Personal interests

Besides being a condensed matter theorist, I am also a classically trained pianist with a reasonable breadth of repertoire including works by J. S. Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Chopin, Brahms, Schumann, Schubert, Balakirev, Rachmaninoff, and some modern piano music adapted from traditional Chinese folk songs. I am particularly mesmerized by works with intricate polyphonies or internal logical coherence built upon simple motifs, such as the Well-Tempered Clavier by Bach, piano sonatas by Beethoven, the 24 preludes, the 4 ballades and 4 scherzos by Chopin, and miscellaneous works by Brahms and Rachmaninoff. 

In hindsight, there seems no coincidence that I am fascinated by condensed matter physics - the rich exotic physics emerging out of different ways the same group of elementary particles interact with each other bears essentially the magic of infinite possibilities in melodies, rhythmic patterns and harmonies that are borne out of different arrangements on the same group of notes.  

Besides piano solo works, I also enjoy playing pieces for piano four-hands and ensemble music in collaboration with vocalists, flautists, violinists, and cellists (my wife Eleanor in many of these cases). Our favourite repertoire includes, but not limited to, "Bilder aus Osten" - 6 Impromptus for piano four-hands, Op.66 by Schumann, Fantasie in f minor, D. 940 by Schubert, and Sonata for Cello and Piano No.1, Op.38 by Brahms.