2025.6.4 Bamberger Symphoniker Humoresque by Dvořák

The performance of Bamberger Symphoniker at National Concert Hall Taipei on 4th June was breathtaking. Maestro Jakub Hrůša and the orchestra also gave us a perfect interpretation of Brahms’ Symphony No.1.

However, the most unforgettable for me, was the encore presented by Lukáš Vondráček: Humoresque by Antonin Dvořák.

It was in January 2014, around 7pm in New York City. It was freezing and snowing. The cold winds blew without mercy. The snow falling from the dark night, drifting in the air with the winds blowing strongly, accompanying New Yorkers wearing black  go back home.

I always liked to stay in the library, I loved the magnificence and serenity of the Columbia Butler library. Especially at night, when everyone was studying hard together, I felt less lonely.

However, that night, I grabbed my books and notes earlier than usual. I put on my black coat and my favorite burgundy red scarf, walking out from the library.

The campus at night was not as crowded as the day, but it was still lively. The libraries were brightly lit, and the cafe opening till late night was busy. Though students on Columbia came from the whole world, at this moment, we all became complete New Yorkers. We never slept.

I walked down from the stairs, walked through the college walk. It was not snowing heavily, but the land was wet. It seemed there was a short snow storm. Like all the other students in coats and scarves, I walked faster. We all wanted to arrive at the next destination before the next snow storm.

I walked through the campus, thinking that it was my first time walking across the whole campus. I always walked out the gate, turned right and walked across the street and went back to my studio. There were always assignments and exams, so classrooms, libraries and my studio were my whole life.

But tonight, I walked past the Columbia Alma Mater. Walking into the campus for the first time, there were so many buildings around me. They looked similar, but also different, Earl Hall was small and exquisite, like a church from Europe. Uris was huge and wide,  its simplicity made it like a government agency. Pupin had red brick walls, and they made it more exotic like an ancient European city wall.

In the snow and winds, I walked to the other side of the campus. I saw Schapiro Hall. It was peculiar. The left wing was a white L sign and the right was I. Between the white L and I, there was a tall brick red building. Schapiro Hall looked like a grumpy middle aged  man with a raffish style.

I opened the door and walked down to the basement. It was a hallway of piano rooms. I went to the second one on my right. I knocked gently on the door, and a man with blonde curly hair and blue eyes came to the door.

He smiled and said: Hi.

I said: Hi.

This was the piano practice room reserved by Chris. He said he came here every Friday to practice some pieces recommended in the Spotify stream. As far as he liked the piece, he would find out the score online and come here to play. He was practicing Nocturnes by Chopin.

Chris and I met at the Butler Library. That day, I left my seat in a rush for a class. I left my statistics lecture handouts on the desk. Chris waited for a long time, finally, he saw the seat I left. And he found my hangouts.

He checked my student account on the hangouts, and sent me an email to my student inbox.

And we agreed to meet the next day at 3pm.

I was so grateful because even though I could print out the handouts again, I couldn’t copy my own notes. Thankfully, there was a guy kind enough to give them back to me.

It was a warm afternoon. I arrived at Butler on time. I saw the guy with blonde hair. He was in a blue shirt and dark navy blue sweater, with a black backpack, just as described in the email.

I walked towards him, and said: Hi.

Just like the greeting I gave him in front of the piano room a few days after.

Chris smiled, he said he was a Phd student in statistics. He also taught statistics in college. He just can’t help giving these intelligent handwritten notes to the owner.

I told Chris I studied engineering, and I really liked math. In fact, numbers were the few things that I could fully trust.

Chris grinned, and his eyes became a line. His stiff jawline became softened. He said he totally understood me.

I appreciated him again, and we said goodbye.

When I walked down the steps, he caught me up and walked on my right side.

He asked: Would you like to have a cup of coffee with me? I worked at Joe’s, and I can treat you to our new apple pie.

I happened to love apple pie.

Therefore, a couple of days later, on a warm Tuesday, we had coffee at Joe’s. We talked about how though we were in New York City, we lived a nerdy lifestyle. Besides studying, my most important routine was going to the grocery store, while Chris was teaching and writing his thesis.

We both loved music, and our most lavish pastime was getting a rush ticket at the Met Opera, and having a glass of wine during the intermission.

We both chatted about our love and hatred for the city. Chris was from Munich, Germany. He said he thought the sarcasm of New Yorkers was interesting. I laughed and asked: Does German know about humor?

Chris looked at me and said: I think I do, but I like European humor more. Would you like to listen?

Then he asked me to meet him at the piano room at Schapiro Hall after class on Friday evening.

The piano room was small, and there was a normal upright piano. Chris sat down, and his hands were on the keyboard. He played the melodies light and softly. The music danced gently and gracefully like a sprite in the air. I smiled, it was the Humoresque composed by Antonin Dvořák.

Chris’s fingers were long, and they fiddled on the keys. The music was exquisite and joyful. His eyes cast down, his face was attentive. His blonde hair was shining and dazzling in the room. His forehead and eyetail had some tender lines. With his long eyelashes, he looked like coming from another world.

He finished the music. He looked at me with a smile as usual. But this time, he smiled with some proud and  pride. I looked at him.

At that moment, I realized Chris knew about humor.

I was obsessed with his humor. And I was drowned in his clear ocean blue eyes.