Taipei Symphony Orchestra (TSO) director Ho Kang-kuo (何康國) has sparked controversy following accusations that he skipped rehearsals in Taiwan to lead a youth orchestra affiliated with the TSO to perform in China, with advertisements promoting the group as a Chinese entity.
The Chinese-language Apple Daily, citing an anonymous source, yesterday reported that Ho led a performance of TSO Youth — an orchestra of young Taiwanese musicians founded by the TSO in 2016 — in China on Oct. 19 last year, missing a TSO rehearsal in Taiwan.
Promotional materials in China called the group the “Taipei Symphony Orchestra, Taiwan, China,” the Apple Daily reported.
Photo: Sean Chao, Taipei Times
Yesterday, Ho said he attended the TSO dress rehearsal and concert, and had fully participated in previous rehearsals, as well as taking leave and using his own money to organize the contert in China.
TSO Youth and Ho said that they told event organizers to use “TSO Youth,” and that “TSO Youth” was used to introduce the group at the concert.
Chinese media might have added “Taiwan, China,” Ho added.
Chou Yang-ming (周揚明) made a donation of NT$570,000 to cover the travel expenses of the group members when she found out that they would be playing pieces composed by her father, Chou Lan-ping (周藍萍), Ho added.
The Taipei Department of Cultural Affairs said that it had received prior notice Ho’s trip to China with TSO Youth.
Additional reporting by Yang Hsin-hui
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