As a New Yorker, I must regretfully state that before Monday night, I had never been to Carnegie Hall. It had always been something I heard about, something enigmatic and profound that represented the pinnacle of success in the music world. If you had performed at Carnegie Hall, you were somebody worth listening to. After walking around the whole building and entering 2 out of the 3 entrances, I finally found my way to where I was supposed to be. The Ensemble ACJW event was being held in the Weill Recital Hall. Upon walking into Weill, besides feeling underdressed, I was assailed with a sense of alienness. I had prepared myself for the typical idea of Carnegie, a grandiose and ostentatious hall seating thousands of listeners. But, Weill was quaint and personal, something I didn't expect. Every sound made by the performers resonated within your body rather than simply echoing around a large empty space. The venue, however, wasn't the only thing that surprised me. Seeing as we were attending the China festival, I thought all the pieces would be made and performed by China natives. After getting over the initial shock of seeing the first performer, I felt silly. It isn't the player of the music that gives it it's origins, it's the feeling you get and the distinct sound that tells you where it's from. The piano pieces were beautiful, but what really struck me were the performances involving percussion. You can't help but snap to attention after hearing the sound of a gong resonate in your ears. But sound was only half of it. Watching these men coordinate their performance amongst each other with the utmost precision was something else. Being a former violin player myself, I was used to the idea of a conductor leading the moves of the orchestra. I can't help but be in awe of the talent it must take to be a performer and conductor all in one. All in all, my experience at Carnegie Hall was extraordinary, and I am figuratively kicking myself for all the years I missed out on impressive performances such as this.