98. Is the pandemy A World Away? Harriet Chung. Toronto, Canada. 2/22/23

Harriet Chung transcends time and space to talk with Dave about how she adapted to the restriction imposed on our lives and how vital human connection is.  She discusses her new album, A World Away, and plays Song Title in the Form of a Pandemy Question inspired by Nardwaur the Human Serviette.  Harriet listens while Dave dances to her song, Today and Tomorrow, about the connection between child and Mother. Both regular visitors to the Stratford Festival in before times they discuss the horrible impact of lockdowns on live theatre. Harriet's positivity is contagious even in the face of a global pandemy!

Harriet Chung online

Thanks for joining us as we unite humanity through stories of hope, connection, and community in the face of the global pandemy. We are all in this together, and we’re glad you’re here together with us. Thanks for taking a moment to like and subscribe and follow the Pandemy Show on social media (Twitter, Insta, FB, and TikTok). Thanks to Giant Value for letting us know everything is going to be alright, Pieper for the art work, and Becky Nethery for copywriting and website design.

Transcript

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Good day and welcome to the pandemic show stories of the pandemic for people living in the pandemic. No one is alone on the pen. Demi show Thanks for joining us. As we unite humanity through stories of hope, connection, and community in the face of the global pandemic, we are all in this together, and we're glad you're here together with us. Thanks for taking a moment to like subscribe and follow the pandemic show on social media. Welcome back to the Pan Demi Show. Today we're transcending time and space to talk to a master of the stage and someone who's has just released a powerful album. Who are you? My name is Harriet Chung and I'm so glad to be here. So honored to be here, Harriet. I really connected with your, your album that you just released, especially the song that we're gonna talk about and listen to today, today, and tomorrow. I just have to summarize your long and prestigious resume. Hong Kong Academy of Performing Arts, national Ballet of Canada. you started in the TM Man Dreams Production, Phantom of the. Cats Golden Lotus. The the list goes on. And we're here today to talk about a world away your solo album that you've just dropped. I'm so happy to get to play, song title in the form of a pandemic question with you based on your new album, inspired by Nard War. Human SE Canada's greatest interviewer. I am recording this album on the, upper Canada Treaty territory, the traditional territory of the Hoone Anishnabe and Chung Anton people. How did the pandemic change your. there's good and the bad. I thought it was all bad because it was horrible. Like we cannot see each other, you know, everything is close and I was teaching a lot of kids as at that time, so everything locked down, closed everything, and then suddenly I said, okay, we have to make the best out of it. And suddenly everything just opened. It's like you had to imagine it, it opened. I learned how to zoom. I taught, I didn't, I didn't stop teaching at all. So, and I didn't stop singing. I sang actually more because the whole album was born during. I have a, student parents come to set up the recording studio for me so with the pandemic, you could no longer do your live classes, live, dancing, singing, theater. So you moved online into the Zoom platform and you maintain all your classes. Yes. It was really hard, but that opened my mind. So I say, okay. Actually, I taught a lot more students because the people on Facebook always following me. They say, oh, miss Harry, you can actually teach me, you know, in Malaysia, in Japan, in Romania. I can teach all these. Kids and they become friends with my student as well. And for my recording side, I'll say, okay, like I cannot go to a recording studio. I should build one myself. We, we ordered from the states and it was like, good, good stuff, good installations. And we did the, the board on the side. Make a recording studio and one of my, uh, student's, parents set up everything for me. So the album was born that way. I didn't stop at all. Like during the pandemic, I was sad for a little bit and I said, okay, we have to make the best out of it and we have to, you know, recreate everything. And necessity is the mother of invention. And we were in one of those historical times when we had to do some major soul searching about how we were gonna respond to this respiratory pandemic. I don't think we've seen a pandemic of this nature in a hundred. No. Um, and so it was just wild and we all had to get through it and it seems like artists and really helped people. And it's interesting when you say you went online with all of your students, that before would've probably just been close to you, like you would meet in person, but then when you went online with your local students, you could also reach out and connect with students from around the world. that's a fascinating aspect of how people were brought together. When we have to stay six feet. but we're connecting with people halfway around the world. Now, one of our previous guests, cat Van Groove from Organic Groove drumming Collective, she said that when you get within four feet of another person, your heartbeat, you each, you each pick up on each other's heartbeats, and you can start having that kind of a connection, just that physical connection of being close to someone else. But we didn't have. and it's interesting, although it's not a perfect substitute, that is a pretty cool substitute that your class from where you live was unable to interact with kids and other students from all around the world. And I bet they may are made friendships to last a lifetime. They they did. And now their Instagram, all this stuff, they are still connecting with each other. I was. International competition. I never have to go to like, well, I do Asia a lot of the time and I have to travel to fly, but we don't have to fly. So I'm judging people around the world and some of the, you know, some of the country I've never been to before and. I can see the talents, you know, and I can learn from them. I, I was very humbled because I, I'd never seen that side of the world before and I said, wow, the music and the dance is like totally different. The culture is totally different. And I was like, this pandemic really opened my eyes. It's gonna be interesting to too, to see what comes from that, what comes from that exposure and that learning. And working with those students. I'm gonna have to keep my eye, we're gonna have to keep our eyes and ears open for that too. Yeah. And also I work with musician that in la you know, in Montreal, in, uh, Nova Scotia. You know, we, we don't have that, okay. That person have to travel to this studio to, to play, to record anymore because we have no choice and we actually advanced in our technology and, and did a great job. So I was so shocked that I can, we can actually reach out further instead of just in the box. So did you find that you were able then to connect with different musicians and artists that you might not have been able to otherwise? Cuz people might have been so busy if we weren't all kind of forced to stay at home. That's true. A hundred percent. Because they would be like, I, I have a drummer. he, he's in LA and he's the top drummer, Randy. And, and we can get him because there's no live shows. So, uh, we connected and we have a lot of tracks, back and forth, right. and I connected with a lot of musician on just on Facebook. And we will be encouraging each other and we are recording stuff and we'll bounce off each other ideas. And we are like, uh, I'm sending the song to, to that girl. Joel and I said, Hey, how does that sound? And she send to me, how does that sound? And that kind, that kinda connection. We never have, and I still haven't met them yet. It's just, you know, on Facebook and online and we were just telling like that. It's interesting how we were really fortunate with technology being there to help. adapt to the physical distancing and all of those constraints that were put on us, and I'm so excited that that seems to be behind us now. And we, covid is still kind of out there lurking around. It seems like we're in the mid pandemic stage. Things are opening and we're still, making lemonade. But how excited are you now to be out performing and getting to work with your, your classes in person? we take that for granted before. Yeah. We just, having a party, we take it for granted. Having a class that together with 20, 30 people, we take it for granted. We, we go perform out in the public. We take it for granted. We take a lot of things for granted until we shut down and then, and then now we reopen. We really trash our friendship a lot more and the human connection a lot more actually. Could you tell us a little bit about what it was like writing this album during the pandemic? Yeah, actually, uh, Mr. George 10, he's the composer and one of the song I wrote is The Place For Dream. I wrote, I always say that, I'm not a writer. Something just come to me and I say, okay, I think this is my one and only song that I'm gonna write, but every maybe later I will write more. But I don't know. and I enjoy recording the album so much because there's so many stories, so many different stories George Chang. Written wonderful music and lyrics to that, and I was so fortunate that I, I am able to record that during the pandemic. So this was a pandemic collab Yes. In fact, it is great, great collaboration and we're really excited for you to join us here today on the Emmi Show, stories of the Pandemic for the People of the Pandemic. No One's Alone on the Pan Demi Show. the song that really touched me was Today and tomorrow, a song about a relationship. between you and your. Yes. And do you mind if we take a moment to listen to that now? Sure. Sure. Ladies and gentlemen of the Pandemic Today and Tomorrow by Harriet Chung. I. You put a in my hands and you, when I went, I saw the. I've played that moment million times, shared the darkness of night in the shining sunlight. You're always with me. Today, and I know that all your sacrifice was to give a chance. I saw the sadness. You tried to hide when I, you taught me so many things. I was on my candle inside the shining some light in the darkness of night. You here today, tomorrow, the darkness of In the Shining. I a to have the chance to make you. The shining light, the darkness. So nice. I wish you today and tomorrow. In the darkness, the shining light, and tomorrow in the darkness today. Fantastic. Harriet. Wow. Thank you. Thank you, thank you. Thank you, And that song about the connection between. Child and mother. It also makes me think of that connection I feel to my grandmother who's, she's with me, but she's not here anymore. she was the old school generation. She would've went through that 1918 pandemic. I just connecting your lyrics too, just about how our family's always. Yes, in our hearts and in our minds and, and in our souls guiding us through the, the troubled times and there with us during the positive times. this leads us to our first question in our game song title, in the form of a pandemic question inspired byard wire, the human se during the lockdowns today and tomorrow blurred. How do you think mothers love saved humanity during the pandemic? I think mother in any, like any time in your life, she's the rock. you know, go through a hard time and happy times. Like when we cry, we can always cry on her shoulder, even she's not physically with us and she always have the nurturing and supporting, elements in that so we can always le rely on mommy. right. During the bad time and the happy time, happy time. She'll be cheering for us and we'll be so proud. Oh, that's my girl, that's my son. You know, but with the, with our low, low time and she's always, you know, hugging us and wiping out tears, it is like, regardless, that's the pandemic time, or you know, now, Yeah. Mother is another word for love. unconditional anytime of the day you can, well, my mom is in, in Hong Kong, so anytime of the day she'll be like, I'm here for you. good or bad, Reno, shine, unconditional love. That's what mother, that's what the word mother means and is, powerful. And what a great. Two mothers around the world. The heroes. Heroes of the pandemic. Yeah. Maybe had the toughest job of all. Yeah, exactly. And actually this Valentine's Day, I, used this song for Valentine's because this is the greatest love of all. Seriously. Yeah. God. Boom. Yeah. Yes. Home run. You nailed it, Harriet. Mm-hmm. our second question in our game. with Harriet Chung, the great Harriet Chung. Now that society has reopened and it's staying open, is the pandemic a world away based on your song, A world away, from the hit Golden Lotus production? the pandemic is always, I think, It is always going to be in the back of our mind. Like even now, the, the kids like I'm teaching right now, they still want to wear the mask. It's not because of the pandemic. If it's not because covid, it's because they want to hide. They want to hide their face. They want to don't wanna see. They make a huge impact on in the world actually, especially the young souls, right? So like the teenager and even the young one, they want to hide their face. So this is, they feel good when they. you know, cover underneath the face, like underneath the mask. So this is actually making a big impact. It's not a world away yet. We have to get rid of that. The confidence we have to build the confidence, again, not, not about just the kids, the adults too. We are very happy to, don't use our facial expression anymore because we haven't been seeing people, and this is very dangerous actually. So we have to do. Human climate it you make some really good points there and you hear people talking about this and I know sometimes I even think, okay, well I could just put my mask on and then nobody will know it's me, that's a really good point. And it took a long time to kind of figure out, Was happening in the pandemic and how to address it. And it's gonna take us that much, that long or longer for everyone to come out of it because everyone's gotta kind of come out of it on their own terms. we are a herd species. it's great that we are where we are and we are coming through. a world away. will we ever be a world away? Some people even now don't wanna talk about it because it's, you know, there's still like a low level depression, I think societal wide from it and little bit of po Some people are still dealing with the post-traumatic stress of it all. Yeah. So it might take all of our lifetimes to get through it, but it's interesting because there were beautiful things in the hardship. Yes. And. Before the pandemic struck, I loved going to the Stratford Festival with my family. Yes. Specifically to see the musicals. And you are big in the musical genre, global actress Harriet Chung, but in some of the greatest productions all over the world. What a treat it is to get to talk theater with you, so how did the pandemic impact the theater World Impact Theater around the world from Vancouver to old Montreal and beyond? Oh, that was, you know, that's very clever. You, you link all my song title in there. I have to give you credit. Yay her song, Vancouver and Old. Yeah. Thank you. Thank you. Yeah. You know, the theater world was so sad. Like I go to, I go to New York all the time to on Broadway. In fact, before, just before the lockdown, I was in New York, and then they said there's like, Lockdown is coming, so we have to fly back. Uh, Broadway is never closed, ever. 24 7 is like bright, like daylight, right? So, and all my friends are in the theater world and they suddenly lose their job. And they have to, you know, they will, some of them go through like depression. They have no money. They know, don't know what to do, and they know, don't know where to go and everything just shut down. So, Reinvented themselves. We have some online concerts. I have, three, I have two years in a row. We have, online concerts, like three and a half hours of online concerts, and I did 21. Productions 21 productions, like short productions. Like I will say, okay, this is the song we all have to learn it. send me, uh, send me a song and then I'll give you notes and then we are going to do this. And then after, after all the students send me their, their clips and I will, I will give them notes and then we'll, we'll do uh, clips and then I'll send it to the editor. And we did 21 productions like that. And also we were, um, I was, I was invited to do a gala in Italy, so yes. So we don't have to fly there. Isn't that amazing? So the opening, we did a opening gala and I was in my gown, in my, in my living room with all the nice lights behind. And then guess what? I have my big course at the back too. All my students darling. No, no. In Italy. So that, that's great. So. It's the sparkle. That's the sparkle. The Christmas, we did a concert, I tried to make the best out of it. I'm a very positive person, so I try, I try to, I'm not a doctor, but I'm a kind of a doctor for the soul and the mind. So I have some students that is like depressed I will lift them up. Like after class we will say, let's talk about what's our challenge right now and what is good, what is bad? Like can you imagine in like hundreds of years ago, we don't have any technology. Pandemic will be horrible. Really shut down. We have no human contact or communication, so we are actually not too bad. Yeah, you're talking right now, you know? Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. We're lucky. And when I think of your song Vancouver, it reminds me of some people I've talked to, the pandemic that got in their cars and kind of just went somewhere. There were lots of times where you could travel, and I love the imagery when you're driving across Canada, towards Vancouver and you're seeing all the landmarks and the rivers and the bodies of water and it, it reminded me of times when I've been to Vancouver and out in nbc and then you're on old Montreal. I'm having a tea right now. thinking, when will I get to go to old Montreal to have a tea? the Stratford Festival, this year they have rent, they have Amani, Python production, and in July they have a woman in the third trade production, which tells a story of early women in the, I guess, historical accounts of women in the first trade. So theater. Not just brings us together and is good for our wellness, but also teaches us about history and so many other things. Is there any productions that you're excited now that theater's back mid pandemic around the world I love Stratford because while they have, you know, they have the resources, they're gorgeous theater, when they revamp shows is amazing. The King and I was amazing. The, fiddle on the roof. I love, I love everything West Side story. I love everything about Stratford because they have such amazing, well, they can, has amazing, like talents, right? And they great director, the, the sets and the theater who can beat that, right? And it's right here, right? is incredible. I was going to do King and I at that time, but, uh, because there's like conflicts, in my, contract, I, I can't do it. What Truffer is my, like, number one. Yeah. It's so good. I can't wait. To wake up one day and to see the the coming plays and see you gonna be in one of them, that'll be so fantastic. I'm sure one day, one day I will want, you know what is my wish is to put Golden Lotus in Stratford. That will be amazing. that makes a lot of sense. And it feels right. It feels right. You heard it here, folks. Harriet Chung takes, it's a great idea. So does the pandemic show. let's get it done. One of the coming seasons. Please, please, please. and Golden Lotus is a powerful, a powerful historical love. Yes. And it transcends time and space. it's a global story. It's one of the stories that we could give to aliens when they come to understand humanity. Yep, yep, yep. And, and it's just like, you know, it is right in line with the Me Too movement because Golden Notice was trapped in that era that she is not allowed to talk, you're not allowed to find true love. And she was tricked into all this disaster and in history. They said that she is a horrible woman. She's a killer. She's like a slut, you know, and it was a band book in China, but now it's about time for golden law to, to shine. And that's why Mr. George Chang have wrote this fantastic story and music to introduce this. incredible story to the world. just before this, this session, I just heard the best news and Malaysia, one of the biggest, theater in Malaysia, uh, in a tourist area. They want to take on Lotus there, Yeah. Just right before this I was like, I was like, what? Oh my gosh. Next Malaysia, then Stratford. Yes, yes, yes, absolutely. Or we can do both at the same time. Oh, Harriet, that's a great idea. Yes. I can guess in both you're excited. You're excited to get back out on the stage too, right? Yes, of course. Yes. Our next question on song title, in the form of a pandemic question with the great Harriet. was the pandemic A place for dreams based on your song, A Place for Dreams. The place for dreams lie in one's heart. The life we lead tears them all apart. Yeah. it is. like a lot of good and bad in there. It is a place for dreams is about love. Like the toxic love, it's love and hate relationship. like, when you love someone so much, the hate can be just as much when it went bad. It's like you could be having breakfast with your family that you. and one other people's chewing could drive you crazy. Yep, yep, yep. But it's there. That's your family. You will never, you know, you cannot divorce your family. Right. There it is there. Yeah. So it's always the love and hate relationship. Yeah. The pandemic made me think with that time at the beginning where there was a lot of more free time, people weren't commuting, there's a lot more time for, for introspection and for people to look inside themselves and think of was there any of their dreams that they haven't achieved that they wanted to achieve? I've heard stories of people who picked up instruments that Yes had always that had done it music in the past, but it gave them a chance to revisit that. and to put some energy into it and, and to, to enjoy that creative outlet. did it help you connect with any more of your dreams or, you've probably achieved the dreams of a million, a thousand, a million people. I, you know, I live in the moment and what I, I did achieve my dreams. I shot five music, video, and I recorded the whole album. Yeah. And I actually got a course in my studio two by two. I have to, I have to record them two by two and two a hell of a editing to get them together for the whole harmonies and all this stuff I said. this is my dream. I have to fulfill it. I know this is going to be hard, but I would do it. And all these people come in, we have to do covid tests. Yeah. And I was thinking, what if someone. is positive, so I actually don't have a plan B I dunno what to do. I just hope everybody do the contest, hope that they are negative and that's it. But they're all negative, the, the album was born this way and it was recorded and the, all the music video. Actually maybe more than five. We did a lot. more than five videos. Those are really top notch videos that, that we made. during pandemic it would be a crew of like 12 people and we all have to get tested and, and stuff like that. it was high quality and to today and tomorrow was shock during the. that was really high quality. And I'm so lucky to have a whole crew that is into this because some of the people don't want to come out and, and work that time because they're so scared. Yeah. There's a lot of uncertainty and the uncertainty itself is almost the fear. It's is the uncertainty. But I wouldn't have never wished a Emmy on any world, but it's one of the benefits is your album then, Hey. Thank you, and I'm keep doing this. I, I'm, I keep recording like now it's like behind us, hopefully never want to see it back again. Um, I say, okay, I can do it. I can do it. I will keep doing this because I have a little fan base now, right? So I, I was, I actually, people care about my music. I'm at the beginning. I thought, okay, if one person like my song, I'm already happy. I'm good, I'm happy, but now I'm like, wow, I have so many people messaging me. I love your song has really you know, resonate and really I have to listen to it every day. Some people will give me those kind of comments. I'm like, wow, this is amazing. I am so grateful. I'm so grateful and I'm so grateful for those people that tell me they love my. and this really means so much to me because as an artist, you don't know if your product is good. You just love it. You think you love it and it's the best. It's not. I always think that, okay, I just love it. Nobody will like it. And then wow, it's actually somebody like it. It's valid it is an honor and a pleasure to talk with you here today. and your next song is based on a Chinese fairytale Through my Tears. Your song Through My Tears is a love song written in the constellations. were you blown away by the developments that happened in space during the pandemic? Yeah. That's crazy. it is very fascinating. the stars, the consolation actually one of my, Relative. He is an expert of watching stars, and he will tell me the stars. And the stars and I say, okay. And I will tell him about of this song. it's about the, the cowboy, the. that little boy on the cow. It's not the cowboy, the western cowboy is not that. It's the Chinese cowboy with those hats, with a spinning girl. So she, spin yarns all day. So they are only allowed to. See each other once a year because once it's a ferry, once it's a human being. yeah, that is how they love through that bridge. So they can go to the bridge. is the, Noy way. The Milky Way. I was going to say, in Chinese, the Silver River, the Yha, the Silver River is the Milky Way. That's the, all the, all the birds go to the go to the Milky Way. And they did, they make a bridge and let them walk on the bridge and meet each other every year. it's a story from the Stars. Vega and Altaire are the two stars that come out only for a short time each year, and those are seen as the cowboy and the weaving girl and the fairytale is about Yeah. Like you said, people in love that only get to see each other once a year. Yeah. it's interesting how we have these beautiful fairy tales, like these traditional old stories everywhere around the world. Interesting too, through my tears and thinking about the stars, how this was a time. people are probably spending a lot more time looking at the stars than thinking about people around the world in their different circumstances. how do you think Canada did, from what you've heard of other places in terms of looking out for each other? we had to serve, which was almost like, uh, basic income for people that had lost their income. Did can Canada do Okay compared to responses around the world? Yeah, I think we did a great job. I think we did at the beginning, like everybody was scrambling and then the government come in to rescue and, um, I really appreciate that. I think Canada did, did a great job in, every way. Like our healthcare is amazing and God forbid, I don't want to, you know, use it, but I know that my friends like their parents or you know, they suddenly, they have an accident or disabled or have cancer and they are. Well taken care of by the government. I'm very, very grateful for, when I came to Canada, I was born in Hong Kong and I, now, I am Canadian. I'm a really proud Canadian. Well, you are a very prominent, famous Canadian and we are so lucky to have you here, Harriet, on the Pan. Demi show stories of the pandemic for the people of the pandemic. No one's alone on the Pan Demi show. Now it seems like we're almost through this mess. It seems like we're almost through the 2020 Covid 19 here in Canada. We haven't had a lockdown in a year. It's business usual. As we move into this mid pandemic, what do you hope the world is like? I hope, we don't take human connection for granted anymore. Like, please, when you're in front of me, don't be like on your phone, you know, I'm saying. Now we can cut each other, just look at each other and talk. Right? So technology is a, Angel and an evil. So I, this is my thing, like when, you know, when everybody's together, please don't go all the time on your phone. And now I can, visit my parents. I went three times this year. They all the way in Hong Kong I surprised my dad is, uh, his birthday and my parents' anniversary. So I literally knock on the door and they were like, you know, I surprised them. I can only go for. Eight days and I did, and I'm going again this year. I'm going three times. I don't care. How long is it? The jet lag was horrible. I've been traveling so much. I made up for, for the two years of pandemic I made up for that. and I don't think the, however, I don't think this is behind us yet. We have to still be very careful, especially when we are with our loved ones that, like my parents are in like old, older parents, like, they are very healthy. They never caught covid. So I just have my fourth shot today. Covid shot. So because I'm going in March, it's not because of me, it's because of, I don't want to take, give them anything that they don't want. Yeah. So they haven't had covid yet. So most of the people that I know already got Covid for some reason. Have you? Yes. Yeah. I've had covid our family, I think we had it in February, 2020 cuz we had all the symptoms and then I had it again last August. But it, it is, it did really show the beautiful side of humanity when people do things. Not to protect themselves, but to protect the people that are important to them. And I think that is, that is why humanity can be trusted to go to the stars. Yes. And hopefully be safe and. Yes. And people get more like, friendly. I find after the pandemic, they actually, they have, you know, eye contact. Even if they have a mask on, they will go like this and we, we connect in a better level and we'll say Hi, we'll smile again because we haven't seen each other for so long. Yeah. Like even strangers, I find this situation is much better because now they, we treasure this. More. Yeah, yeah. Well, thank you ever so much. What a wonderful conversation. And I can't wait, uh, to, to be dancing to your music live and to be seeing you in on stage live. And if you and your entourage need one more person for the Stratford Festival, I'm right here, Yes, yes, yes. Yeah, definitely. I'm going to Stratford for sure. I'm a regular, I go there every year actually. Thank you Thanks for listening to the pandemic show. We're all in this together, and we're glad you're here together with us physically distance with us@pandemicshow.com. Be a part of our community by subscribing to and sharing the pandemic show. Thanks for taking a minute to email an episode, share a link or promote us on social media. Pandemic show is on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook, stories from the pandemic for the people of the pants. Thanks to all our guests. Thanks to giant value for seeing us in and letting us know everything is going to be all right. No one is alone at the pandemic show.