Silk Road Bimonthly 084
Covid-19 has plagued the world for nearly 3 years, haunting humans like the darkest of nights. Performing arts workers in Taiwan have suffered tremendously during this period marred by fear and trepidation. Now that the world seems to have adopted a new approach towards the pandemic, everything is gradually getting back on track. We must now learn to co-exist with this disastrous virus and again connect with audiences in closer physical proximity. August 2022 marked a new beginning for TCO. When the pandemic hit the stop button, we were put on hold. We had to lay low for a while, taking stock and recharging, patiently waiting for a breakthrough. This new music season, we are given reasons to hope. Under the leadership of our new principal conductor Chang Yu-An, the future is at hand. He is rooted in Chinese music but also welcomes the influence of other Eastern and Western music cultures. He is both meticulously thorough and extremely passionate. His music has no boundaries. Nothing will hinder his pursuit for better music and melodies. Time and time again, his works fascinate the Chinese music community and the audiences with alluring charm. The liberal mindset is also why there is a growing diversity in music troupes taking part in Taipei Traditional Arts Festival this year. We see indigenous Taiwan aboriginals, new immigrants from Southeast Asia, and visually impaired musicians imparting their own color and spice to the celebration, adding to a very different yet wonderful side of the city. The TCO Chinese Music Party will be held at Daan forest park in September. Approximately eight to ten private Chinese orchestras have been invited to take part in the jubilation. As a public orchestra, TCO has the responsibility to reach out and lend a helping hand as private Chinese orchestras struggle to get back on their feet, trying to locate venues and book openings for concerts now that the pandemic is finally dying down a little. We are capable of doing much more than we believe. The pandemic gave us an opportunity to explore our potential. From live broadcasts to playing simultaneously from different locations, from video clips to online streaming, the TCO’s marketing approach has grown more flexible. Ideas keep pouring out—modifying, shaping, and perfecting new performance routines. The future of Chinese music knows no bounds. However, castles and fortresses cannot be built on thin air. A solid knowledge base is required to turn the endless possibilities into reality. As the old aphorism says,“With a copper mirror, we can tidy up our appearances. With an understanding of history, we know our places in the present world.” Studying the history of Chinese music and examining past events will set us on the right track towards a brighter future. Therefore, we invited the Taipei City Archives and the Taiwan Oral History Society to co-organize the Chinese Orchestral Music Oral History Workshop in the latter half of 2022. We hope this workshop will lay the groundwork for Chinese orchestral music and we look forward to future academic activities, where we can refine the methodologies of oral history studies. History helps us understand the world in the present. We reap the fruit of past successes and hope to overcome the destructive force of the pandemic with the wisdom of today. In the future, TCO shall branch out even more and become a comprehensive body that surpasses all limits. The music of the future should not be trapped within a certain mold or category. It transcends showcases and stage performances. By nurture all-encompassing music creations, TCO sincerely hopes that Chinese music will thrive and shine for years to come. 01 The Route to Innovation : Performance PLUS × All-Inclusive Music
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