Please help or guide..

[Vi An]

My dear friends, some of you such long time friends!

I come today to ask if anyone knows anyone who is an entertainment booking agent or anyone who runs live music venues, or even live music organizers, schools, independents and musicians who could help find me work in the Seattle area? I need someone who has a very deep understanding of the P-2 work Visa and someone who will help get me contracts to work in the States. I am hoping to move to Seattle area and reside there as my new home.

This visa is good for one full year AS LONG as I can get performing opportunities (for pay) once a month (or more). The best senerio for me would be if someone can manage to book me or hire me once a month for a nominal artist fee of only $600.00 USD/mo hiring me to perform regularily once a month at the same venue, or $250.00/hr for one time performances for corporate/private functions, etc... to start with opportunities for a raise over time. I will be visiting Seattle area for a holiday hopefully on the 30th of April for three weeks. I would like to return by July 15th and apply for extended stay until I can find work..

If you are in contact with anyone of the above mentioned individuals, please get them in touch with me via email: [e-mail] and send them to visit

www.myspace.com/vian

Thank you in advance for any guidence or additional info on this matter, your assistance in this matter is so important to me!

Vi An

[YouLanFengChune]

Hi Vi AN,

I may have an associate who can help. Could i meet u online soon?

[Vi An]

Hi Yinhao,

Soooooooo long no see, sorry I have been away and busy so much its great to reconnect with you! That would be so grand if someone you know who is also an associate could help. I'm so happy to hear this.

I mean I would even love to get offered a work position demonstrating gu zhengs or going in to look after the instruments, I would love to be trained to be a sales person in a music store with exotic instruments. Anyone who can offer me a sponsorship for a working visa I would be so indebted, because I DO eventually wish to gain permanent residence and then get my citizenship test. I am serious about this.

[Charlie Huang]

Well good luck Vi An! I'm routing for you!

[calden]

Vi An:

Try Warren Chang with the Chinese Art and Music Association in Seattle:

www.uschinamusic.com/about/

He is one of my original erhu teachers and knows anything and everything about Chinese music and culture in Seattle. Although another musician coming in to town might be competition, I think he'd be a great resource for some gigs, especially gigs that might be too low-paying for his group.

Also, I know a folk music producer/booker in Seattle that might be helpful. Let me know when you get set up and I'll get his name to you. And don't neglect to get some publicity by playing for Folklife every Memorial Day, the end of May. I might even be able to get you a job or two in Spokane, where I live, which is a 4.5 hour drive east from Seattle.

Curious - why do you wish to become an American citizen?

Carlos

[Vi An]

Thanks very much Charlie and Carlos,

I really don't like competition in the music world -- I have faced a lot of that in my own city and have successfully avoided the dramas for 11 years and have been successful independently so. I am a musician who desires to share musical sound with EVERYONE freely and if I can't change a life for the better; then I'm doing my god-willing job! I feel great self worth so I need not compete to gain any platform in life. I just am me. I will use that resource to guide me so thank you -- I will connect with them but I fear they will be threatened by me because I represent free form/improvisation with a traditional instrument. It is worth a try :-)

I would like to become an American citizen for my own reasons, which will become appearent over time as you learn more about me, my personal life and what not. I have very personal reasons and soon it will make sense, right now I'm interested in earning permanent residence on my own. Musicicians unions are discouraging me (how they make such business out of us) not really truly representing us I fear... I must go through them to earn a work visa as a musician and it will end up costing me up to $1000USD to processs.

[Charlie Huang]

You have a romantic view of music, with I admire. I've come to the same conclusions about my music. There's too much bueraucracy and back-scratching when it comes to the music scene. This just stifles rationality and progress. I makes me question myself as to what is the point then? I find it to be one big hypocrisy.

In the past few years, I've thought about studying music at uni but thinking about it, I do not have the means and I doubt I will be accepted on my level of skill since I discovered my music calling rather a tad too late. Now, I have a very pessimistic view of the music scene as a whole and is now dwelling on a more romantic approach to my music path, which is literally minimisation of outside norms and expectations and focusing on a more internal aspect of my music development. Even though I want to change people's views about music, I feel that is a long way off for me and I should concentrate to cultivating myself before I cultivate others as it is said in the Daxue text.

I think Stephen will share similar views with me on this.

[Vi An]

Good on you Charlie!

I feel the exact same way. I feel though, that music has come to me naturally and I will embark on this journey just as naturally. I wont fight the current and resist temptations. I will endure the pains and relish the rewards from my own cultivations within my musical path. This is my own unique process and I like it here. The instrument is my voice and how I play is the way I sing. Why should I be told it is right or wrong? It feels heavenly and beautiful to me. It is to be shared and enjoyed by all, not to be judged and scored by any. I am still looking for that mentor in the mountains who doesn't charge anything to share his / her wisdom and knowlege to a young imp like me! Maybe one day i will become that impish master? Laughing!

Thanks for your input Charlie I really admire your truth and your love of music. You play very well and have an excellent touch from what I have seen on youtube from you.

Enjoy on -- cheers,

Vi An