(1538) MUSIC AND ME (May 10, 2018) A LITTLE PUSH

3 JAPANESE LADIES -- HAVEN'T DECIDED YET TO EAT ALA CARTE OR BUFFET

When they arrive at Waves Restaurant of Palau Royal Resort on the eve of Sept. 06, 2017, they haven't decided yet if they will have dinner by ala carte or buffet.

A little push or convincing by F & B Manager Mervin Lee Cuyugan and they all have decided to have buffet dinner.

When they are starting to have their dinner, I played all Japanese songs. I can feel/sense that they like music as they are singing softly or humming while I am playing those Japanese songs.

After paying their bill, they stand near me and watch me play. When I play songs

 sung by lady singers like Nada Sou Sou, they are singing with it.

When I played the most popular Japanese song among middle-aged Japanese women--Oribia o Kikinagara, they sang a little louder and they know the lyrics!.

 I followed it up with Madonna Tachi No Lullaby and Anata. When I played the Kawa No Nagareno Yoni, they are very impressed with the quick strikes of the piano keys especially before the chorus part of the song.

And also the instrumental part of the Japanese song "For You" where I played 4 keys of the piano all at the same time for a "blowing or string" effect. 

After their dinner, and before going out of the restaurant, they thank me and ask a staff of PRR to take photos with us at the piano. 

ALTHOUGH I HAVEN'T GOT ANY TIPS FROM THEM, IT'S OKAY FOR ME. THE IMPORTANT THING IS... THEY ENJOY THE NIGHT AT WAVES RESTAURANT WITH MY MUSIC.

Ten days later, Sept. 16, 2017, I have a Japanese couple enjoying my music at the Breeze Bar of PRR. I gave them my 2 song books (1 American songs, and the other is all Japanese songs).

They have sung more than 8 songs already when another 2 Japanese ladies came and upon telling them that they are having a good time singing, they sit at the same table. The staff has to add another 2 tables as if they will be ordering food.

The notebook with the picture of my wife and me during the Feb. 21, 2009 brunch buffet at Palau Pacific Resort is my index notebook of all the songs that I can play (about 2,000 songs). It is color-coded notebook where I wrote blue for blue notebook with a code (B) and next to it is the page of the song. Red for the red (R) notebook where the last few pages are 67 of The Beatles songs. Dark Blue (DB) for dark blue notebook, where the last few pages were international songs. Green for green notebook, The last few pages of this notebook are all Palauan songs. Violet for violet notebook (still not completed yet) and 1 separate notebook for OPM (Original Pilipino Music) where I have handwritten less than 300 songs. At the index notebook, I wrote the titles of OPM songs with a red ball pen and no color coding for it but the page referral has OPM before the page of the song.


They enjoyed the next hour of singing even the oldest Japanese songs like Subaru, Kokoni Sachiari, Kimito Itsumademo, Ihoujin and many more.

The way they are enjoying the night, I thought that I will get big tips but not a single cent.
IT'S NOT MY NIGHT, THOUGH.

Sources:

Chess Mate by Roberto Hernandez

Tia Belau Newspaper

December 29, 2002 -- July 01, 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 -- July 01, 2018

The History of Chess in Palau

By Roberto Hernandez

June 09, 2002 -- July 01, 2018

(1307) MUSIC AND ME (Sept. 01, 2016) JAP. COUPLES INVITED BY GENEROUS JAP. GUY

A RARE GENEROSITY BY A JAPANESE GUY
     Very few generous people will invite three couples from their country to join in their table. I witness one or two couples invited by some Japanese guests of Palau Royal Resort. This generous Japanese guy (with cigarette in his mouth) invited 3 different Japanese couples to their table one at a time.
                       (Photo by Roberto Hernandez)


  JAPANESE COUPLES INVITED BY
      GENEROUS JAPANESE GUY

AFTER playing 2 hours of piano instrumental music at Waves Restaurant of Palau Royal Resort on Aug. 14, 2016, I proceeded to Breeze Bar to play another 2 hours of keyboard music.

There are moderate number of guests there and one noticeable Japanese guy is having a cigarette on his mouth buy not lighting it.

He appreciates my rendition of Japanese songs and gave me $10.00 tip. Later, some Japanese couples arrived. He started to invite the Japanese couple next to them to join them at their table. He offered them drinks, which of course he will pay.

Their table becomes more livelier with interesting conversations. Then another younger Japanese couple came and about 15 minutes, they were invited also to join the group. 

They are now 8 in their table and the joking and laughter never ends.

I asked for a photo with them to have a souvenir with this rare occasion.

The last couple that he invited (far left in the photo), came back the next night, hoping the generous guy will be there again. Not there.

But they enjoy the music more this time because they are by themselves this time.   



Sources: Music and Me by Roberto Hernandez
             Tia Belau Newspaper 
             March 15, 2012 -- April 18, 2013 
             http://palau-chess.blogspot.com
             April 25, 2013 -- December 07, 2016

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

      

    

(1123) MUSIC AND ME (aPRIL 07, 2016) $62.00 TIP ON aPRIL 14, 2016

A CHINESE LADY AND A PALAUAN GIRL POSING AT THE PIANO
    The Palauan girl in the middle is just 'playing' around with Roberto Hernandez, the resident musician of Palau Royal Resort. The Chinese lady took advantage of the chance to have photo with the 'duo'. She gave Roberto $2.00 tip and it's the start of getting $60.00 more tips at the Breeze Bar from a Japanese couple. The polo shirt that Roberto is wearing is a gift from Bruce and Violet Soriano on Christmas day. It's a lucky shirt because every time Roberto is wearing it, he receives tips at least $10.00 in each occasion.
                                              (Photo by Roberto Hernandez)






       $62.00 TIP ON APRIL 14, 2016

  

IT WAS a busy night at Waves Restaurant of Palau Royal Resort on April 14, 2016. While I am playing international songs (Japanese, American, Palauan, Chinese and Filipino music), there’s a Chinese lady who is passing around/behind me while looking at the way I play the piano (complicated chords, using 3 damper pedals and carried away by soft or upbeat tempo).

                Later, a Palauan girl from a family of Palauans started playing the keys of the piano. She plays it softly and it doesn’t bother me at all. Knowing she can ‘play’ along with piano keys, her touch of the keys gets harder and louder until it was ordered by Ma’am Michelle Liao to stop her from playing.

                I’ve got an idea to ‘settle’ her down. I let her sit beside me and ask a staff to take a shot of us. The Chinese lady is around so I ask her to join in the photo session and we have 2 shots taken. Later, the Chinese lady gave me $2.00 tip. I gave her my card and gave the Palauan girl my card, too.

                That’s a positive start of getting tips. I’ve been ‘unlucky’ in the past few days with tips. At 9pm, I proceed to Breeze Bar to play another 2 hours of keyboard music. The keyboard has been defective in more than a week. Six keys are not functioning and more than 3 months ago, the right speaker has a hissing sound that bothers my music students (Yoko Tomita, Shane Tsao Abellera and Norma Neriquita). I decided to open the keyboard and unhooked the right side speaker and there’s no more hissing sound but the volume is lower because only one speaker is working.

                I asked Ramiro Torre of Engineering Department to take a look at it. It takes more than an hour and still he can’t fix the hissing sound. He just put back the speaker in ‘unhooked’ mode.

                We have a Japanese couple at Breeze Bar very close to keyboard while I’m setting it. I knew that they are excited to listen to my music so I gave them my 2 song books (Japanese and American songs).

I started playing Japanese and once in a while, American songs which the couple appreciated whatever music I played, especially Japanese songs.

              They had a good time for almost 2 hours singing and requesting Japanese and American songs. I gave them my card and told them some stories about my experiences in Palau.

             I played for them many songs esp. Japanese like "Kimito Itsumademo, Kampai, Kawa No Nagareno Yo Ni, Koko Ni Sachiari, Wakaretemo Sukinahito, Itoshino Elly, Nada Sou Sou, Hana Wa Saku, Tsugunai, etc.

             Also American songs like Let It Be, Imagine, Tennessee Waltz, etc. 

             Before they leave, the guy gave me $60.00 tip! I was not able to ask for a photo session and as usual, I forgot to ask for their names.




Sources: Music and Me by Roberto Hernandez
                   Tia Belau Newspaper
                   March 15, 2012 -- April 2013
                   http://palau-chess.blogspot.com
                   April 2013 -- April 14, 2016


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

(1209) MUSIC AND ME (March 10, 2016) MEETING MORE INTERNATIONAL GUESTS IN 2016

FIRST IN THE LIST... CHINESE COUPLE
     Early in 2016, I've met different nationalities and personalities at Breeze Bar of Palau Royal Resort. Whether they are alone, couple or group, it's interesting to learn more about different cultures and other stuff.
                                            (Photo by Roberto Hernandez - Taken by Den Flores)



                      MEETING MORE
             INTERNATIONAL GUESTS
                            IN 2016 

DIFFERENT NATIONALITIES, different experiences. This happens to my musical career in early part of 2016. In Jan. 26, a Chinese couple is enjoying my music. The lady seems to be very seductive that when we have a photo taken, her boobs got closer to my left side and I feel uncomfortable with her husband beside me. I just moved my left arm holding to a chair in front of me.

                I don’t remember if they gave me tip. When I check my diary of expenses, there’s no tip given to me there. Expenses are for soymilk ($1.99), bananas ($.97), Fuji apple ($.51), Valencia navel orange ($.46), bar soap (Irish Spring) $.89, Vitamin (One a Day –Men’s) $9.95, crackers ($1.69) and sour sap at $2.55 which were bought at Surangel’s Supermarket. Papaya at $.95 was bought at WCTC.

                On Feb. 24, I met a half-Filipino, half American guy. He understands Tagalog but can’t speak it fluently. He said he can play guitar but I don’t want to get my Yamaha guitar to my room because one of the string, the thinnest one, don’t sound good because there’s a slight defect with the fret. We talk for a while about our lives and plans for the future, hobbies, chess and music. We have 2 photos taken and with the 2^nd shot, he took off his glasses so that he will look younger.

                On March 07, a lone Japanese lady sits in front of keyboard while I’m playing in lackluster fashion as there are few guests. Knowing she’s Japanese, I played and sing the song “Oribia O Kikinagara” without looking at the songbook. I continue to play more Japanese songs and she enjoys it. We have a long conversation before a photo was taken. Her first words about the song I played and sing is, “That’s a very lonely song”.

                She’s a very intelligent middle-aged woman. When our subject of conversation focus on chess and music, she more interested especially about the prospect of Tokyo, Japan bidding in the 2020 World Chess Olympiad during the 2016 World Chess Olympiad in Baku, Azerbaijan where I will be participating as Delegate and Board 5 (Reserve) of Palau Open Team.

                After the photo was taken, that’s the time that I asked for her name. I told her that the photo might be published in http://palau-chess.blogspot.com someday and I want to get the right name of the person that will be featured. She wrote her name on a piece of paper and I noticed it was long… Yukiko Yamanaka.

                I also took a photo of full moon on Jan. 25 which is like a moon surrounded by breaking ice bergs. It’s very nice to the naked eye but the result in the photo is not that good as it is. It is also the time that Breeze Bar has more tents now so that when there is a function of about 100 or more persons, there’s no need for double setting in case it rains, which is very tiring for staff.

Sources: Music and Me

               By Roberto Hernandez

              Tia Belau Newspaper

             March 15, 2012 – April 2013

              http://palau-chess.blogspot.com

             April 2013—March 10, 2016

             Chess and Music (Perfect Combination)

            The Beginning of Chess in Palau

             By Roberto Hernandez

            To be published as a book in the future

(761) MUSIC AND ME (May 22, 2014) "ASSISTING ME TO THE AD LIB OF HOTEL CALIFORNIA

ENJOYING PALAU, MUSIC AND FRIENDSHIP
     Steven Chen, left, and Ethan Zhao, right, became Roberto Hernandez' best Taiwanese friends during their stay at Palau Royal Resort in July 2014. The trio still communicate with each other through email and Facebook and cherished their happy moments including Ethan's 'assist' during the ad lib of Hotel California.                              (Photo by Roberto Hernandez)


  'ASSISTING' ME TO THE AD LIB OF
             HOTEL CALIFORNIA

 I MET 2 young Taiwanese in July 2014 at Breeze Bar of Palau Royal Resort.

It was a quick connection that Ethan Zhao and Steven Chen became my best Taiwanese friends in just a short period of time.

It is also through music that we 'connect' more and enjoyed many moments through songs especially the "Stand By Me".
  

It's a different 'hit' when I sing it with "So, Ethan, Ethan, Stand By Me, Oh oh Stand By Me" because Ethan will really 'stand by me', dance a little and have a photo taken. Same with Steven.

They have even a video of it with Ethan and Steven dancing while I'm singing "Stand by Me".

But the most funny and enjoyable part is when I play the ad lib of Hotel California and I asked Ethan to do the pitch bend. Everybody enjoyed it even the 2 lady guests farther from us. The sound really sounds like a distortion guitar being played by a professional lead guitarist.   

In their last night, we exchanges signatures in their slum books and small handwritten notes like the one I told them about Rin Kita, the Japanese girl...
   

VERY NICE TO MEET RIN KITA AGAIN
    If a simple letter/card can be treasured and cherished, what more with this picture with a beautiful girl that wrote me a lovely note, although in Japanese character, to touch the hearts of many including PRR GM Isao Takahashi, who kept that note/letter for more than a year!                                                    (Photo by Roberto Hernandez)



    RIN KITA IS BACK AFTER 2 YEARS

TWO weeks before going to Istanbul for 2012 World Chess Olympiad, the 56^th issue of Tia Belau was published with Music and Me story of “A Letter From A 5-year-old Japanese Girl”.

                The first line of that story is “While playing piano at Waves Restaurant on Sunday, March 20, 2011, a 5-year-old girl is watching me play.”

                Exactly 2 years and 1 day (March 21, 2013), that Japanese girl is watching me play again. After finishing the song that I’m playing, I gave her my card and asked her name. She said her name but I misheard it as “Kin Jita”.

                Then I played some Japanese songs and she sung some parts where she knows in soft voice. Then I showed her my scrap book with photos and print copy of some Music and Me issues with black and white photos.

                My instinct ‘commanded’ me to go to the last part of the book where the letter/card of Rin Kita was posted. Then I said, “This is written and made by Rin Kita. Are you Rin Kita?” When she nodded, that’s the time that I’m sure now that she is really her 2 years ago.

                When I mentioned to her that she is the one that make and draw the hearts, grapes and flags of Palau and Japan in there, she is almost in tears.

                She can’t believe that a simple note, letter and drawing like that will be treasured and cherished by someone. I asked her, “Where is your mom?” And I said, go ahead and bring the book and show it to her.

                When they come to me, we have pictures taken –one in their camera and one in my cell phone’s camera. It’s my day off the next day (Friday) but on Saturday, they come again to have dinner near the piano.

                When I played “Oribia O Kikinagara”, Rin Kita sang on some parts that she knows. Her mom can sing all the last parts of the song.

                We talked for a while about their stay in Palau 2 years ago. It’s their 3^rd time now in Palau. Rin Kita is 6 years old, not 5 as I have written. She’s 8 years old now and very beautiful.

                I read to them the contents of “A Letter From A 5-year-old Japanese Girl”—about the accident when Rin Kita accidentally drop a glass and some broken glass hit her leg; about the letter/card and how our GM Isao Takahashi translated it to me.

                I asked them also to check the website http://palau-chess.blogspot.com where I will feature Rin Kita again. She was featured (without picture) in Music and Me issue 56 (Aug. 16, 2012) and no. 280^th post in that website. I posted it on August 18, 2012—a week before my trip to Istanbul.

PROMISE TO HIS DAD
     I promise to the father of this Taiwanese boy that I will feature his son in this column in about 2 weeks. It's more than a month now. So here it is. I asked him to check the Palau Chess Federation website http://palau-chess.blogspot.com because I write about music also at Tia Belau which I am posting also in this site. Sorry that I didn't get your names.                            (Photo by Roberto Hernandez)



         A LETTER FROM A 6-YEAR-OLD
                   JAPANESE GIRL

WHILE playing piano at Waves Restaurant on Sunday evening, March 20, 2011, a 6-year old Japanese girl is watching me play. After finishing the song, I called her and gave her my card. She was very excited about it and showed the card to her mom and auntie.

                There’s also a young Japanese couple with 2 kids (one is maybe one year old and the other is 3 years old). They’ve been regular guests at Waves and Breeze Bar in the last 3 days.

                Minutes later, a group of Japanese came and have dinner in the wooden area. Five of them are in a wheelchair. One of them can ‘drive’ it without someone pushing it.

                At past 8:00 pm, after finishing their dinner and paying their more than $700.00 bill, the group had surrounded me. The two wheelchairs with an old lady and a guy positioned to my right, one at my back and another 2 to my left. They like my rendition of Japanese songs. I showed them my Japanese song book and they choose and requested songs from that.

                The old lady in a wheelchair to my right requested “Ai No Sanka”. She clapped enthusiastically after I played that song. I gave her and the guy at my back my card. She appreciated it very much and shook my hand in gratitude.

                The girl, Rin Kita, and the young Japanese couple with 2 kids, are watching those guests around me having a good time. After 3 more requested songs, they left. One of the ladies (not in wheelchair), gave me $5.00 tip and another lady gave me also $5.00 tip. I gave another card to the last guy in a wheelchair on my right.

                After they left, Rin Kita approached me and talk to me in Japanese. She specifically said “Ashita”, asking if I’ll be at Waves Restaurant again tomorrow evening. I told her “Shigoto wa rokuji kara, kyuji made desu (koko) to kyuji kara juichiji made desu (Breeze Bar). Sui-yobi wa yasumi. (It means I work from 6-9pm there and 9-11pm at Breeze Bar and Wednesday is my day off).

                Before 9:00, the Japanese guy and his 3-year old daughter approached me and she gave me $10.00 tip. He said it’s their last night tonight and they will go back to Japan. I gave the girl my card. Upon reading it, he asked his daughter to say “Thank you, Roberto san.”

                Another young Japanese couple farther away also enjoyed my music. Before going home, the lady gave me $2.00 tip and said, “Thank you for the very nice Japanese songs.”

                At Breeze Bar, the Japanese couple with 2 kids proceed there and clapped after I played a song, whether Japanese or American songs. When it’s time for them to say goodbye for check out, a lot of waving from me and from them.

                The next day, Monday, Rin Kita arrived with her mom and auntie. She gave me a home-made card with a letter written in Katakana and Hirakana. It’s my first time to receive a lovely note from a 6-year old girl. I displayed that note/card at the piano music stand trying to figure out what it is she’s saying in the letter.

                A little accident occurred when she accidentally dropped a glass on the floor and a piece of broken glass hit her leg. She was treated with first aid kit by the new F & B Manager Edgie Garcia. When she’s waving goodbye to me while they are going out of Waves, I notice a little limping from her.

                I showed the card to our General Manager Isao Takahashi and he translated it to me-- that the girl plays piano also and she’d like to see me again someday when they come back to Palau.

Source: Music and Me by Roberto Hernandez

             Tia Belau Newspaper

            Pages 8-9

            Volume 21

            Issue 56

            August 16, 2012

Exactly 2 years and 1 day, Rin Kita, right, came back to Palau with her mom. A photo was taken this time on March 21, 2013 with her showing the letter/card that she made 2 years ago that Roberto Hernandez has put in his scrap book.

Source: Music and Me by Roberto Hernandez
             Tia Belau Newspaper
             Pages 9 and 11
             Volume 22
             Issue 25
            March 28, 2013

The last photo session of us is also a memorable one. We agreed to communicate through Facebook and emails especially when I will be in Philippines and Norway where internet connection is faster.

Here, Steven is writing on post cards while a Japanese couple ask a pictorial with me after they enjoyed my rendition of Japanese songs (old and new).

I have also some experiences with the ad lib of Hotel California like in Dec. 16, 2013 where Michiko Nakamura and Katsutoshi Nakada came for the 8th time in Palau.

Michiko had a gift for me and my wife --a blazer in which I said I will wear when I come to Norway for the 2014 World Chess Olympiad in Aug. 1-14, 2014; a coin purse for my wife; Christmas cards with personal notes, etc.

This photo became my timeline photo for almost a year. I just change it now with the Palau Chess Team members and the profile photo also with former Palau President Johnson Toribiong was changed after 5 years with me and Rin Kita.

I talked to them for a few minutes on that night, Dec. 16, 2013 and told them the stories of the crying Japanese guy that gave me $100.00 tip twice.

Before I resume my playing, I asked them if they want to request a song or two. Michiko requested "Desperado" while Katsutoshi requested Hotel California.

Sometimes I ask Jovy Rodriguez, bartender and also a friend of the couple, to assist me to the ad lib of Hotel California and I think this is the right time to give the couple a good time...

During the ad lib, that's the time that Jovy stand near me and 'played' the pitch bend really good that the couple really had a good time laughing. 


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
                 Tia Belau Newspaper