“I thought I could have worn a beautiful gown or skirt on stage, but I have to wear a suit, a tie and long pants like everybody else,” she said.
Little did she know that the job also involves a lot of traveling, she said, but fortunately, most of the trips are one-day journeys. Wu said she loved the crowd and cheers and that is what makes the hard work pay off.
Trumpet player Hsu Chih-ping (�?�) began playing when he was in junior high school. He joined Kupa in 1983 when he was in senior high school. Although he majored in art in high school, the school band he joined kept him busy. Most members of the school band played in Kupa and most Kupa members later became band members of the three terrestrial TV stations.
After graduating from high school, Hsu landed a job in the porcelain industry, but his love for music brought him back to Kupa six years after he finished his compulsory military service. He started out as a part-timer and then became full-time about 10 years ago.
During the golden days, he said the job at Kupa was sufficient to lead a decent life, but business began to deteriorate about five or six years ago. Now he teaches music in elementary and junior high schools in Kaohsiung once a week.
“I will take whatever music job that comes along,” he said.
One of Hsu’s most memorable moments with Kupa was a performance at the Taipei Guest House in 1999. The crowd loved their performance so much that they played three extra hours.
“That was the most exhausting performance we ever did,” he said. “It was also the most satisfying and the least profitable because we didn’t get paid extra.”
In addition to Kupa, saxophonist Hsieh Ching-feng (謝青峰) performs elsewhere, with about 15 to 20 engagements a month.
Despite his tight schedule, he said he always comes to Kupa’s bi-weekly practice session because the band is his main focus.
The 32-year-old joined Kupa in 1994 when he was a college student. He said his worst fear was that Kupa would disband, but as one of the youngest band members, he s not in a position to say much.
“It will be a shame if it happens,” he said.
Bass guitarist and composer Lin Jih-hsiung (林吉雄) is one of the oldest members. The 65-year-old played in a rock band and sang English songs before he joined Kupa in 1970.
Chemistry is what holds the band together, Lin said, and the band leader directs it.
Lin said he would like to see more younger players join them so the band will prevail. If Kupa were to disband, Lin said, it would be very hard to get it back.
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