	2000

 

I've got the idea of writing this post when I started to take note the list of new countries that view the Palau Chess Federation website http://palau-chess.blogspot.com

  New countries who are viewing this website now include Togo, Japan, Bangladesh, India, China, Cote d’ Ivoire, Latvia, Malaysia, Kuwait, Poland, Brazil, Serbia, Benin, Mexico, Qatar, Senegal, Saudi Arabia, Ghana, Hong Kong, Sri Lanka, Norway, Pakistan, Jordan, New Zealand, Romania, Bulgaria, Sweden, Hungary, Bahrain, Austria, Martinique, Guam, Canada, Spain, Estonia, Netherlands, South Africa, South Korea, Singapore, Croatia, Taiwan, Italy, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Indonesia, Barbados, Chile, Ireland, United Arab Emirates, Zambia, Nigeria, Bahamas, Zimbabwe, Georgia, Slovakia, Algeria, Micronesia, Portugal, Panama, Marshall Islands, Vietnam, Northern Mariana Islands, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Argentina, Thailand, ...

74 countries (as of Feb. 23, 2015) plus the Top 10 countries as of Dec. 2014:
               The Top 10 Countries who viewed PCF website are 1. USA (95,350) 2. Philippines (5,475) 3. Russia (3,381) 4. Germany (2,654) 5. Australia (1,365) 6. Palau (1,278) 7. UK (786) 8. France (700) 9. PNG (682) 10. Ukraine (453). The total all-time page view is 123,365. (It is now 132,509).

On Aug. 14, 2014, in the 11th and final round of 2014 World Chess Olympiad in Tromso, Norway, Estonia women's team played the Puerto Rican team, whose one of the players is blind and using a special chessboard, against WGM Tatyana Fomina, right.
                                           (Photo by Roberto Hernandez)

THIS TIME, AGAINST QATAR.
                            (Photo by Eric Ksau Surangel Whipps)






Source: Chess and Music (Perfect Combination)
             The Beginning of Chess in Palau
             By Roberto Hernandez
             2006-February 2015
             To be published as a book in the future