“Symphony No. 5 - Homage to President Lee Teng-hui (李登輝)” made its Japanese debut on Monday as part of the National Symphony Orchestra’s (NSO) ongoing tour of Japan.
The NSO performed Movements III and IV of the piece by Taiwanese composer Gordon Chin (金希文) in memory of the late former president Lee at the prestigious Suntory Hall in Tokyo.
Several Japan-based individuals known for their support of Taiwan attended the special occasion, including Akie Abe, widow of the late former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe; Japanese lawmaker Keiji Furuya, chairman of the Japan- ROC Diet Members’ Consultative Council; and House of Councilors member Ken Akamatsu.
Daniel Ernst, Minister Counselor for Public Affairs at the US Embassy in Tokyo, and Lee I-yang (李逸洋), Taiwan’s representative to Japan, also attended the event.
“Mr. Lee Teng-hui holds an extraordinarily revered place in the hearts of the Japanese people. Through this piece of music, we can feel how arduous and full of setbacks the process of democratizing Taiwan was under former President Lee’s leadership,” Lee I-yang told reporters before the concert. “Yet with his exceptional wisdom, and the resilient spirit of Taiwanese society, he overcame every challenge, radiating a strength that combined light, warmth and charisma to guide Taiwan toward a brighter, more hopeful future.”
During the concert, the NSO also premiered ‘Echoes of Home,’ marking its world debut.
The piece, composed by Taiwanese musician Chen Ke- chia (陳可嘉), is written for chorus and was inspired by “Return to Hometown” (歸來去), a poem by Hakka poet Tseng Kuei-hai (曾貴海), Chen said.
In the piece, Chen begins with the oboe to build a theatrical atmosphere before introducing the trumpet, which mimics the suona in traditional Hakka bayin (eight-tone ensemble) music.
Through pizzicato string playing, she conveys the rhythm of mountain songs, aiming to evoke imagery and emotions of the audience’s hometown.
Lee I-yang said the piece, commissioned by the Hakka Affairs Council, is a refined portrayal of the nostalgia felt by the Hakka people.
Both pieces featured a choir and were infectious and visceral, “projecting Taiwan’s voice to the world,” he said.
Before the show, Akie Abe asked Lee I-yang about the character of the Hakka people, to which he replied that they are “tenacious and diligent,” Lee said.
The NSO will hold its final concert of the tour today at Tokyo Opera City Concert Hall.
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