Audiences at the 2003 Hakka Culture and Arts Festival -- A-Ha! Hakka -- can expect a repertoire of diverse contemporary Hakka music, recreated and represented in both the Western and Chinese classical music traditions.
The Council for Hakka Affairs has invited the renowned local western classical symphony orchestra, JustMusic Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Chinese classical orchestra, China Found Music Workshop, to compose new pieces based on traditional Hakka folk songs.
Music Director of JustMusic Philharmonic Orchestra Joe Lee (李哲藝) pointed out that folk songs had been an important element in the Western classical music tradition, and composers such as Johannes Brahms adopted local folk songs for use in their compositions.
PHOTO: CHIANG YING-YING, TAIPEI TIMES
"This time we try to use classical music to represent Hakka music, and hope that by turning Hakka music into classical music we can bring it onto the international stage in the future," Lee said.
The administrative director of China Fond Music Workshop, Lin Hui-kuan (
"But we found that many elements in Hakka folk songs sounded like the Chinese erhu, so we used a lot of erhu solos in our adaptation of Hakka folk songs," he said.
Lin said that when the group performed abroad, audiences were always looking for a Taiwanese flavor, but in the past the group usually borrowed their music from Chinese folk songs.
"But now with our new Hakka pieces, hopefully we can help push Taiwanese folk songs onto the international stage," Lin said.
JustMusic will perform at the Tungshih Carnival in front of the Tungshih township office from 7pm to 9pm on Nov. 1, and the next day from 3pm to 5pm at the Hsinchu County Bureau of Cultural Affairs.
China Found will perform at the Meinung Hakka Carnival at the old Meinung township office from 10am to 12pm on Nov. 15.
The Festival opens tomorrow at 7pm with a ceremony in front of the Presidential Office, with several Hakka groups giving performances.
On Sunday evening from 7:30pm to 9:30pm, a Hakka folk song performance by three choirs will be staged at the Taipei Chungshan Hall. Free tickets can be obtained from Hakka TV, The Police Radio Station or at the Taipei Chungshan Hall.
Brochures with more details of the festival are available from 7-11s nationwide.
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