Taipei Chinese Orchestra

Silk Road Bimonthly 030
2012/12


Text／Yiu-Kwong Chung

After years of diligency, Taipei Chinese Orchestra’s international recording efforts will strike a new landmark in 2013. Following the first four recordings with renowned label BIS, Milan Records coupled with Warner Music and Universal Music Limited have invited TCO to record with accordion virtuoso Richard Galliano, symbolizing further accomplishments on the international stage. 

Milan Records is known for its recordings of movie soundtracks, and world-renowned tango musician Astro Piazzolla was once the star artist on the label. In the 1980s, Milan Records was highly praised for its classical recording style that made it the symbolic face of recording. The recording plan with TCO and Galliano will be recorded by Milan Records and distributed worldwide by Warner Music and Universal Music. Emmanuel Chamboredon, CEO of Milan Records, confidently estimates a 30 thousand sales for this upcoming release.

TCO is fortunate for this opportunity to work with Milan Records, Warner Music and Universal Music. This collaboration definitely pronounces the entrance into world music market, and fulfills my biggest wish for TCO for the past five years. This opportunity came upon us at our Chatelet performance in Paris this past June. Richard Galliano was one of our distinguished guests at the concert, and praised highly of TCO’s performance. He immediately proposed to his producer e idea of recording with TCO. After our October collaboration in Taiwan, Galliano gained more knowledge of TCO and proposed a full recording plan for song lists, arrangements and schedule for recording in 2013. This recording plan will include Astor Piazzolla’s Concerto for Bandoneon and Oblivion, French composer Erik Satie’s Gymnopedie No. 1, Galliano’s very own tango pieces and handpicked Taiwanese folklores. I will be conducting as well as arranging for some pieces, challenging the marriage of Chinese music with tango. It is without doubt that with the support of strong distribution by Warner Music and Universal Music, this collaboration will raise considerable international attention and needless to say, become the biggest cultural news in Taiwan.