The Sound of (Japanese) Music with Pitt's National Consortium for Teaching About Asia, from May 14.

The Japan-America Society of Pennsylvania shares news of an upcoming online series on The Sound of (Japanese) Music from May 14.

Join us for “The Sound of (Japanese) Music,” a series of presentations and demos by four Japanese music ethnomusicologists. Designed to take you to a deeper level of understanding of traditional Japanese music, these presentations expand your knowledge of Japanese history and culture, including modern music innovations. You will learn about the evolving traditions of the koto, shakuhachi, shamisen and the recent development of taiko drumming. Some presentations will be recorded for your use later with your students. All sessions will be held through Zoom. Registration Required: Please click here to register.

The series consists of:

Koto: Its Music and Musicians, Yesterday and Today
Thursday, May 14, 6:00 - 7:30 p.m. ET (5:00-6:30 CT)
Dr. Anne Prescott, Director, Five College Center for East Asian Studies

The World in a Single Sound - the Shakuhachi, its History, and its Music
Thursday, May 21, 6:00 - 7:30 p.m. ET (5:00-6:30 CT)
Devon Osamu Tipp, PhD Candidate in Music Theory/Composition, University of Pittsburgh

Strings Revolution: History and Music of Shamisen and Geisha
Thursday, June 11, 6:00 - 7:30 p.m. ET (5:00-6:30 CT)
Dr. Yuko Eguchi Wright, Department of East Asian Languages and Literatures, University of Pittsburgh

Taiko: Tradition as a Basis for Innovation
Thursday, June 18, 6:00 - 7:30 p.m. ET (5:00-6:30 CT)
Dr. Benjamin Pachter, Executive Director, Japan-America Society of Central Ohio

Registration is required and can be completed online.

Oakland's Spice Island Tea House to reopen for pick-up, from May 8.

After temporarily closing on March 21, Oakland's Spice Island Tea House will reopen for pick-up orders on May 8.

After a month’s hiatus we are offering take-outs again except this time it’s online only! It’ll be a limited hours and menu items so if you don’t see your favorite dish, worry not! We will be adding items as we get back into the groove in this crazy new world. Check out what we have on the website.

Orders can be placed online via their website.
Spice Island Tea House is located at 253 Atwood St. in Oakland (map).

Bringing "A Touch of Orient to the region": When Pittsburgh almost built an "Asia on the Allegheny."

From a February 20, 1989 Pittsburgh Press article.

In the mid- to late-1980s, Pittsburgh was entertaining plans to build an "Asian Trade Center" on the North Shore, part of a redevelopment effort that would soon bring the Andy Warhol Museum and the Carnegie Science Center to the area. Initial plans for the Asian Trade Center in 1985 were focused on Union Station, the former train station on Liberty Avenue now The Pennsylvanian apartments. By 1988 and 1989, the plan was to construct apartments, hotels, and Asian retail in the blocks between on what is now the site of the Morgan at North Shore Apartments.

Pre-screening of PBS's Asian Americans with Pitt's Global Hub and Asian Studies Center, May 7.

The University of Pittsburgh's Global Hub and Asian Studies Center will host a pre-screening of episodes 1 and 2 of the upcoming PBS series Asian Americans on May 7.

The Pitt Global Hub and Asian Studies Center at the University of Pittsburgh are excited to present a pre-screening of the new PBS groundbreaking series, ASIAN AMERICANS, to kick off our #PittAPAHM event series in honor of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month.

We will be screening the first two episodes of the series via OVEE, a custom screening platform run by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. Please complete the information below to receive instructions on how to attend the watch party on THURSDAY, May 7th, from 7PM-9PMET.

Unfortunately, you will not be able to access the OVEE platform if you are located outside of the United States. However, if you are interested in receiving links to watch the episodes on your own time, please indicate this in the form below and we will send you more information.

The screening starts at 7:00 pm and those interested must RSVP by 5:00 pm on the 7th.

2019 Chinese film The Wild Goose Lake (南方车站的聚会) continues streaming via Parkway Theater.

The Parkway Theater in McKees Rocks is still streaming the 2019 Chinese film The Wild Goose Lake (南方车站的聚会) online, with 50% of the proceeds going to the theater. The distributor summarizes:

A gang leader on the run seeking redemption . . .
A girl in trouble risking everything to gain her freedom . . .
Both hunted on the hidden shores of The Wild Goose Lake.
They set a deadly gamble for what may be their last day.

Tickets are available online.

Pittsburgh-based WholeRen Education (美国厚仁教育集团) hiring Chinese-speaking Career Counselor for its JobUpper subsidiary.

Pittsburgh-based Chinese education consulting and placement firm WholeRen Education (美国厚仁教育集团) has announced an opening for a Mandarin-speaking Career Counselor for its JobUpper subsidiary.

JobUpper, a subsidiary of WholeRen Group, is recruiting for the U.S Headquarters Office in Pittsburgh, PA. WholeRen Group’s business includes high school, undergraduate, graduate, and transfer application support, academic counseling, and emergency academic support (e.g. tutoring, cultural transition, on-boarding).

WholeRen JobUpper is a professional career consulting subsidiary specializing in providing one-to-one personalized career planning and counseling for Chinese international students, along with career training.

Using the "READY training model", JobUpper gradually helps students understand themselves, find their skill set, and explore their “dream career”. Our philosophy is to help students discover and pursue their career path that best matches their talents, passions, and market opportunities.

The company is currently recruiting a Career Counselor.

Squirrel Hill's Chengdu Gourmet reopens for takeout.

Squirrel Hill's Chengdu Gourmet, which temporarily closed in early April, has reopened for take-out and delivery. The number is (412) 521-2088 and business hours are 11:00 am to 9:00 pm. Located at 5840 Forward Ave. (map), Chengdu Gourmet is routinely named among the best Chinese restaurants in the city, and in February its chef, Wei Zhu, was again a semi-finalist for a James Beard Award for Best Chef in the Mid-Atlantic.

Korean fried chicken place Chick'n Bubbly reopens for takeout and delivery.

Chick'n Bubbly, a Korean fried chicken and bubble tea place in Oakland, has reopened for takeout and delivery as of May 1. Next to Oishii Bento, and owned by the same team, it temporarily closed on April 1. It is located at 117 Oakland Ave. (map).

"COVID-19: On the Ground from Taiwan and Singapore" with Pitt's Global Studies Center, May 7.

via UDN.

The Global Studies Center at the University of Pittsburgh shares news of an upcoming online discussion, "COVID-19: On the Ground from Taiwan and Singapore," on May 7.

Join David Bell and Yurika Kurakata for COVID-19 on-the-ground reports from Taiwan and Singapore. David Bell is a history teacher at Kang Chiao International School in Taipei, Taiwan, and he is a graduate of Amherst College. Before moving to Singapore, Yurika Kurakata was the director of the East Asia Resource Center at the University of Washington. Learn about how the governments, schools, and people of Taiwan and Singapore prepared for and are responding to this pandemic.

It runs from 7:00 to 8:00 pm on the 7th; those interested can register online.

Oakland's Oishii Bento to reopen for takeout and delivery, May 1.

Oakland's Oishii Bento, which temporarily closed on April 1, announced today it will reopen for takeout and delivery from tomorrow. Oishii Bento is located at 119 Oakland Ave. (map).