The Taipei Chinese Orchestra (TCO) is to honor two late Taiwanese composers by performing their works at the opening of its new season tomorrow.
The orchestra would perform Concerto for Bamboo Flute and Chinese Orchestra by Ma Shui-long (馬水龍, 1939-2015) and Concerto in C, Op. 52 for Cello and Chinese Orchestra by Hsiao Ty-zen (蕭泰然, 1938-2015), orchestra general director Cheng Li-pin (鄭立彬) said yesterday.
The opening concert of the new season, titled “Evolution. Song of Life,” is to be held at the National Concert Hall in Taipei.
A composer from the neo-romantic school, Hsiao won global acclaim for his Taiwanese folk song elements and his rich tonal style, which earned him international renown as “Taiwan’s Rachmaninoff.”
Ma was known for integrating Eastern elements into Western classical music and was celebrated as the first Taiwanese composer to have his music performed at the prestigious Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City.
“These two very important Taiwanese composers passed away in 2015... We hope to use this concert to pay homage to the two great maestros,” Lin said.
The concert is part of this season’s Virtuoso Series, Lin said, adding that there would be a total of eight series.
Other series would include the Exquisite Series, featuring solo and chamber music by orchestra musicians, and the TCO Star Series, which would premiere commissioned concertos, the orchestra said in a statement.
All of this season’s collaborations would be with Taiwanese musicians to help promote domestic talent, Cheng said.
“We hope that music lovers will support our talented Taiwanese musicians,” he said.
The season is to run until the middle of next year, with Taiwanese film director and screenwriter Wei Te-sheng (魏德聖) serving as creative director for the season finale: “Opera from the TCO Theater: Formosa Bloom.”
The full-stage opera is to be performed on June 26 and 27 at the National Theater in Taipei, and on July 3 and 4 at the National Kaohsiung Center for the Arts (Weiwuying).
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