Travelers passing through the newly renovated lobby of Taipei Railway Station yesterday were treated to a Christmas atmosphere with music from an ensemble of local harpists.
As part of the Republic of China centennial celebrations, 112 local harpists, including noted players Shannon Chieh (解瑄) and Chiu Meng-lu (邱孟璐), gathered in Taipei on Christmas Eve to stage a free marathon concert from 3pm to 11pm.
“Harps are very commonly seen at Christmas in Western countries and we’d like the public in Taiwan to also experience the atmosphere,” said Chieh, one of the organizers.
Photo: CNA
Assembling more than 100 musicians is not easy and gathering a great number of harpists is even more difficult, Chieh said.
It was a great opportunity for the passersby to stop and “have a closer look at the instruments,” which are usually set on stage at the back of an orchestra, she added.
Describing the event as special, meaningful and interesting, the organizers hoped the event could also promote harps and art appreciation.
The eight-hour show was divided into five parts and climaxed with the 100-plus ensemble playing Christmas carols.
Daniel Tseng, aged five, was the youngest harpist in the ensemble.
It was his first public performance, as he only began learning how to play four months ago.
Describing his first gig as “a lot of fun,” the kindergarten student said he wanted to wish everyone a merry Christmas with his performance.
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