Daniel Feng

Violin

At this moment …

We would find Daniel reading "Do," a home improvement magazine. "I want to make some home improvements; right now I'm fixing my garbage disposal." A self-confessed news junkie, Daniel also surfs the web for the latest news, including Chinese Web sites. "I like to keep up with what's going on in China, but I'm also interested in news generally."

On the CD player …

Various solo violinists and their repertoire. "I like Heifetz, Stern, Nathan Milstein, Gil Shaham and I really like Hilary Hahn; she plays fantastically." When Daniel is practicing solo repertoire, he listens to individual players performing that work "to get good ideas about interpretation."

In the kitchen …

"I collect recipes but don't have time to cook much; every week we clip a recipe from the Chinese newspaper." Daniel's wife Jenny does most of the cooking. "Jenny is a very family-oriented cook. I particularly like her smoked beef ribs with bullseye sauce and her stir-fried fish bowl with seaweed, shrimp and black mushrooms."

On the music stand …

In addition to upcoming Symphony music, Daniel is also working on the Sibelius Violin Concerto. "I always practice one or two concertos to keep myself in shape."

And on the nightstand …

Rather than books, Daniel and his wife unwind with a nightly episode of their favorite Chinese soap opera, White Silver Gorge. "There are 50 episodes on DVD and we swap them around with other Chinese friends."

Before you left …

Daniel would introduce you to his "miracle" chinchilla, a recent addition to his family. "We bought a chinchilla a few months ago and didn't know it was pregnant. When I told my 12½ year-old daughter Christine we had a surprise baby chinchilla, she said she dreamed it would happen. She must be a witch!"