taipei news-sicial-2010-9-1-01-TAIWAN GALA" – From the End of the World Festival

Press release for "TAIWAN GALA" – From the End of the World Festival

One of the most unique festival inside festivals in this year's edition of ARTSALIVE, is "From the Ends of the World". Its high-point being the "TAIWAN GALA", scheduled to be revealed on the evening of September 9th (8pm) at Wits Great Hall. Now in it's 3rd edition, the "From the Ends of the World Festival” brings together musicians & performing ensembles from the Far East, South Africa & South Amercia; it is an "alternative platform" for cultural dialogues between cultures conventionally considered as non-mainstream. Such as those situated at the edge of the world, i.e. South Africa, Taiwan , or Argentina.

This exciting event is brought to the South African audience as a result of a long-period of in-depth preperation & collaboration process between the Management of ArtsAlive & the production team of From the Ends of the World music series. The "TAIWAN GALA" is set to be the most representative demonstration of Taiwanese music to South African audiences, and it is made possible by the crutial asistence of the Council for Cultural Affairs, Executive Yuan (highest cultural-authority of the Taiwanese government).

Under the baton of Taiwanese conductor Paul Ching Po Chiang, (winner of the 3rd Georg Solti International Competition for Conductors) and supported by "Orchestra-in-Residence PHILHARMONIA MOMENTS MUSICAUX" and Taiwanese aboriginal BUNUN "Loloko Youth Choir", as well as the participation of master-performers CHEN Chung-Shen (Traditional Bamboo Flute), WANG Hsi-Jong (Traditional Pipa virtuoso), Mezzo-Soprano LU Ping, and Foot-Press-Drum specialist WEI Mei-Huei.

Programme of the TAIWAN GALA will include four South African premieres of major Far-Eastern master-works by Taiwanese composers:

- "Foot-Press-Drum" Concerto by composer Tsai Ling-Huei (specially revised for the ArtsAlive/From the Ends of the World Festival)
- "BUNUN Legend" for aborigin Bunun Choir and Symphony Orchestra by composer Chen Shu-Si (specially revised for the 3rd From the Ends of the World Festival).
Concertante "MOMENTS MUSICAUX" for Bamboo flute, Pipa and Chamber Orchestra (dedicated to Orchestra-in-Residence - Philharmonia Moments Musicaux by composer Lai Deh-Ho), and a set of Folksongs - "TRIBUTE to Luciano Berio, and FORMOSA", created by the talented young composer Li Yuan-Chen.