Viviana Guzman, International Flutist
producer, photographer, poet, flute lessons based in San Francisco
Lady of the Lake performed & composed by Viviana Guzman
In the Tales of King Arthur, “Vivian” was Merlin’s Mistress, the Lady of the Lake, and the bearer of Excalibur. This video fuses this ancient myth with my own autobiographical story of going from being unable to walk, growing up in body casts, and undergoing multiple surgeries…. to performing in the stages of the world with my Magic Flute…. my Golden Sword. I hope you like it!
Masterclasses & Recitals in Mississippi, Univ South Alabama, Texas Tech, UT Arlington and East Carolina
Viviana Guzman teaching masterclass at UTA
What an intense month January was! WOW!!! Actually since November, I’ve been booked solidly doing not only performances, but also university recitals, lectures and masterclasses. It’s really been riveting.
I started the month in Argentina with Elvy Rose and the adorable tango dancers I adore, Denisa and Victor. I was home for a few days before flying to Gulfport, Mississippi to play a concert with my quartet, Festival of 4. As usual, we got a standing ovation. As usual, Richard got on my nerves big time.
Viviana Guzman Masterclass at the University of South Alabama
Two flute students, Nicole Carrion and Rebecca Reinhardt came to pick me up from the hotel and took me to Mobile, Alabama where I gave a mini recital, taught a masterclass, taught a warm-up class, gave a Business of Music lecture, a Goal Setting seminar and took a celtic music class. This delightful class was taught by Dr. Andra Bohnet. It was so refreshing to see that this kind of course is offered at a university! Brava Dr. Bohnet! Andra and her husband Keith, graciously hosted me in their lovely home. Then I flew to Lubbock, Texas.
Viviana Guzman Masterclass at Texas Tech University
Another flute student picked me up, Gio and his partner Luis. They were so adorable and amazing to have picked me up at midnight! I had a great stay in my hotel as the room was spacious and had a great view. At Texas Tech I played a little, taught a master class, gave a Music Marketing lecture and judged a competition and really enjoyed getting to know Dr. Lisa Garner-Santa. What a warm and sensitive spirit!
UTA Flute Weekend 2016 with Viviana Guzman
The next morning, I promptly flew to Arlington, Texas to teach at the University of Texas at Arlington. I was excited to be performing the Jeff Tyzik‘s Dream Sequence with pianist Gabriel Sanchez. Terri Sanchez came to pick me up at the airport and she took me straight to her office. Again, I was super busy rehearsing, teaching a masterclass, giving the Music Marketing Lecture, listening to her beautiful recital. Her student Carmen, took me to the hotel, the Sanford House which was an exquisite, Victorian style bed and breakfast. I shrieked when I saw the room. I immediately contacted my husband, Steve, to share my beautiful room with him via FaceTime.
ECU Flute Symposium with Guest Artist, Viviana Guzman
Then at 7am the next morning, Stephanie Kalina and Alba came to pick me up. I practiced the Tyzik from 7:30am to 8:30am. At 9am I had to teach a private lesson with the beautiful and talented, Monique Sanford, and her sweet high school bandmates. At 10am was the flute studio play, The Princess and the Dragon by Terri Sanchez and her students…. was such a treat!!! So creative, so much FUN! I had another rehearsal with the Tyzik with Gabriel Sanchez at 11am to 1pm followed by a 1:15pm rehearsal with the flute choir as I was playing the Dance of the Blessed Spirits as a soloist. 2:30pm was the concert, then came Terri’s trio concert and my recital was at 4:30pm. Whew! We celebrated by going out for Indian food. I have always adored Terri Sanchez’ artistry and friendship and felt so grateful that she invited me to play for her UTA Flute Weekend.
I didn’t want the next morning to end. I wanted to bask in the thrill of the weekend and savor every moment. It was a beautiful spring day in Dallas, with perfect temperatures, and clear blue skies. I absolutely loved the hotel. The breakfast was perfect. I took a bath. I couldn’t get over how many people the night before were so moved by different aspect sof my recital. I love feeling that I have deeply moved someone. It is these moments that I cherish so much. I was taking in all the glory I had felt the night before. I got a standing ovation and when I walked into the green room, I was greeted with fierce applause. It was unreal, I was in heaven. I never wanted it to end!
ECU Flute Symposium 2016
Fast forward a month, and I found myself at the East Carolina Flute Symposium hosted by the ever so lovely and generous Christine Gustafson. Two of her students came to pick me up at the closest airport which was 1.5 hours away. I taught a masterclass and gave a recital and got caught up with Christine who I have known since we attended the Banff Centre for the Arts in Canada, studying with the beautiful, Carol Wincenc, oh-so-many summers ago. What a wonderful community we are as flutists! I feel so grateful for all these fabulous colleagues who host me in their flute events. Thank you ever so much!
UTA Flute Weekend 2016
Viviana Guzman Flute Class in Dixon
I had a great time teaching the 40 or so fluties that came out to my Masterclass at Dixon High School. I really love teaching. I also was in for a big treat playing with the Dixon Wind Ensemble. I had never played with a wind ensemble before, so it was a welcomed opportunity. That particular Sunday was intense. I started the day going to the gym, riding the bike for an hour, doing my pilates, and then swimming for 30 minutes. I went to Belmont to rehearse and conduct the PYO Flute Choir, then I ran to Foster City to play a children’s concert at the Foster City Community Center, after which, I drove 2 hours just in time to make it to an 8pm rehearsal with the Dixon Wind Ensemble (whew!). I really enjoyed staying at the nice hotel . This always makes a huge difference to me. The following day was the concert. I was thrilled to have played everything memorized and to have enjoyed the whole experience so much. I love it when I am greeted with a long line of people after a concert, all wanting my autograph and pictures. I’m such a Leo! The Director, Adrian Coulson (also a Leo), did a fantastic job with his group and I applaud him for bringing in different Guest Artists every year. The bonus treat for me that evening was meeting Adrian’s mother, Mrs. Joan Coulson, who is a lovely, elegant and entertaining lady and most supportive of her son’s adventurous programming…. that would be me. HA!
Viviana in Dixon, photo: NBrown Photography
Viviana with Adrian & Joan Coulson, photo: NBrown Photography
Viviana Guzman Masterclass in Manaus
Masterclass in Manaus, (from Journal) Brazil November 29, 2015
I first met the flutists of the Amazonas Philharmonic Orchestra when I played as a soloist in the historic Opera House a few years ago. I was thrilled when Arley Raiol invited me to organize a masterclass for the students at the University in Manaus. The city that boasts 2 million inhabitants, is staggering and colorful with climate temperatures that vary through hot and very hot throughout the year. Founded in 1693, Manaus is located in the middle of the Amazon rainforest, right where the Amazon River meets the Rio Negro. The Opera House was built in 1896 and has 700 seats. There is a thriving music culture and it was no surprise that I found several wonderful flutists studying at the university. There were 4 gifted students who played for me. I also saw Claudio Abrantes who is the piccolo player of the Amazons Philharmonic Orchestra. We finished off the session sight-reading fun Brazilian flute music, Tico Tico, arranged by Celso Wotzenlogel. Afterwards, Claudio, Arley and I went to have a short stroll and coffee in the Opera House area which is a part of the city that was built during colonial times. After dinner, Arley took me back to the port where I had my car waiting to take me to the airport.
Viviana Guzman Masterclass in Manaus, Brazil
Bahia, Brazil, Viviana Guzman Photography
Feb. 9, 2016 Santos, Brazil
I’ve been seeking the beaches and swimming a bit although never as much as I’d like. My first beach was in Buzios which was a stunning beach town. The color of the water was teal and iridescent. There was quite a wind blowing though, which made for a tumultuous swim. But I was so happy to be able to try out some warm waters! I was disappointed that the water was a bit polluted, though. In these countries, there seems to be a lack of responsibility and awareness surrounding environmental issues. There is little to no regard or respect to our planet, which for me is quite sad.
Next stop was Rio where I made my way to Ipanema, but again, the beach and the water just seemed so polluted, that I didn’t even bother going in. The day was boiling hot, and I just wanted to get back to the cool AC. I didn’t even bother going to Carnaval!!! I already did it once, and I felt that I just couldn’t be bothered facing the infernal heat once again.
Next stop was Santos, where I did get in the warm waters which was hardly refreshing after dripping in sweat from the heat. I swam beyond everyone and found the waters to be a bit cooler the further out I went.
Viviana in Montevideo
And finally, in Montevideo, I went swimming in the river! At first, I didn’t want to go in because again, it smelled of sewer here and there, and the water was full of fairly large algae, which by the end of my swim had gathered inside my swimsuit. I quickly took off the suit and threw it in the laundry to get rid of the green algae.
It was fun to explore the different waters, but ultimately, it made me homesick for my fresh and invigorating waters of Half Moon Bay. The temperatures might be freezing, and I have to go in with a wetsuit, but at least the water feels cleaner than in all these other places. Always, I return home feeling graced and full of gratitude.
Rio de Janeiro, Viviana Guzman Photography
New structures in China
April 30, 2016 after Beijing, China
During the uneventful 2 hour drive from Beijing to Tianjin, I saw the pollution that everyone speaks about. Is this a desert area? It just seems that there is a lot of dust everywhere. It’s on all the buildings, it seems to gather everywhere. I got the feeling that if it were to rain a little more, we wouldn’t see the sun peeking orange hues behind the thick layer of dense pollution. So I asked my driver when it had rained last, and he said, “last night.” Although similar to LA, this is far worse, as it obstructs long distance viewing, or even looking beyond a few blocks up the street. It is like dense fog, although it’s not fog, this is man-made pollution. I can remember when all the Chinese people used all ride their bicycles for transportation. Now, all you see are new cars everywhere. It’s not even like in Argentina, where there are old cars that look like they fall apart driving half a block. No. These all seem like brand new cars, and nice ones at that. There are far too many people here.
For about three years now, I fear that the reason why the Bay Area all of the sudden has a remarkable increase in traffic is due to all these newly-rich Chinese. They are choosing to leave their country, and they cash out in California. Who wouldn’t want to live in the Bay Area instead of this polluted place? It seems that they have torn down all the older buildings and replaced everything with tall skyscrapers. All you see are towering tall, soul-less buildings everywhere, as if this were the goal. There has been no effort to conserve anything historic. Even the Great Wall, to me, looks fake. In fact, it looks brand new! There is no way a structure that seemingly is so old, can be in such good shape. I suspect they have rebuilt a modern version of what was the Great Wall, and now they have a ski lift that takes you to the top and a bobsled-type-ride at the top that one can go down. This is not the Great Wall. This is Disneyland!
Tianjin welcome
It seems to me that the soul of China has been destroyed. Even they don’t even know or understand what it is to be Chinese as they emulate “The West” in everything, not realizing that their history is so rich and beautiful. There seems to be a lack of respect for the past. Perhaps it was the “Cultural Revolution” that destroyed everything here. It is now a huge wasteland of pollution now.
I believe there are three tremendous oversights with the modern world that we live in:
1) There are too many people and no population control.
2) There is too much (single use) consumption of plastic with no regard as to what this will do to our planet in the future. Plastic bits have been found in the stomachs of animals. Plastic is not bio-degradable. How are we allowing all this pollution thrive in our world?
3) There is too much use of fossil fuel which is polluting our planet. Climate change is a global reality which is changing rapidly due to all of the emissions that we are allowing into the air we breathe and need to sustain all living organisms. The holes in the ozone are a reality which are caused by the cars that run on fossil fuel.
I feel that China’s rule of one-kid-per-family was a good one. The fact that they just lifted this regulation, I think is taking a step backwards. In fact, I think the rest of the world should implement this one-child-per-family rule.
Plastic is not bio-degradable. What are we doing? Especially in these 3rd world nations that I visit, where there is little regard to litter and what to do with it. Plastic seems to be everywhere. Why are we continuing to use it?
There is absolutely no reason to be using fossil fuels any longer. Why are we not all made to drive electric cars immediately? Fossil fuel should be illegal!
It is when I travel to other countries that the issues seem more blatant. In the States, where everything is clean and orderly, one isn’t confronted so face to face with these sad realities. For the sake of the planet and our children’s future, we need to seriously do something about these issues.
China pollution
May 1, 2016 sailing from Beijing to Osaka
This trip by boat takes about 3 days. On day 2 of this journey I sat outside on my balcony to meditate, as I do. Before closing my eyes, I kept noticing trash floating by! What?? It. Was. Everywhere. We were in the middle of the ocean!!! I have never seen so much TRASH in the middle of the ocean! We are polluting our precious planet!! How can we allow this???? We are in a state of emergency. We can not keep going like this. We are destroying our home. Repeatedly, I keep seeing this on my travels. I remember being in Ushuaia, Argentina in January earlier this year. This is a beautiful town, at the bottom of the planet, surrounded by the Southern-most tip of the Andes mountains. I was visiting the fully sustainable, eco-house built by “Garbage Warrior”, Architect, Michael Reynolds. Right next to it, was a small river where I saw some seagulls drinking out of it. Next to the seagulls, there was so much trash in the river! I personally apologized to the seagulls. How could we be polluting all our water sources like this?
In February, I found myself in Salvador, Brazil, where along the boardwalk, the ocean seemed to be where everyone threw their trash. Beautiful Buzios, Brazil, too. The water, through my swim googles was polluted, full of waste and plastic.
Fast forward to Bali in March, and I encountered more of the same. All the rivers in Bali seem to be garbage, the place where everyone throws their waste. What???? The ocean was full of trash, plastic bottles floating on the surface. I went snorkeling and at the bottom of the ocean I found loads of trash, even a sanitary napkin! It seems that 3rd world countries are the worst in garbage management and maintenance.
We need to stop the production of plastic and go back to using bio-degradable products. We need to stop the production of machines that require fossil fuel and turn to electricity. We also need to stop the production of so many people on this planet, otherwise, they will arrive to a sad planet of plastic garbage and toxic air.
Feel free to share your comments below.
Viviana Guzman after performance in Tianjin, China
Flutes by the Sea in Lovina, Bali
Flutes by the Sea 2016 Bali
I have always had a soft spot for Bali and especially Ubud. I have been making a yearly pilgrimage to Ubud every 2 years for the last 13 years or so. There are so many artisans that live and work in Ubud. I especially love the Hindu and Buddhist mix of temples, and in particular, the ceremonies that are offered throughout the day with incense and offerings. All this makes for a bewitching setting with beautiful and enchanting people. And it is for all these reason that I decided to offer the first ever Flute Masterclass in Bali.
Flutes by the Sea at Munduk Waterfall
The ocean provides a wonderfully inspiring and relaxing backdrop for any creative spirit; we arose from the sea and it resonates within us still. I have always been attracted to the sea, and feel I am a sea creature who cannot be separated from my home for too long; it calls to me. This is why I created Flutes by the Sea Masterclasses in my home town of Half Moon Bay, CA. I wanted to attract fellow flute lovers and show them the power the energizing waves can exert over their creativity. Through the years, Flutes by the Sea Masterclass star teachers have included Carol Wincenc (Juilliard School), Jill Felber (UC Santa Barbara), Andrea “Fluterscooter” Fisher, Alice K. Dade (University of Missouri) and Barbara Siesel.
Lovina Beach, Viviana Guzman Photography
Balinese Beauty
This year was expanded to include a seminar in Bali, Indonesia with Jane Rutter, Fluterscooter and myself rendezvousing with our students at that tranquil island in the west of the Pacific. Flutes by the Sea Bali started off with a session of swimming with the dolphins and coral reef snorkeling before the first note was played in flute class. Every day there was a different activity, from bathing at the breathtaking Munduk Waterfall; visiting the Batur, Bratan and Agung Volcanos; feeding the monkeys at the top of the mountain; to feeding the tropical fish at the bottom of the ocean; petting snakes, iguanas, and rabbits; and visiting the tropical deer who live on Menjangan “Deer” Island.
Rice Paddies in Ubu, Viviana Guzman Photography
We also visiting Buddhist and Hindu Temples and saw numerous timeless and serene rice paddies. In the afternoon flute classes we covered topics from vibrato, tuning, building technique to phrasing, tapering and memorization. After our week long stay in our oceanfront hotel in Lovina, we moved to the artistic and now famous (due to the movie Eat, Pray, Love) town of Ubud. Here, Australian flute sensation Jane Rutter joined us and offered daily afternoon masterclasses focusing on the special phrasing and warm-up techniques that she learned from her French Conservatoire masters, Jean-Pierre Rampal and Alain Marion. The class finished with a special performance that we all took part in at the Jodie O’Shea Orphanage in Denpasar. The children are appreciative of music and quite lively, with the inner beauty that seems to be imbued in the Balinese and which is the real reason Bali is such a paradise on earth.
Half Moon Bay, California–Flutes By The Sea July, 2016
Last year, our FBTS whale watching expedition in Half Moon Bay / Monterey Bay was so successful that we have decided to make a repeat the journey this year for those who would like to get up close and personal with our cetacean friends, or who would simply like to hone their fluting skills in a spiritually rich setting.
We are very excited to have the following joining us this year:
Masterclass Faculty
Julien Beaudiment, Former Principal of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Principal Flute of the Lyon Opera, Flute Professor at the Conservatoire National Superieur de Musique de Lyon.
Alice K. Dade, Former Principal Flute of the Swedish Radio Syjmphony Orchestra, Guest Principal of Seoul Philharmonic, Bergen Philharmonic, Assistant Flute Professor at the University of Missouri School of Music.
Viviana Guzman, International Soloist, 2014 GRAMMY Nominated album, TEDxBerkeley Speaker, performed in 125 countries, Co-Founder The Flute View Magazine, Founder & Director, San Francisco Flute Society
Andrea “Fluterscooter” Fisher, International Soloist, Founder, Fluterscooter flute bags, Co-Founder The Flute View Magazine, Juilliard School Entrepreneurship Lecturer
Jane Rutter, International Soloist, Australian Flute Sensation, Australian Grammy ARIA Nomination
The classes run from July 7 to 9, 2016 in the always beautiful Half Moon Bay, California, just a half hour from always offbeat San Francisco. See FlutesbytheSea.com for full details and early-mermaid / merman discounts and full details of the events and purchase tickets here.
Brian in Lovina Beach Hotel
Flutes by the Sea with Krishna
Viviana Guzman, Soloist with the Hanoi Philharmonic
I arrived in Hanoi, Vietnam and I was picked up by Ha’ung, my designated driver during my stay in Hanoi, Vietnam and immediately went into rehearsals with the Hanoi Philharmonic. Every night I would find a new place to eat as I really had not experienced much Vietnamese cuisine before this visit. As a vegan, it was sheer delight as there were so many wonderful vegetables to choose from. I was so happy to get to work with Maestro Clyde Mitchell. We had a great time putting together our program, which included Dream Sequence by Jeff Tyzik, Czardas by Vittorio Monti and also Brahms Symphony No. 1 and Michael Conway Baker’s Through the Lions Gate, Op. 83. The concert was a huge success. And then I realized I had a whole week where I could just put on my tourist hat and have fun. And so I did!
Journal Entry, March 13, 2016
Changing planes in Guangzhou, China for a few hours after Hanoi and before Bali
I had such an awesome time in Vietnam. My favorite peoples were the ethnic minority groups of the hill tribes in North Vietnam, my tour guide in Sapa, and my driver in Hanoi who spoke very little English.
The one week that I had as a “dead” week turned out to be amazingly epic!!!!! I still have heart palpitations just thinking about it. I was originally supposed to go Myanmar. But when I accidentally booked a single entry visa for Vietnam, I decided to just go with that, and stay to enjoy Vietnam. The day after my concert with the Hanoi Philharmonic, I booked a trip to Halong Bay and another trip to Sapa. Little did I know what I was getting into. I had no idea I would be living a dream come true, in BOTH instances!
Halong Bay Viviana Guzman Photography
I had been wanting to go to Halong Bay since I first saw the movie Indochine. The funny thing is that I used to think the scenes shown in the movie were parts of China. The bus ride from Hanoi was 3 hours long which was somewhat interesting for the first hour and then it was plain boring. But once we got to the seaport, it was just breathtaking. And then when I saw the color of the water, the historic, all wooden, first class, pirate-ship-looking floating vessel we were boarding, I was in absolute heaven from start to finish. I opened the door to my cabin room and I was overwhelmed at the beauty, the hand carved decorations above the bed. The small artful details in the bathroom and closets were magnificent. I only felt complete elation and sheer bliss. The food on the Royal Palace Cruise I was on was outstanding and our tour guide kept us fully entertained.
Viviana Guzman in Halong Bay
Once we boarded, during our first meal, lunch, we sailed past the wondrous monolithic stones I felt completely enraptured and taken by the splendor. On the first day, after lunch we did so many activities! We we visited a pearl farm, strolled through some breathtaking enormous natural caverns, and even went swimming (!). After dinner we had an international karaoke fest which turned out to be quite entertaining as we all took turns singing songs (in my case, I played my flute!) from our respective countries, English, Spanish, Vietnamese, Russian, Hebrew, etc. There were about 25 of us total and somehow we all managed to bond quickly and easily. The following morning I woke up at 5am as I was too excited to sleep! We had a group TaiChi Class that started at 6:30am. After breakfast we went kayaking to where the monkeys lived! It was a protected, exquisite small bay that we kayaked into. To glide silently into the enchanting surroundings was life changing as the sheer beauty of the place was awe-inspiring. Sadly, we had to pack our bags and leave the resplendent ship by noon in order to make the 3 hour bus ride back to Hanoi. It was as if I entered Heaven. I didn’t want to leave. Some of the guests had signed up to stay overnight in a bungalow on one of the islands. I wished I had done the same, but comforted myself in realizing the need to leave something to do next time!
My moped driver in Sapa, Vietnam
I arrived back in Hanoi at 6pm and I had to leave for my train to Sapa at 9:30pm. I quickly downloaded concert footage onto my computer and then treated myself to a massage. The concierge of the hotel took me to the train station and made sure I got on the right train. I ended up having to share a sleeper train with a French family which at first was shocking, but quickly, as we all just fell asleep, we eased into acceptance as we yielded into slumber with the gentle sway of the train. At 5am, they woke us up as we had arrived in Sapa. As I walked outside the train station, I saw that someone had my name on paper. I followed the tour guide along with about 20 other tourists to the bus that would take us to Sapa. It took about an hour from Lao Chai up narrow winding roads. The driver was a complete lunatic and were lucky to come out of that experience alive.
Viviana Guzman with Red Dzao, ethnic minority
Once I arrived at the hotel, it was so early that we had to wait for our rooms to be available. I had to wash my teeth in a public unisex bathroom with very little privacy. I sat outside to eat my breakfast. The Panoramic Hotel lived up to it’s name. It was just glorious to eat breakfast and stare at the mountains and into the sacred valley. Staring at the serene, landscape, watching the fog gently lift with the commencing day, once again I found myself at the gateway of complete reverence and gratitude. At 9am, my tour guide introduced himself and told me that the 6 mile trek was starting at 9:30am. 6 miles!!! That’s just way too much walking for someone who was never supposed to walk! I told him that I was limited and that I would prefer just to go around on a moped. He acquiesced and ordered a moped driver for me to stop by at 1pm.
Viviana with Red Dzao people of North Vietnam
I had always wanted to visit the Hilltribe peoples of North Vietnam, Laos and Thailand. It all began when I started collecting headdresses. I remember on one of my first trips to Vietnam, I found a headdress and asked the store owner where it was from. He proceeded to tell me that it was from the Hilltribe peoples of Northern Vietnam. I had been wanting to go ever since. All of the sudden I found myself surrounded by the women from an Ethnic Minority Tribe called Black H’mong. I felt so drawn to their dress, their crafts, their ways. They are simple people who live in nature, farming their lands and making and selling their handicrafts. All the ethnic minority people I met reminded me so much of the native peoples of Peru and Northern Chile. They resembled distant cousins in stature, facial features as well as in way of life. They are gentle and creative people with a history of being deeply spiritual as well. Haha! I fit right in!
Viviana Guzman with Black H’mung
I ended up buying first the clothes of the Red Dzao people. And as I rode around on the back of the moped, all the other Red Dzao people would see my dress, and greet and instantly embrace me. I felt so welcomed by all the women and they, in turn, fully appreciated that I had chosen their costume as my own. I toured around Ta Van, and all the way to Ben Ho and as far as the very small Red Dzao people of Nam Cang.
I felt instantly enamored of all these people for some reason. I felt closer to the Tribes of my Dreams, the Kuchi of Northern India and the native people of Turkmenistan, whose clothes and jewelry I have been gathering and collecting for decades already. I felt excited to find another group whose aesthetic and way of life completely appealed to me. I felt like I had found my sisters…. my tribe!
I took so many amazing shots. I started using my GoPro in a new way that I had learned from the Singaporean guys in Halong Bay. I felt just as euphoric as I had in Halong Bay, but for totally different reasons as the landscape and the people were totally different, but inside I was reacting with utter bliss and appreciation.
Viviana Guzman in Hoa Lu
On my last day in Sapa, I REALLY didn’t want to leave to return to a noisy, dirty and chaotic city. I wanted to stay in the mountains, in serenity. My guide on this day was Te, who turned out to be the nicest, sweetest guy EVER. He was 30, handsome and we shared the fact that we both had met our loves online. He was knowledgable, charming, kind and sensitive and a very good moped driver. I felt tremendous sadness welling up inside when I had to say goodbye to him and my beloved Sapa. Again, I wished I had booked the longer trip and had to console myself that I was going to have to return when I could bring my husband so that we could enjoy the beauty together. That night, I ended up sharing the train ride with an Italian family which again, was a bit weird initially, but in the end, we all bonded as we feel asleep and interwove our Sapa dreams together.
Hanoi Opera House
I woke up at 5am in a cold, drizzly, dark, noisy and dirty Hanoi. After so much bliss, this was harsh reality jolting me back to life. I decided to walk to the Opera House to see if I could visit it but I was confronted by a barking hostile Vietnamese guard who dared me step one foot inside the garden of the Opera House. I wanted to tell him, don’t you know who I am??? International Flutist, Grammy Nominated, who has performed in 125 countries, but alas, he wouldn’t have understood me anyway. I felt deeply disrespected on this gloomy, frigid and lonely morning. I went and picked up the Vietnamese dresses I had ordered and headed back to my hotel where I found out that in fact, I would not be allowed to stay again in room 802 which I had implicitly requested. I had to accept a darker lower level room which faced a wall. How glorious. This was not particularly a great day especially after having had such an amazing time in Halong Bay and Sapa. To top it off, I realized that my GoPro camera with all my amazing footage was missing!! How could it be???? But it was true. I looked everywhere and sadly, I had lost it somewhere between Sapa and Hanoi. It was just the footage of all the faces I saw that was heartbreaking to loose. I couldn’t sleep as I kept trying to figure out in my head where I could have possibly left it. But it was hopeless. I felt devastated. I lost those beautiful moments forever.
Hanoi, Vietnam, Viviana Guzman Photography
I decided to see if there were any other tours I should take. I felt that spending $50 on a silly city tour was simply not worth it, and I chose another trip into the countryside for $35. So off I went the following morning, completely unaware of what I was in store for me in the day. Again, we drove for about 2 hours into the outskirts of Hanoi, heading north this time. We ended up in an area that looked very similar to Halong Bay! Apparently, this whole area used to be underwater, million years ago, and now it was the same landscape, but instead, on land! I was back in my bliss as I exited the bus to go look at Hoa Lu, the ancient capital of Viet Nam, the former residency of the Royal Palace between the 10th and 11th centuries. It was a temple and since I consider myself part Buddhist, I once again, stepped back into heaven.
My always smiling driver in Hanoi
We went on a boat ride in Tam Cok on the Ngo Dong River. They were little row boats that accommodated up to 6 people, driven by local boat drivers. It was a silent and majestic ride floating through caverns, ancient waters, and there was even a small on-the-water market that sold snacks and drinks. The serene excursion lasted approximately 1.5 hours. It was so much fun seeing all the other local and international tourists. We were all having a blast. After the boat ride, we hopped on bikes and went riding down rice paddies. It was sooooooo sweet…. so peaceful…. so inspiring in the secluded, plush tranquil, emerald Vietnamese countryside.
It was the perfect way to end my stay in North Vietnam. I whet my appetite and now I’m more passionate than ever to want to return to this ravishing country with it’s magnificent landscapes, rivers, mountains and people. My first ride into Hanoi was with my driver, Ha’ung and it was he who left me and gave me a warm hug goodbye at the airport. Until next time, lovely and charming Vietnam!
Viviana Guzman in Tam Cok
Viviana Laser Flute Show in Brazil
Last night I premiered the very first ever in the world, Laser Flute Show!
Viviana Laser Flute Show in Brazil
I have been intending on developing this series as I frequently get emails asking for advice on certain topics. Here are the first two videos covering 1) Double Tonguing and 2) Flutter Tonguing on the flute. Please share, like and subscribe so you don’t miss future lessons filmed around the world during my travels.
Til then, Happy Fluting!
I feel very lucky to have been invited to conduct the Peninsula Youth Orchestra‘s Flute Ensembles. I’m enjoying seeing the lovely faces as they progress from week to week. The Winter Chamber Recital is scheduled for Saturday, Dec. 12, 2015 at 1:30 PM at the Veterans Memorial Senior Center, 1455 Madison Ave, in Redwood City. Since I do not have any children of my own, I cherish moments with my “flute babies”. I have so many of them around the world, and now I have 17 fabulous ones right here in my backyard (the Bay Area).
I’m thrilled that the younger group was able to memorize La Rejouissance from Music for the Royal Fireworks by Handel. I firmly believe that if students learn to embrace memorization at an early age, then they don’t freeze with the prospect of playing by heart in the future.
Here is their excerpt from our last rehearsal:
The advanced group will be performing works like Dance of the Mirlitons from The Nutcracker by Tchaikovsky, concluding with a combined ensemble performance of Typewriter by Leroy Anderson.
Here is their performance of Hallelujah by George Frideric Handel.
Leroy Anderson’s Typewriter arrangement by Wonderful Winds.
J.S. Bach’s Badinerie from Suite in B minor
