13/06/2023
Bravo 💐💐💐💐💐💐💐
National Chinese Orchestra Taiwan 2023 Concert
The Fabulous Frame Drum Masters
It’s a great privilege and honor to get involved in this wonderful concert of NCO ft. the Fabulous Frame Drum Masters from U.S.A/ Glen Velez, Italy/ Andrea Piccioni, Israel/ Zohar Fresco, Germany/ Murat Coskun and Taiwan/ Sharon Huang.
Several audiences told me that they were so amazed by the superb performances that they decided to learn playing frame drums. Someone even bought a frame drum immediately via on-line shop during the intermission. I was so impressed by her enthusiasm for the frame drum music.
An elder lady told me it's the first time for her to join NCO concert. She was so surprised by the beautiful melody and sound played through the traditional instruments. She only attended peking opera or Taiwanese opera performances before, from now on she'd like to enjoy NCO's great music more.
Just like Chen Yue-Yi the director of National Center for Traditional Arts (NCFTA) shared in the press conference on June 6th, the cross-over cooperation with international artists connects NCO with the world. On the other hand, it attracts the global community to explore the beauty and abundance within traditional Chinese music.
While I was serving at the souvenir corner, Mrs. Coskun and their son Yaschar and daughter Malika came to me and said they’re very interested in the traditional instruments of Chinese orchestra. I shared with them my feelings and imaginations about Maestro Murat’s solo piece “Blue Carpet“. It's arranged by the famous composer Baby Chung. It felt like the magical flying carpet which took Aladdin to the sky and the cave which inspired me to dig out the spiritual treasures deep inside my heart. So touched.
My colleague prepared some NCO souvenirs for the conductor and the frame drum masters. As Maestro Andrea saw the p**a-shaped USB, he said he likes it very much and his good friend Wu Man the great p**a master will be very jealous about this. Actually I've been watching their duet video (Tea House) over 50 times. It made me feel very relaxed and cheerful. The solo piece of Maestro Andrea for this concert is “Braci" which I've listened over 100 times since February as I began to communicate the design of the poster with the designer.
The orchestra version was arranged by composer Ann Lee. It was combined with a famous Chinese folk song “Jasmine Flower”. “Jasmine Flower" was brought to Europe by the British diplomat John Barrow in the end of 18th century. "Turandot" (Italian: Turandot) a three-act opera composed by Giacomo Puccini premiered at La Scala in Milan on April 25, 1926, with Toscanini as the conductor. In this opera, Puccini partially adopted the tune of the Chinese folk song "Jasmine Flower". WOW~I was so overwhelmed with happy tears while hearing those familiar melodies perfectly jointing together. It’s so great to watch Maestro Andrea and the NCO performing this beautiful music together.
I told Maestro Zohar the meaning of “litchi “, the sweet fruit in summer. The name of this kind is “Jade Pocket” for its shape is like a pocket, and its flesh is white as jade. Jade symbolized fortune and power in ancient China. Sweet Jade Pocket litchi means abundance and wealth of life. Maestro Zohar's solo piece is “Chai Peimot” arranged by composer Christina Liang. It's written in 18 beats. A very challenging piece for all NCO musicians. With lots of efforts, the final presentation on stage was so wonderful, it deserved a standing obsession.
“Homage” is composed by Maestro Glen Velez who's a four-time Grammy Awards winner. He is the mentor of the event curator Sharon Huang. A great master of many masters. The design of poster was inspired by Maestro Glen’s PR photo, we used the tambourine in his hand as Key Vision. The arranger for “Homage” is famous composer Lu Liang-Hui. I like his works very much since I began to listen to Chinese traditional music. He added more fragrance to this beautiful piece. Maestro Glen’s performance was absolutely formidable.
“Elements” showed us the precious friendship between the four maestros. This concert was supposed to take place in 2020. Due to the pandemic, we finally made it come true in 2023. It's such a long journey for each individual who's involved in this unique production. We are so blessed to see the international Frame Drum Super Stars shining on stage. Bravo and bravo!
Frame Drum music is so amazing. The concert started with concerto “Frame Drum All Around” solo by Taiwanese Frame Drum Super Star Sharon Huang. It’s a piece full of passion and enthusiasm by the significant composer Chang Yung-Chin. The brilliant frame drum performing of Sharon was like a sledge hammer beating my heart, powerful and charming.
Commissioned work “Queen of the Magical Forest” was composed by Koji Sakurai who was from Japan and rooted in Taiwan for 30 years. I was delightful as I read the programme notes while coordinating the design of concert pamphlets. For this piece was inspired by William Shakespeare’s famous comedy “A Midsummer Night's Dream” which is my favorite play since childhood. I went to watch the rehearsal when I was off duty. The sound of gaodi (soprano dizi) played by NCO concertmaster Liu Chen-Ling 劉貞伶 was like a bird singing in the wood which guided me to encounter with the tremendously magical music via the five frame drum masters, the NCO and the Taipei So Good Frame Drum Ensemble.
It’s such a precious moment for me. If I didn’t apply for this job in 2020, if I chose to become a tour guide or sales lady, if the pandemic didn’t happen, I wouldn’t have had this privilege to enjoy this wonderful music created by all of you. Much thanks to the fabulous conductor Amy Chang, so grateful to her incredibly professional conducting, talents of art, and sense of humor that helped making this team-work efficient and joyful.
Music is our common language. When we are united as one, we can overcome the challenges and make the impossible possible. I had very wonderful summer dreams in Kaohsiung and Taipei.
How about you?
Frame drum artists from Japan and Hong Kong said this is a concert of legends. They got to try their best to be part of it. Friends, if you missed out this legendary concert, the PTS TV will broadcast this program in the soon future. Please follow the NCO's page to get the information.
Once again, big thanks to all of you participating in this profound concert.
Until next time. See you soon.
張佳韻 Amy Chang
黃馨慧 Sharon Huang
Tamburi Mundi
Andrea Piccioni Music
Zohar Fresco
Coskun
臺灣國樂團 NCO
台北 Sogood 手鼓樂團
張永欽 Yungchin Chang
鍾興民 Baby Chung
梁啟慧 Christina Liang
#盧亮輝 Lu Liang-Hui
李佳盈 Ann Chia-Ying Lee
櫻井弘二 Koji Sakurai
#國立傳統藝術中心
#臺灣國樂團
#登峰造擊
→https://www.youtube.com/c/ncftanco
#莎賓娜小姐 #音遊記
