Earlier this month, my wife and I traveled to Seattle where I performed a concert and taught a masterclass. One of really neat tourist attractions in Seattle is Pike Street Market. It is a large outdoor market on the waterfront in Seattle with a lot of different shops and the original Starbuck's Coffee. One thing that I particularly enjoyed was hearing some of the outdoor musicians. In the photo above, there is a gentleman playing what I think is a Gao-Hu, a type of Cantonese fiddle. I was really moved by the expressive qualities of this instrument. I stood and watched for several minutes, and I wish that I had taken a moment to find the name of the performer. This is an instrument that I hear all of the time as background music in Chinese restaurants, but seeing someone play it and hearing it more prominently was a great experience.

Hearing the beautiful expressive qualities of this instrument inspired me to try and play more expressively on the guitar. Always look to learn new things from unexpected places!

Visit my website at http://www.michaelpatilla.com

Email me at guitar@colled.msstate.edu