Blind singer Chang Yu-hsia (張玉霞) has become a sensation on China’s TV talent search shows. Referred to as the “Beautiful Voice of Taiwan,” she has won the hearts of Chinese audiences by singing sweet melodies in a style reminiscent of the late Taiwanese superstar Teresa Teng (鄧麗君).
Now there is a four-member band of blind musicians from Miaoli County making headlines. The New Heart and Vision Band (心視界樂團) is made up of Tseng Hui-chuan (曾慧娟), Yang Yu-fan (楊玉凡), Chen Chi-feng (陳淇楓) and Hung Min-chih (洪敏智).
Some band members were born blind, others lost their vision due to illness.
Utilizing their talents and training, the band wanted to share their love of music with the public. With their new vocation, the members also found new direction in life.
The band performs concerts, sharing their love of music with others, demonstrating their vitality and hope for life
“Before, we were just like you, we could enjoy the wonderful colors of the world. Unfortunately, due to unforeseen circumstances, we now live in a world of darkness,” Chen said.
A graduate at the National Chiao Tung University in Hsinchu, Chen used to work in a Hong Kong futures trading brokerage firm. The 34-year old Chen said that because of the job’s demands, he had to work the late at night, and slept mostly during the day.
One day he fell ill with a fever, and because he did not immediately seek medical treatment, it resulted in a loss of vision in both eyes.
At first, he could not accept the change, and it took him quite a while to adjust to living in a world of darkness.
Chen reminded himself that he was still young and must not give up. He took a government job-training course and learned to play the flute, followed by the guitar.
After two years, he started performing on stage, specializing in uplifting songs, hoping to use music to encourage others who have encountered similar experiences not to buckle under the setbacks in life.
Yang was born with weak vision, and later lost her eyesight due to glaucoma.
She majored in Chinese language in university, but has always had a passion for music and singing.
Now 24, she is the band’s pianist. She likes to perform and sing the hit songs of Teresa Teng, Faye Wong (王菲) and Tien Fu-chen (田馥甄 or Hebe of S.H.E).
Another member is Tseng, 25, whose premature birth left her blind.
She received vocal music training at the school for the deaf and blind. Later, at university, she majored in piano and the Chinese erhu, the two-string fiddle.
Tseng’s specialty is Taiwanese campus folk songs (校園民歌). So when performing, she always brings back happy memories of the 1970s to her audience, the era when this music genre was popular in Taiwan.
The fourth member, Hung, was born blind.
He learned to play the electronic organ, guitar and jazz drums at the school for the deaf and blind.
Although only 25 years old, he can sing old Mandarin classics with superb interpretation.
Hung has a ready-to-play list of more than 200 songs, as he regained confidence through performing music on stage.
“We need to make a living. The cheers and applause by the audience, their positive feedback, are the greatest encouragement for blind musicians like us to improve ourselves,” Chen said.
The New Heart and Vision Band got started with support from the Vision Impaired People’s Rights Association Foundation of Miaoli County.
These days the band play regularly in Miaoli County’s Shengsing (勝興) train station of the old mountain railway in Sanyi Township (三義), and also at the Sihu (西湖) rest area of National Highway No. 3.
They hope to gain support from other organizations to perform at more events, so the band can showcase their talent, their vitality and their eagerness to share life’s joys and their happiness with the audience.
The band can be reached at Tel. 0937-220-838 and ask for Mrs Chang (張).
The US House of Representatives yesterday passed the PROTECT Taiwan Act, which stipulates that Washington would exclude China from participating in major global financial organizations if its actions directly threaten Taiwan’s security. The bill, proposed by Republican US Representative Frank Lucas, passed with 395 votes in favor and two against. It stipulates that if China’s actions pose any threat to Taiwan’s security, economic or social systems, the US would, “to the maximum extent practicable,” exclude China from international financial institutions, including the G20, the Bank for International Settlements and the Financial Stability Board. The bill makes it clear that China
Garbage and recycling schedules are to vary from Saturday through Sunday next week over the Lunar New Year holiday period. The following collection information is from the governments of the six special municipalities. Taipei Regular service: Sunday to Monday next week. No service: Tuesday to Thursday next week. Extra service: Friday next week. Regular service resumes: Saturday next week. New Taipei City Extra service: Sunday. Adjusted collection time: Monday next week — garbage collection is to begin in the morning and end at 6pm. No service: Tuesday to Thursday next week. Regular service resumes: Friday next week. Note: Garbage can be dropped off at 70
A KFC branch in Kaohsiung may be fined between NT$60,000 and NT$200 million (US$1,907 and US$6.37 million), after a customer yesterday found an entire AAA battery inside an egg tart, the Kaohsiung Department of Health said today. The customer was about to microwave a box of egg tarts they had bought at the fast-food restaurant’s Nanzih (楠梓) branch when they checked the bottom and saw a dark shadow inside one of them, they said in a Threads post. The customer filmed themself taking the egg tart apart to reveal an entire AAA battery inside, which apparently showed signs of damage. Surveillance footage showed
GROUP EFFORT: The number of inbound travelers rose 11 to 12 percent last month, with a significant increase in tourists from Europe and North America, an official said The government aims to attract 9.4 million visitors this year, the Tourism Administration said yesterday, citing last year’s success in diversifying tourist markets. Taiwan last year drew about 8.57 million international arrivals, 72.3 percent of pre-COVID-19 levels. By contrast, the nation had about 18.94 million outbound tourists last year, surpassing the pre-COVID-19 level of 17.1 million. The estimated tourism revenue deficit was about NT$700.9 billion (US$22.22 billion). Taoyuan International Airport Corp expects more than 160,000 passengers to pass through the nation’s largest airport daily during the Lunar New Year holiday, which begins on Saturday. As of Jan. 30, the nation’s average hotel occupancy rate
RSS