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.
The government released figures for October showing that, year on year, exports increased 49 percent to a record US$61.8 billion for the month. The dramatic increases were partly due to fall being the high season, but largely due to the AI boom driving demand for exports, which many investors fear is rapidly turning into a massive bubble. An editorial in this newspaper last month warned that the government should be ready in case the boom turns to bust. In previous boom-bust cycles, from shoes and textiles, through computer parts and accessories, to tools, bicycles and sporting goods, Taiwan has survived in
Nov. 30 to Dec. 6 It is said that those who refused to vacate Kipatauw’s upper settlement were knocked unconscious by Japanese agents and dragged to fingerprint the deeds. The Japanese coveted the site’s valuable white clay for Beitou District’s (北投) growing ceramics industry, and they were determined to acquire it by any means. The Indigenous Ketagalan settlement of Kipatauw had withstood centuries of external pressures and cultural erosion. Despite gradually losing much of their territory to Han settlers, they remained distinct into the early 20th century. By 1895, three communities persisted: the upper settlement near
Spicy, scarlet red Sichuan food isn’t normally my suggestion for a first date. But hear me out, if you can both handle a three-chili rating, this spot could be the one. The vibe is intimate and in-the-know cool, the food is fantastic and will spur many a conversation, the cocktail list is wacky and fun — and they do offer free mouthwash in the restroom. Old Seat (老位) is tucked down an unassuming alleyway in the bustling Zhongxiao Dunhua (忠孝敦化) area, warm red lighting and fairy lights leading the way. It’s elegant, overtly hipster and even our table by the
This week, President William Lai (賴清德) and his administration launched a major publicity blitz to drum up support for a proposed NT$1.25 trillion (US$40 billion) special defense budget. This was well-planned and executed, and politically astute, but it is still far from becoming a reality: He needs to convince the opposition-controlled legislature to pass it. The chance that the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) legislative caucuses vote to approve everything that the administration wants is low, but Lai and his team have gone to great lengths to optimize the chances of getting some, or even most
RSS