Vibrant Sounds of Summer: The Taipei Chinese Orchestra Launches Its Fiery Season
During the height of summer, Taiwan is filled with enthusiasm and vitality. Events such as the Penghu International Fireworks Festival, the Yilan International Children's Folklore and Folkgame Festival, and the Taiwan International Hot Air Balloon Festival attract people of all ages. In this lively atmosphere, the Taipei Chinese Orchestra (TCO) has also organized a series of exciting Chinese Music events.
At the beginning of summer, TCO presents a family concert titled "Ding Ding! Time Music Box." The performance features selected young actors and hosts from children's television, who lead the audience in songs and movement. Through lively storytelling and music, the concert brings children closer to Chinese Music in a fun and engaging way.
The "Summer 114" Chinese Music Workshop and the "TCO Rising Stars Chinese Orchestra" Summer Camps offer a wide range of courses tailored to learners of different ages and stages. With guidance from professional instructors, participants—both children and adults—immerse themselves in the beauty of Chinese Music and build meaningful memories of their musical growth.
As summer comes to an end, TCO continues its educational efforts with the "One School, One Chinese Orchestra Initiative." This program aims to establish a sustainable school ensemble system, reflecting TCO's long-standing commitment to promoting and deepening Chinese Music education in communities.
In the "Chinese Music as Daily Practice" column, three photographers—CHANG Chen-Chou, WANG Ming-Yu, and CHENG Yi-Chung—share their experiences with Chinese Music. Both light and sound are fleeting art forms—how can one capture such moving moments? Through the combined perspectives of musicians and photographers, the column offers a different way of interpreting and reflecting on these emotions.
The 2025 Taipei Chinese Instrumental Competition concluded successfully, with this year's featured category being the dizi. Young musicians ZHANG Qianhao, WU Bo-Chien, and HUANG Hsu-Lei won the top three prizes. In the "New Vision of Chinese Music" column, the three winners reflect on their participation. Although the competition has ended, the experience has become a new starting point in their musical journeys, guiding and inspiring their future artistic development.
The column "The Moment" recalls the lifelong contributions of Mr. LI Chao-Hsing, as written by Professor LIN Yueh-Li. Mr. LI not only supported Professor CHOU Chi-Feng in managing the China Youth Corps Chinese Orchestra, but also founded Hsueh-Yi Publishing, which provided essential scores and books that supported the development of Chinese Music performance and education. By mentoring young musicians and nurturing new voices, he quietly shaped the conditions for Chinese Music to flourish in Taiwan for years to come.
Whether in education or public engagement, the efforts of TCO and Mr. LI Chao-Hsing have helped preserve and carry forward the traditions of Chinese Music. This summer, join TCO and step into the heartfelt rhythms of Chinese Music.
From Preschoolers to Rising Stars: Taipei Chinese Orchestra's Four-Part Educational Initiative for 2025
Text / YEN Tsai-Teng
Image / Taipei Chinese Orchestra
The Taipei Chinese Orchestra (TCO) has long been dedicated to the education and promotion of Chinese Music. This article presents 4 key initiatives from its 2025 program year that reflect the organization's broad and ongoing commitment: the TCO “Ding Ding! Time Music Box” Family Concert, the “One School, One Orchestra Initiative”, the “Summer 114 Chinese Music Training Camp”, and the “TCO Rising Stars Chinese OrchestraSummer Camp” . Together, these programs form a comprehensive pathway from early musical exploration to advanced performance, guiding students from the classroom to the concert hall.
The TCO “Ding Ding! Time Music Box” Family Concert marks TCO's return to the family concert format after a 6-year hiatus. The concert, designed for preschool and lower elementary students, combines sing-alongs with role-playing to create an engaging and interactive experience. Drawing on classic and popular children's songs newly arranged for Chinese Orchestra, it introduces young listeners to the distinctive sounds of Chinese musical instruments through melodies they already know and love. The goal is to foster not only parent-child bonding but also cross-generational appreciation of Chinese Music.
Launched this year, the “One School, One Orchestra Initiative” brings Chinese Music directly into Taipei's elementary schools. TCO assists schools in establishing Chinese music ensembles by providing instruments, instructors, and administrative support. The project is structured in phases: starting with small ensembles, then shifting management to the schools and promoting competitions, and ultimately shaping each ensemble into a defining part of the school's identity. The pilot program is scheduled to begin in September 2025 at Xiyuan Elementary School.
The “Summer 114 Chinese Music Training Camp” offers upper elementary students with at least 2 years of instrumental experience a focused week of musical growth. Through sectional training, ensemble rehearsals, and lectures, students prepare for a final performance while forging friendships through collaborative rehearsals and group life.
The newly established “TCO Rising Stars Taipei Chinese Orchestra Summer Camp” targets young musicians aged 13 to 25. Admission is based on a video audition, and the program provides intensive, high-level training. The ensemble is led by TCO musicians and distinguished instructors from both sides of the Taiwan Strait. Together, they prepare a challenging repertoire for concerts at Zhongshan Auditorium,Taipei Zhongshan Hall and the Concert Hall of the National Kaohsiung Center for the Arts (Weiwuying).
Light and Strings: A Kaleidoscope of Chinese Music Through the Lens
Text / LIAO Shih-Yun
Image / CHANG Chen-Chou, WANG Ming-Yu, CHENG Yi-Chung
On and off the stage of the Taipei Chinese Orchestra (TCO), there are three artists with a close connection to photography: professional photographer CHANG Chen-Chou, retired huqin player WANG Ming-Yu, and CHENG Yi-Chung, who is skilled in both stage administration and photographic documentation. In their lives, Chinese Music and photography have converged, each unfolding into a distinct artistic expression.
With the utmost professionalism, CHANG Chen-Chou captures the emotional and visual essence of live performance, despite its challenges. His lens has recorded countless defining memories of the TCO over the years.
WANG Ming-Yu, guided by a musician’s instinct, treats photography as a quiet discipline that is deeply embedded in his travels and everyday life. Favoring serene black-and-white imagery, his work reveals a restrained and composed aesthetic.
CHENG Yi-Chung came to photography through his work in stage administration, not for recognition, but to quietly preserve Chinese Music through images. He has since become a steady and familiar presence behind the camera.
From moving moments on stage to quiet observations in daily life, these three artists each capture emotion through light and shadow in their own distinct way. Their photographs go beyond documentation, allowing the beauty of Chinese Music to resonate and take root. Such convergence of music, life, and image is more than a story about photography. It speaks to the lasting force of artistic expression.
The Dizi Speaks: Portraits of a New Generation Reflections on the Taipei Chinese Instumental Competition
Text and Interview / LIU Ma-Li (Adjunct Assistant Professor of Musicology, Fu Jen Catholic University, National Dong Hwa University, and University of Taipei)
Image / Taipei Chinese Orchestra
Since its founding in 1993, the Competition has become a vital platform for young musicians to showcase their artistry. This year’s spotlight on the dizi attracted 32 contestants. After 3 intense rounds of competition, ZHANG Qianhao, WU Po-Chien, and HUANG Hsu-Lei claimed the top 3 prizes, demonstrating not only refined technique but also a mature artistic perspective rooted in both tradition and creativity.
ZHANG Qianhao is currently a third-year student in the Folk Music Department at the Central Conservatory of Music. He began studying the dizi at the age of 7, nurtured by a musically rich family environment and inspired by his first mentor, Professor DAI Ya. He places equal importance on musicianship and personal character. Among the repertoire, the most memorable for him was Dim Scent and Sparse Shadows , a newly commissioned work by QU Chunquan in the style of Kunqu opera. Through ornamental techniques that echo Kunqu vocal inflections and a modern expressive approach to traditional materials, ZHANG demonstrated exceptional artistic integration.
WU Po-Chien is a student in the Department of Chinese Music at Chinese Culture University. Under the guidance of HOU Guangyu, he has deepened his understanding of musical style and breath control. His most memorable performance was of ZHAO Songting’s The Partridges Fly , in which he used breath and rhythm to paint an image of birds soaring through the air. Faced with the challenge of preparing four pieces in a limited time and adapting to a new model of dizi, he displayed notable composure and determination.
HUANG Hsu-Lei is currently studying in the Chinese Music Department at Tainan National University of the Arts. His training spans voice, piano, and suona, contributing to a broad artistic foundation. He was also most drawn to The Partridges Fly , approaching it through a poetic lens that weaves together Kunqu elements and the imagery of Tang poetry. His interpretation: “Literature moves with rhythm; music carries weight.”
For all 3 performers, the competition was more than just a test of skill. It marked a shift in their artistic paths, teaching t hem to stay composed and perform with precision and depth under pressure. More importantly, it sparked a vision for the future that bridges tradition and innovation, and moves from personal growth toward cultural education and outreach. As expressed in a classical Chinese verse, “A sound so bold it stays the clouds and stirs the vault of blue,” the experience stands as both a ble ssing and a guiding symbol of their unfolding artistic path.
LI Chao-Hsing, a Pioneer of Chinese Music in Taiwan (Part 4)
Text and Image / LIN Yue-Li
Mr. LI Chao-Hsing was born on July 15, 1928, in Yuxian County, Chahar Province, and passed away on February 17, 2017, at the age of 89.
Possessing both intelligence and initiative from a young age, LI arrived in Taiwan in 1947 with the Nationalist Youth Army. Amid turbulent times, he remained committed to learning, studying accounting at a night school before joining Da Chang Hsiang Construction Company in Taipei. Through integrity, professionalism, and tireless effort, he quickly earned the trust of his superiors and became a vital pillar of the company.
In 1958, LI joined the China Youth Corps Chinese Orchestra as a member of its inaugural cohort. Under the guidance of Master CHOU Chi-Feng, he began studying the sheng. With tireless dedication, he not only mastered the instrument’s performance techniques but also became deeply knowledgeable about its construction and maintenance. Embodying a spirit of selflessness, LI assisted Master CHOU in teaching and mentoring countless young talents, laying a strong foundation for the development of Chinese Music in Taiwan.
He was also deeply committed to the society’s operations—raising funds, coordinating performances, and organizing logistical support. On many occasions, he covered expenses out of his own pocket to sustain the ensemble, never uttering a word of complaint. Treating fellow members like family, he attended to every detail personally, and his quiet devotion moved all who knew him.
LI lived with quiet humility, generously supporting his friends and offering unwavering guidance to younger musicians. He founded Hsueh-Yi Publishing House, where he painstakingly compiled and published a wide array of scores and texts. Undeterred by the political risks of the time, he provided invaluable resources for students of Chinese Music and ushered in a new era of its education in Taiwan.
Devoting his life to the cause, LI—together with Master CHOU Chi-Feng and the mentors of the China Youth Corps Chinese Orchestra—tirelessly cultivated a new generation of Chinese Music talent. Although the orchestra no longer holds regular activities today, its influence within the Chinese Music community remains significant. LI’s enduring contributions laid a solid and indelible foundation for the advancement of the art form in Taiwan.