Avocational Pursuits

My interest in traditional Chinese culture not only informs my scholarship, but also many of my leisure pursuits. After years of childhood piano lessons, I decided to learn a traditional Chinese instrument during my first summer of language training in Taipei, and began to study guqin 古琴 with Chen Changjing 陳昌靖. I have now been practicing and playing guqin for over one decade; along the way, I also began to take pipa 琵琶 lessons and kunqu-opera 昆曲 singing lessons. To aid in my research efforts, I have also taken a handful of weiqi 圍棋 (also known as Go) lessons and calligraphy lessons, though neither of these activities are current hobbies of mine.

When not making music, I also enjoy cooking and baking: for daily sustenance, and also occasionally for the challenge of attempting more ambitious dishes and desserts.