The Peabody Institute of the Johns Hopkins University

In late June, Stanley and Eileen Cornett, two Peabody faculty members, and an alumnus, Peter Lee, went on a three week tour of Taiwan: performing, conducting Master Classes, talking about Peabody, and meeting with alumni.

Message from Peabody faculty member Stanley Cornett, sent July 6, 2009:

Eileen and I and Peter Lee wanted to send you an update on our marathon trip to Taiwan. We have been teaching --and eating!--our way all over the island for three weeks.

And we are having a great time! Peter has arranged excellent accomodations and scheduling, the people have been incredibly cordial, and they have been especially helpful in entertaining the kids as well. Eileen and I have taught eight masterclasses--four each--in three cities: Taichung, Kaohsiung, and Taipei. We heard some good singers, with a lot of interest in Peabody. Peter's Peabody documentary--which he showed at each masterclass--was a big success, and I sold all 50 of my CD's that we brought. Eileen played three recitals, two with Peter, and also with a renowned Taiwanese soprano at the beautiful National Concert Hall in Taipei to a sold-out house. We also taught several private lessons in each city, and spent the day today coaching Don Giovanni with singers who have roles in an upcoming production of the opera with the Kaohsiung Opera Company.

We were able to meet with many alumni of many different majors at Peabody, with whom we had dinner and who showed us around in tourist mode. Former students were with us several days (Chi Chun Chan, Ming-Ching Wu, and Jo-Pei Weng) who along with Peter were translators for the masterclasses (amazing!) and also wonderful tourguides for us and the kids. The alumni were discussing at dinner options for organizing a Taiwanese Peabody Alumni conc ert series. Eileen and I of course were nudging Peter--with his entrepeneurial skills--to start an opera company here! (Phyllis...we also had dinner with Jeannie Wu who sends her love!)

One illuminating event I have to relate:  for this tour Peter was able to introduce us to the owner and creator of large company called Chimei Industries, which manufactures everything from televisions to kitchen appliances. He has a keen interest in the arts, and has an amazing museum in Tainan, where one of Peter and Eileen's recitals took place. I would describe him as very Medici-like. Well, we met with him, and we were privileged to view his private collection of 460 violins, violas, and cellos--the earliest dating from 1560 (da Salo), with an extensive number Strads, Guarneris, Guadagninis, and Bergonzis, all from before 1760. Also some astounding cellos--one 1730 Strad (I guess he only made 10--the one that Yo Yo Ma borrowed when he was here) Also a 1610 Maggini, one of only 3 in the world, with a David Popper bow. We also saw one of the first violas ever made (Peregrig io di Zenetto c. 1560) and a Guadagnini viola 1785 as well. These are all worth millions of course, and guess what--my daughters Lydia and Emily got to play about 12 of them--including a Kittel bow, the last bow Heifitz used. Not to mention, Mendelssohn's violin, by Andrea Amati! (The irony was, the kids were tired that day, and did not want to come with us; then we all just sort of fell into this tour after meeting Mr. Shui, went down in hi s locked private vault with his personal instrument curator, and this once-in-a-lifetime experience!). If you are interested, google www.cozio.com and search Chi-mei; also, google Chi-mei Museum for more on Mr. Shui's marvelous museum with all kinds of art and musical instruments.

Hope all is going well for all of your summers, and see you soon back at the ol' Peab!

All our best wishes,

Stanley, Eileen, Peter, Lydia, and Emily