This one’s for every music educator who smiles politely while quietly screaming inside. Being an assistant professor at a music academy sounds fancy, but it’s really just a rollercoaster of endless meetings, unpredictable students, and pretending to know what you’re doing. In this episode, I share the bittersweet chaos of teaching behind the scenes. Set to my piano version of “Pisces,” let’s explore what it means to survive academia with grace… and gritted teeth.

Every time music camp ends, I ask myself: Am I getting old? How can one week feel like a whole year? In this episode, I look back on the chaos, beauty, and unforgettable moments of teaching at summer music camps: the sleep deprivation, the off-key rehearsals, the midnight talks, and the sparks of magic that somehow made it all worth it. Set to my ambient piece “Pisces,” this is a love letter to one exhausting, inspiring week that leaves a lifelong echo.

I thought I was scoring Interstellar. Turns out… it was a documentary about bears. In this episode, I share the hilarious and humbling experience of writing film music for the first time, where your grand vision crashes headfirst into unexpected footage. Film scoring isn’t just about composing; it’s about adapting, letting go, and learning to love surprises. Set to my marimba solo “Pisces,” join me as we wander through the wilderness of creative expectations.

People think I’m a tech nerd. I’m not! I just got tired of drawing bar lines by hand. In this episode, I share how I gradually shifted from writing music with paper and pencil to using notation software, DAWs, and even music AI. It’s not about showing off, just about making creative life a little easier. With my piece “March” in the background, let’s talk about how technology, laziness, and artistry somehow became best friends.

Improvisation isn’t about messing around. It’s about listening to yourself, your breath, your emotions, and the moment. In this episode, I talk about my journey into improvisation: letting go of the score, trusting intuition, and discovering that “not planning” can be the most honest form of expression. With my piano version of “Aquarius,” let’s explore what it means to truly hear your inner voice through every note you didn’t expect to play.

Scared of musical analysis? Don’t be! This episode is made for people who hate it. Let’s explore form and structure through playful listening: no formulas, no counting beats, just sorting musical “moods” like puzzle pieces. It’s form analysis for the easily bored, curious, or creatively chaotic. With my ambient marimba track “Aquarius” in the background, come relax into a new way of understanding music, where structure feels more like storytelling.

Some composers work from divine inspiration. I worked from leftovers—TV themes, pop songs, anything I could rearrange into something new. In this episode, I revisit my middle school arranging mania: secretly transcribing the Dr. Hoe soundtrack, turning chart hits into percussion ensemble scores, and composing with nothing but stubbornness, imagination, and a CD player. With my marimba solo “Aquarius” in the background, this is a story about building a music life from scraps—and loving it.

Carnegie Hall—the dream stage for musicians around the world. But when I finally got there, I wasn’t fighting nerves. I was fighting my lungs. In this episode, I share the not-so-glamorous reality of my U.S. concert tour: coughing through rehearsals, performing while sick, and somehow surviving it all. From Texas to New York, from adrenaline to exhaustion, this is the story of a dream pursued through wheezing breaths. Set to my piece “February,” join me in this cold, chaotic, unforgettable journey.

There I was, wearing a tuxedo, playing marimba in a Belgian castle, sipping champagne with people whose names I couldn’t pronounce… and quietly wondering, How did I get here? In this episode, I share a true story of accidentally stepping into Belgium’s high society: the classical concerts, the elegant receptions, the friendly nobles, and the awkward sense of not belonging. With my piano solo version of “Capricornus” as the backdrop, join me for an evening of music, marble floors, and mild imposter syndrome.

It started as a prestigious debut performance in Beijing… and ended with a massage that wrecked my shoulder for months. In this episode, I share a story that blends concert halls and cracked muscles—part musical achievement, part physical misfortune. From cultural exchange to regretful relaxation, this is one Beijing trip I’ll never forget. Accompanied by my ambient marimba track “Capricornus,” join me for a journey from applause to ice packs.