衛武營國家藝術文化中心 National Kaohsiung Center for the Arts (Weiwuying)

What kind of sparks will fly when the delicate violin solo meets the dynamic percussion quartet? Why did the star Alaraph in the Virgo constellation ignite the composer's childhood fascination with celestial bodies? American composer Kenji BUNCH, Taiwanese-American composer CHEN Ke-chia, and South Korean composer Unsuk CHIN will each showcase their talents, taking you on an unprecedented auditory journey full of emotion.

People have always favored fairy tales, and when told through musical notes, these stories become even more enchanting. The symphonic poem Le Chant du rossignol (The Song of the Nightingale) by Igor STRAVINSKY and Pyotr Ilyich TCHAIKOVSKY's ballet suite Swan Lake are both masterful pieces that will transport you into a world of wonder and imagination, where you can experience the colorful and joyous essence of fairy tales.

Led by Jun MÄRKL, the National Symphony Orchestra and Ju Percussion Group will take the stage together, with the virtuosic violinist Paul HUANG as the featured performer. Prepare to be both amazed and delighted by this performance, which promises wonderful surprises at every turn.

  Pre-talk  

2023/10/27(Fri)19:00 Concert Hall 3F Lobby

  Program  

Kenji BUNCH: Transcontinental (Violin and Percussion Quartet) (Asia Premiere, Commissioned Work)

CHEN Ke-chia: Witness Tree (Violin and Percussion Quartet) (Asia Premiere, Commissioned Work)

Unsuk CHIN: Alaraph 'Ritus des Herzschlags' (Asia Premiere)

I. STRAVINSKY: The Song of the Nightingale, K026

P. TCHAIKOVSKY: Swan Lake Suite, Op. 20a

  Creative and Production Team  

Conductor｜Jun MÄRKL

Violin｜Paul HUANG

Ju Percussion Group

National Symphony Orchestra

  Artists Introduction  

Conductor｜Jun MÄRKL 

Jun MÄRKL is a highly respected interpreter of the core German repertory, and has become known for his refined and idiomatic explorations of the French Impressionists. He currently serves as Music Director of the Taiwan Philharmonic (the National Symphony Orchestra), and Principal Guest Conductor of the Residentie Orkest of The Hague. He has also recently been appointed Artistic Advisor of the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra and Principal Guest Conductor of the Oregon Symphony in the United States. His long-standing relationships with the state operas of Vienna, Berlin, Munich, Semperoper Dresden and the Metropolitan Opera New York have been complemented by his music directorships of the Orchestre National de Lyon, the MDR Leipzig Radio Symphony Orchestra and the Basque National Orchestra. In recognition of his achievements in France, he was honored in 2012 with the Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres.

Born in Munich, MÄRKL won the conducting competition of the Deutscher Musikrat in 1986 and studied at Tanglewood with Leonard Bernstein and Seiji Ozawa. Soon afterwards, he appeared in opera houses throughout Europe, Japan and USA followed by his first music directorships at the Staatstheater Saarbrücken and the Nationaltheater Mannheim.

Violin｜Paul HUANG

Recipient of the prestigious 2015 Avery Fisher Career Grant and the 2017 Lincoln Center Award for Emerging Artists, violinist Paul HUANG is considered to be one of the most distinctive artists of his generation. The Washington Post proclaimed him as "an artist with the goods for a significant career; following his recital debut at the Kennedy Center. Mr. HUANG's recent and forthcoming appearances include Nürnberger Symphoniker with Kahchun WONG, Residentie Orkest Den HAAG with Jun MÄRKL, Rotterdam Philharmonic with Lahav SHANI, Dallas Symphony with Fabio LUISI, Mariinsky Orchestra with Gergiev, Houston Symphony with Andres OROZCO-ESTRADA, Seoul Philharmonic with Markus STEBZ, and the National Symphony Orchestra of Taiwan with Jun MÄRKL. In addition to his recital debuts at both Lucerne Festival and Aspen Music Festival, Paul also stepped in for Anne-Sophie Mutter at Bravo! Vail Music Festival with Chamber Orchestra Vienna-Berlin performing MOZART Violin Concerto No.4 to critical acclaim. Paul performs on the legendary 1742 Ex-Wieniawski Guarneri del Gesu, on extended loan from the Stradivari Society of Chicago.

Ju Percussion Group

JU Tzong-ching founded the Ju Percussion Group (JPG) in 1986, as the first professional percussion group in Taiwan. It is one of the few groups in the world that seamlessly blends traditional and modern performance styles, earning recognition and praise from both the professional community and the general public. The group is considered the most important promoter of modern percussion in Taiwan. Over the past 37 years, the JPG has established deep roots in Taiwan while expanding its reach to the global stage through performances, teaching, research, and promotion that aim to inspire and move audiences with the beauty of rhythm. The group has traveled to 34 countries and regions, producing more than 260 commissioned works, and has trained over 150,000 students through its teaching programs. Additionally, the group has established several subgroups, such as Ju Percussion Group 2, Jumping Percussion Group, Juvenile Percussion Ensemble, and JU Teacher Percussion Group- all dedicated to advancing Taiwan's position as a global center of percussion music.

National Symphony Orchestra

Founded in 1986, the Taiwan Philharmonic, also known as the National Symphony Orchestra (NSO) at home, has been hailed as one of the best orchestras in Asia. With some of the finest musical talent from at home and abroad, trained at top schools and international orchestras, the NSO enjoys a unique voice rich in diversity and tradition. Under the leadership of music director Jun MÄRKL since January 2022, the NSO aspires to resonate throughout the world as the cultural ambassador of Taiwan. Music by Taiwanese composers is extensively commissioned, performed, and recorded by the NSO.

Co-presenter: National Symphony Orchestra, National Kaohsiung Center for the Arts (Weiwuying)