With Christmas now only a couple of weeks away, the combined talents of the Taipei Philharmonic Chorus (台北愛樂合唱團), the Taipei Philharmonic Youth Orchestra (台北愛樂青年管弦樂團) and the Philharmonic Jazz Ensemble (台北愛樂附屬爵士樂團) will be adding a little classical-based rock 'n' roll for the festive season when they join forces to brings an adaptation of The Creation: A Rock Cantata (搖滾創世紀) to the stage of the National Concert Hall on Monday.
Organized by the Taipei Philharmonic Foundation for Culture and Education (
The popular Xmas cantata combines precise notation in tempi, with the less precise chord combinations of rock 'n' roll and popular music. Much of the improvisation is left up to the instrumentalists, which means that no two performances are identical.
The orchestra, chorus and jazz band will all be under the baton of celebrated local conductor Dirk Du Hei (杜黑). Du Hei, who received his Master of Music in conducting at the University of Illinois, has been actively involved in the promotion of choral and other musical activities in Taiwan since the early 1980s. He established the foundation in 1988 and in 1997 he was awarded the National Culture and Art Prize for his work.
The foundation has promoted many international cultural exchange programs and successfully staged numerous concerts and festivals including the Taipei International Choral Festival, the Taipei Philharmonic Summer Festival and the Taipei Philharmonic International Music Workshop.
Helping to give voice to Monday's festive concert will be local soprano Lin Tze-yin (
PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE TAIPEI PHILHARMONIC
The Taipei Philharmonic's adaptation of The Creation: A Rock Cantata will take place at the National Concert Hall on Monday, Dec. 5. Tickets cost from NT$300 to NT$1,500 and are available direct from the National Chiang Kai-shek Cultural Center's box office. The performance begins at 7:30pm.
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