Dual-functioning pianistic and life advice from Marie Francois Bouquet:
"You have two bad habits: you smoke and you use the soft pedal. I would prefer it if you gave up both habits, but for now, please concentrate on getting rid of the soft pedal."

The world of music: 5 of us played the name game today - one from Juilliard, one from Curtis, one from Yale, one from Eastman, and one from Toronto. Together, for 3 hours straight and encompassing roughly over 100 people, there was not a single person named that at least one of us did not know from the past. It's a small world after all.

The streets of Bergen ring with music. Dutch love yo. Dutch luv.