Prominent Taiwanese composer Tyzen Hsiao (蕭泰然) passed away at his residence in Los Angeles, California, on Tuesday morning at the age of 77 from multiple organ failure after battling lung cancer for two years.
Hsiao’s son, Joseph Hsiao (蕭傑仁), yesterday confirmed the news on Facebook, saying: “My father, is now in heaven today as of 9:10am. No more pain and suffering.”
The post also called on the public and media not to disturb him with calls, as he still needed time to grieve.
Photo courtesy of the Tyzen Hsiao Culture and Education Foundation
Known as “Taiwan’s Rachmaninoff,” after legendary Russian composer and pianist Sergei Rachmaninov, Tyzen Hsiao was born in Kaohsiung on Jan. 1, 1938.
He studied music at National Taiwan Normal University and Musashino Academia Musicae before relocating to the US in 1977.
Tyzen Hsiao was known primarily for his efforts to “use the spirit of Taiwanese folk melody as the core and meld it into the classical, romantic, impressionistic and modern styles of music to form the basis for the neo-Taiwanese music style.”
His works include three concertos, composed from 1988 to 1990: 1947 Overture (一九四七序曲), composed in memory of the 228 Incident; Love Taiwan (嘸通嫌台灣), a piece which many believe caused Tyzen Hsiao to be blacklisted by the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) government; and Formosan Angels (福爾摩莎的天使).
The 228 Incident refers to an uprising that began on Feb. 27, 1947, against the authoritarian KMT regime of the time and the resulting brutal crackdown that left tens of thousands dead and led to nearly four decades of martial law.
Despite being diagnosed with lung cancer after a visit to Taiwan in 2012, Tyzen Hsiao nonetheless made several appearances last year at multiple concerts held in his name in the US, and helped the Taiwan Center Foundation of Greater Los Angeles raise funds for their events.
Many of Tyzen Hsiao’s friends in Los Angeles said they were sad to hear the news of his passing.
The Shepherds of the Valley Presbyterian Church in Hacienda Heights, Los Angeles, also said it would hold a memorial service for him on March 14.
Minister of Culture Hung Meng-chi (洪孟啟) expressed his sadness upon hearing of Tyzen Hsiao’s passing, and said the ministry was already in the process of applying for an official commendation for him.
Tyzen Hsiao completed nearly 100 compositions, including concertos and symphonies, and his influence would continue to resonate among music lovers for years, Hung said.
Democratic Progressive Party Chairperson Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) posted on Facebook her sadness at hearing of the composer’s passing.
His works will become an asset that all Taiwanese will have in common, Tsai wrote, adding that it was also due to his efforts that many folk melodies in the nation had become popular overseas.
“Taiwan is not absent on the ethnic musical map; may he rest in peace,” Tsai wrote.
Taipei Department of Information and Tourism Commissioner Chien Yu-yen (簡余晏) said the nation needed a song to “help us coalesce our mutual historical memories,” after posting a recording of Taiwan the Green (台灣翠青), which is regarded by Taiwan independence supporters as a candidate for the national anthem.
Taiwan the Green is a poem written by the late John Jyigiokk (鄭兒玉), a Taiwan Presbyterian Church pastor and professor at Tainan Theological College and Seminary. Tyzen Hsiao set to music in 1988.
Additional reporting by CNA
This story has been amended since it was first published.
RESPONSE: The transit sends a message that China’s alignment with other countries would not deter the West from defending freedom of navigation, an academic said Canadian frigate the Ville de Quebec and Australian guided-missile destroyer the Brisbane transited the Taiwan Strait yesterday morning, the first time the two nations have conducted a joint freedom of navigation operation. The Canadian and Australian militaries did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The Ministry of National Defense declined to confirm the passage, saying only that Taiwan’s armed forces had deployed surveillance and reconnaissance assets, along with warships and combat aircraft, to safeguard security across the Strait. The two vessels were observed transiting northward along the eastern side of the Taiwan Strait’s median line, with Japan being their most likely destination,
‘NOT ALONE’: A Taiwan Strait war would disrupt global trade routes, and could spark a worldwide crisis, so a powerful US presence is needed as a deterrence, a US senator said US Senator Deb Fischer on Thursday urged her colleagues in the US Congress to deepen Washington’s cooperation with Taiwan and other Indo-Pacific partners to contain the global security threat from China. Fischer and other lawmakers recently returned from an official trip to the Indo-Pacific region, where they toured US military bases in Hawaii and Guam, and visited leaders, including President William Lai (賴清德). The trip underscored the reality that the world is undergoing turmoil, and maintaining a free and open Indo-Pacific region is crucial to the security interests of the US and its partners, she said. Her visit to Taiwan demonstrated ways the
GLOBAL ISSUE: If China annexes Taiwan, ‘it will not stop its expansion there, as it only becomes stronger and has more force to expand further,’ the president said China’s military and diplomatic expansion is not a sole issue for Taiwan, but one that risks world peace, President William Lai (賴清德) said yesterday, adding that Taiwan would stand with the alliance of democratic countries to preserve peace through deterrence. Lai made the remark in an exclusive interview with the Chinese-language Liberty Times (sister paper of the Taipei Times). “China is strategically pushing forward to change the international order,” Lai said, adding that China established the Asia Infrastructure Investment Bank, launched the Belt and Road Initiative, and pushed for yuan internationalization, because it wants to replace the democratic rules-based international
RELEASED: Ko emerged from a courthouse before about 700 supporters, describing his year in custody as a period of ‘suffering’ and vowed to ‘not surrender’ Former Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) chairman Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) was released on NT$70 million (US$2.29 million) bail yesterday, bringing an end to his year-long incommunicado detention as he awaits trial on corruption charges. Under the conditions set by the Taipei District Court on Friday, Ko must remain at a registered address, wear a GPS-enabled ankle monitor and is prohibited from leaving the country. He is also barred from contacting codefendants or witnesses. After Ko’s wife, Peggy Chen (陳佩琪), posted bail, Ko was transported from the Taipei Detention Center to the Taipei District Court at 12:20pm, where he was fitted with the tracking
RSS