Taipei Philharmonic Orchestra
Encyclopedia
The Taipei Philharmonic Orchestra is a Taiwan
ese orchestra
based in Taipei
.
, who came from Chicago Symphony Orchestra
and stayed with TPO for over 18 years.
In 1990, TPO undertook their first overseas concert tours to Europe and North America, with performances in France
, Belgium
, Austria
, the United States
, and Canada
. Franz Endler, one of Vienna's leading music critics, wrote in the Vienna Kurier Newspaper, "The ensemble plays with precision and unity... the Sinfonietta is of considerable quality... This conductor (Henry Mazer) made Schubert come alive and touch our hearts again."
In 1995, TPO embarked on yet another tour to the United States. One of the performances was given at one of the United States leading concert halls, the Boston Symphony Hall. The New York and Boston media showed with positive reviews. Among them, Richard Dyer
, the editor of the Music Page of the Boston Globe, who wrote, "The first sound of the Taipei Philharmonic in Boston Symphony Hall was electrifying. The way the orchestra plays is a real tribute to Mazers musicianship. Mazer has a rare understanding of how Verklarte Nacht is constructed, how it should sound and the wallop it should pack. They play with glowing sound, precision of intonation, absolute unanimity of impulse and rare commitment."
In September 2001, TPO, led by conductor Lin Tien-chi, had a tour to Scandinavia to give two concerts in Stockholm
, Sweden
, and Helsinki
, Finland
. This event was the first time that a Taiwanese symphonic orchestra has ever been invited to perform in Scandinavia. In the following May 2002, TPO went to Germany
and Czech Republic
as a guest performer during the Prague Spring International Music Festival with Czech pianist Martin Kasik, followed by concerts at the Braunschweig Classix Festival
in Germany, and the Janáček International Music Festival in the Czech Republic.
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
ese orchestra
Orchestra
An orchestra is a sizable instrumental ensemble that contains sections of string, brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments. The term orchestra derives from the Greek ορχήστρα, the name for the area in front of an ancient Greek stage reserved for the Greek chorus...
based in Taipei
Taipei
Taipei City is the capital of the Republic of China and the central city of the largest metropolitan area of Taiwan. Situated at the northern tip of the island, Taipei is located on the Tamsui River, and is about 25 km southwest of Keelung, its port on the Pacific Ocean...
.
History
Taipei Philharmonic Orchestra was founded in 1985 by a group of enthusiastic musicians. It has come a long way under the direction of late American conductor Henry MazerHenry Mazer
Henry Mazer , is an American conductor, who was also the former conductor and music director of Taipei Philharmonic Orchestra from 1985 until he died in February, 2001...
, who came from Chicago Symphony Orchestra
Chicago Symphony Orchestra
The Chicago Symphony Orchestra is an American orchestra based in Chicago, Illinois. It is one of the five American orchestras commonly referred to as the "Big Five". Founded in 1891, the Symphony makes its home at Orchestra Hall in Chicago and plays a summer season at the Ravinia Festival...
and stayed with TPO for over 18 years.
In 1990, TPO undertook their first overseas concert tours to Europe and North America, with performances in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
, Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
, the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, and Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. Franz Endler, one of Vienna's leading music critics, wrote in the Vienna Kurier Newspaper, "The ensemble plays with precision and unity... the Sinfonietta is of considerable quality... This conductor (Henry Mazer) made Schubert come alive and touch our hearts again."
In 1995, TPO embarked on yet another tour to the United States. One of the performances was given at one of the United States leading concert halls, the Boston Symphony Hall. The New York and Boston media showed with positive reviews. Among them, Richard Dyer
Richard Dyer
Richard W. Dyer is an English academic specialising in cinema. As of 2006 he is Professor of Film Studies at King's College London. Previously he was at the University of Warwick...
, the editor of the Music Page of the Boston Globe, who wrote, "The first sound of the Taipei Philharmonic in Boston Symphony Hall was electrifying. The way the orchestra plays is a real tribute to Mazers musicianship. Mazer has a rare understanding of how Verklarte Nacht is constructed, how it should sound and the wallop it should pack. They play with glowing sound, precision of intonation, absolute unanimity of impulse and rare commitment."
In September 2001, TPO, led by conductor Lin Tien-chi, had a tour to Scandinavia to give two concerts in Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
, Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
, and Helsinki
Helsinki
Helsinki is the capital and largest city in Finland. It is in the region of Uusimaa, located in southern Finland, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, an arm of the Baltic Sea. The population of the city of Helsinki is , making it by far the most populous municipality in Finland. Helsinki is...
, Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
. This event was the first time that a Taiwanese symphonic orchestra has ever been invited to perform in Scandinavia. In the following May 2002, TPO went to Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
and Czech Republic
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
as a guest performer during the Prague Spring International Music Festival with Czech pianist Martin Kasik, followed by concerts at the Braunschweig Classix Festival
Braunschweig Classix Festival
The Braunschweig Classix Festival is an annual classical music festival held in South East Lower Saxony , in an area around Braunschweig located between Hannover and Magdeburg, Wolfsburg and Fürstenberg.-History:...
in Germany, and the Janáček International Music Festival in the Czech Republic.