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

The rich and booming timber of the organ is comparable to that of an orchestra. However, the instrument's scarcity poses quite a challenge for composers creating new pieces, or for soloists rehearsing with an orchestra; as a result, organ concertos are very few in number. The grand finale of Weiwuying Organ Festival brings performances on a never-before-seen scale, featuring three organ concertos as well as pieces for flute, piano and orchestra in a feast for music lovers.

The three organ concertos to be performed vary in the styles and instrumentations. These concertos are: Guillaume CONNESSON's Concerto da Requiem, composed for a grand symphony orchestra; RHEINBERGER's Organ Concerto No. 1, arranged for strings and three French horns; PIAZZOLLA's Aconcagua Concerto, rearranged from the version for bandoneon. The concert also features FRANCK's Symphonic Variations and CHAMINADE's Concertino for Flute, Op. 107, both pieces are unique and loved by the audiences. Five world-class musicians will perform on the same stage, along with the Kaohsiung Symphony Orchestra, conducted by CHIEN Wen-pin, Artistic Director of Weiwuying. With all the talents involved, this performance is definitely one to look forward to.

  Pre-talk  

2024/3/17(Sun)14:00 Concert Hall 3F Lobby

  Program  

J. RHEINBERGER: Organ Concerto No. 1 in F Major, Op. 137

C. CHAMINADE: Concertino for Flute and Orchestra in D Major, Op. 107

Guillaume CONNESSON: Concerto da Requiem (Asia Premiere)

C. FRANCK: Symphonic Variations for Piano and Orchestra

A. PIAZZOLLA:  "Moderato" and "Presto" from Aconcagua, Concerto for Bandoneon, Strings and Percussion (Arranged for Organ by Aart BERGWERFF)

Encore Pieces:

Marcel DUPRÉ: Souvenir, Op. 65bis
 

  Creative and Production Team  

Conductor｜CHIEN Wen-pin

Organ｜Hayo BOEREMA, Christian SCHMITT, Aart BERGWERFF

Flute｜Tatjana RUHLAND

Piano｜Joseph MOOG

Kaohsiung Symphony Orchestra

  Artists Introduction  

Conductor｜CHIEN Wen-pin

CHIEN Wen-pin, General and Artistic Director of the National Kaohsiung Center for the Arts (Weiwuying), was born in 1967, graduated from the National Taiwan Academy of Arts and awarded a master's degree at the National University for Music and Performing Arts Vienna. 

CHIEN joined the Deutsche Oper am Rhein (Düsseldorf / Duisburg, Germany) in 1996 and served as "Kapellmeister" for 22 years. 1998-2004 he was Resident Conductor of the Pacific Music Festival (Sapporo, Japan). 2001-2007 he was Music Director of National Symphony Orchestra (Taiwan Philharmonic); during his tenure the orchestra has achieved several milestones such as creating Subscription series, commissioning Taiwanese composers, introducing an opera series which coroneted with the first production of the complete Der Ring des Nibelungen by Richard WAGNER in Chinese speaking areas, upon orchestra's 20th anniversary in 2006. 2014-2016 CHIEN was Artistic Advisor of the National Taiwan Symphony Orchestra. In addition, CHIEN was winner of the "National Award for Arts" in 2014.

Organ｜Hayo BOEREMA

Award-winning and internationally acclaimed organist and composer, Hayo BOEREMA, from Rotterdam, The Netherlands, is the organist titular of the largest organ of The Netherlands: the Markussen organ of the St. Lawrence Church in Rotterdam.

As a prolific performer, BOEREMA won various international organ contests in Europe during 1998-2005. In 2009, he was awarded the Silver Medal of the Academic Society for Education and Encouragement of the Arts and Sciences in Paris for his achievements as a performer of French organ music.

Fostering the organ to be introduced and appreciated by a wider audience, is what inspires Hayo BOEREMA as organist, lecturer and composer. In his musical interpretations, BOEREMA is always motivated to look for contrast and color in compositions of both established and contemporary composers to involve a traditional classical music audience as well as a more experimentally curious audience. BOEREMA's repertoire stretches a long time period. It includes Jan Pieterszoon SWEELINCK and BACH as well as more contemporary composers, with a particular interest in Olivier MESSIAEN and French organ music from the 20th century.

As a performer, BOEREMA often joins forces with choirs and orchestras. Additionally, he is regularly commissioned to compose. One of his major compositions, his Solemn Mass (Messe Solennelle), a composition for organ, choir, vocal soloist and percussion, was recorded recently and received with wide acclaim.

In addition to his performances, BOEREMA is professor of organ at Codarts Conservatory at Rotterdam. He gives master classes in interpretation and improvisation internationally. Also, he is welcomed as a jury member at various international organ competitions.

Organ｜Christian SCHMITT

Since his debuts with the Berlin Philharmonic under Sir Simon RATTLE and at the Salzburg Festival, Christian SCHMITT has become one of the world's most sought-after organists. In the 2021/22 season, he was "Artist in Focus" of the Tonhalle Orchestra Zurich where he inaugurated the new organ at the Tonhalle with conductor Paavo JÄRVI.

SCHMITT recently debuted at Walt Disney Concert Hall presented by the Los Angeles Philharmonic, performed with the Staatskapelle Berlin conducted by Daniel BARENBOIM, and recorded HINDEMITH's Chamber Music No. 7 with conductor Christoph ESCHENBACH. This season he debuts with the Philadelphia Orchestra with conductor Paavo JÄRVI and returns to Los Angeles for a recital at Walt Disney Concert Hall.

SCHMITT has performed as a recitalist at the Elbphilharmonie Hamburg, Konzerthaus Berlin, Wiener Musikverein, Gewandhaus Leipzig, and Maison Symphonique Montréal. He has performed under conductors including Philippe HERREWEGHE, Jakub HRŮŠA, Marek JANOWSKI, Daniel BARENBOIM, Paavo JÄRVI, and Manfred HONECK. A frequent recital collaborator, SCHMITT has additionally performed with Magdalena KOŽENÁ, Matthias HÖFS, Thomas HAMPSON, and Matthias GOERNE.

For Deutsche Grammophon, SCHMITT recorded two CDs for the project "Bach 333 - Die neue Gesamtausgabe" and an album of works for voice and organ with soprano Magdalena KOŽENÁ. In 2013, he was awarded an ECHO Klassik for his recording of WIDOR's organ symphonies, Opp. 42, 3 and 69.

SCHMITT is on the faculty at Codarts University Rotterdam. SCHMITT studied organ in Paris, in Boston, and in Saarbrucken and has been a member of the jury for numerous competitions. SCHMITT is the Principal Organist of the Bamberger Symphoniker.

Organ｜Aart BERGWERFF

Aart BERGWERFF is a passionate and versatile musician. He loves exciting and adventurous programming. On the one hand, Aart has a passion for the classical repertoire and on the other, he likes to search for new ways and forms in organ culture. For example, he regularly collaborates with Dutch video artist Jaap DRUPSTEEN. With the Turkish Dervish dancer Kadir SONUK, he created the performance East meets West, set to music from Canto Ostinato by Simeon ten HOLT. Another example is the production Mi Corazón, in which organ and tango dance meet. 

BERGWERFF has been organist of the Grote of Onze-Lieve-Vrouwe-Kerk in Breda since 2012. As a concert organist, he frequently performs at concerts and festivals at home and abroad.

As a teacher, BERGWERFF is connected to the Rotterdam Conservatory, part of Codarts,University for the Arts. There he has been professor for organ and arranging since 1994.

As organist, he is often a guest of the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra, the Philharmonie Zuid-Nederland and the Bamberger Symphoniker.

BERGWERFF studied organ, choral conducting and church music at the Rotterdam Conservatory. At the Royal Conservatory, The Hague, he studied improvisation with Bert MATTER. He continued his organ studies in Paris with Marie-Claire ALAIN and in northern Germany with Harald VOGEL. He concluded his studies in Paris by obtaining the Prix de Virtuosité. 

In 2003, he was awarded the silver medal of the Société Académique "Arts, Sciences et Lettres" for his achievements in French organ culture.

Flute｜Tatjana RUHLAND

Once called the "PAGANINI of the flute" by a critic, OPUS KLASSIK winner Tatjana RUHLAND has numbered among the most acclaimed performers of her instrument at least since her Carnegie Hall debut. When she performed DEBUSSY's Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune with the Berlin Philharmonic, she was described as "a fabulous faun" by Berlin's leading newspaper and highly acclaimed by the audience. In the season of 2023/2024 she will be performing recitals and flute concertos at Elbphilharmonie Hamburg and on a concert tour with Deutsche Radio Philharmonie, continue her artistic collaboration on her latest CD with pianist Oliver TRIENDL and complete a recording series with music by C. Ph. E. BACH and David Philip HEFTI.

Being the solo flutist of the SWR Radio Symphony Orchestra Stuttgart since 2000, she is a frequent guest in other major orchestras as well and is performing regularly with the great conductors of our time, including Herbert BLOMSTEDT, Gustavo DUDAMEL, Christoph ESCHENBACH, Peter EÖTVÖS, Alan GILBERT, Manfred HONECK, Jakub HRŮŠA, Kirill PETRENKO, Esa-Pekka SALONEN, Michael SANDERLING and Christian THIELEMANN.

Winning the First Prize at the Prague Spring International Competition (1996) as well as being a laureate of the prestigious Kobe International Flute Competition (Japan, 1997) and the East & West International Auditions (New York, 1999), Tatjana RUHLAND has become a sought-after teacher and jury member, f.e. at the German Music Competition and the Biwako International Flute Competition (Japan). Also she is professor for flute at the Mannheim University of Music and Performing Arts in Germany.

Piano｜Joseph MOOG

Innovative programmes and an award-winning discography portray Joseph MOOG's extensive repertoire and characterize his unique artistic personality evoking the Golden Age of piano music. Awarded the Gramophone Classical Music Award, two International Classical Music Awards and nominated for a Grammy, MOOG feels at home on the world's leading stages.

The 2022/2023 season takes MOOG to major concert halls, festivals and ensembles, including Konzerthaus Berlin, Concertgebouw Amsterdam, Cologne Philharmonie

and Wigmore Hall. His album containing SCHUMANN's Paganini Etudes and BRAHMS' Paganini Variations was awarded the "Diapason d’Or".

He gained his reputation as a soloist at concerts within the legendary Meesterpianisten series at Amsterdam's Concertgebouw, at the Moscow International House of Music, at the New Ross Piano Festival in Ireland, the Fribourg International Concert Series, Mariinsky Theatre Auditorium, Alte Oper Frankfurt, Münchner Gasteig, Liederhalle Stuttgart, Laeiszhalle Hamburg and at De Doelen Rotterdam.

MOOG's extensive concert repertoire has resulted in his collaboration with distinguished orchestras all over the world. He performed with the Philharmonia Orchestra, Hallé Orchestra, Orchestre Métropolitain de Montréal, Helsinki Philharmonic, Stuttgart Philharmonic, Prague Philharmonic, Moscow Radio Symphony Orchestra, Dortmund and Bochum Philharmonic and German Radio Philharmonic Orchestra. He also enjoys working regularly with world renowned conductors Yannick NÉZET-SÉGUIN, Matthias PINTSCHER, Thomas SONDERGAARD, Andrey BOREYKO, Michael SANDERLING, Lawrence FOSTER and Philippe ENTREMONT.

MOOG received the award of the "Prix Groupe de Rothschild" and was designated a Steinway Artist in 2009. He is a founding member of the "Konz Musik Festival" near Luxembourg where he now resides.

Kaohsiung Symphony Orchestra

Wherever there is music, there is you.

- A young orchestra moving forward with determination.

Founded in 1981; officially renamed the "Kaohsiung Symphony Orchestra" (KSO) by 2000. In April 2009, the Kaohsiung Symphony Orchestra and the Kaohsiung Chinese Orchestra were integrated into the "Kaohsiung City Philharmonic Culture and Arts Foundation" with the current Kaohsiung City Deputy Mayor, SHIH Che, took up the post of the first President.The present chairperson of Foundation is WANG Wen-tsui, Director of Kaohsiung City's Bureau of Cultural Affairs. CHU Hung-chang is the CEO of Foundation,and the resident conductors are YANG Chih-chin and WU Yao-yu. Taking pride as the music ambassador of Kaohsiung City, the KSO has collaborated with a variety of prestigious conductors and renowned artists. The KSO strives to incorporate classical and cross-border performances into their repertoire, permeated with their unique passion. The KSO creates high-quality themes for the fans of music.

Recently, the orchestra has played a pivotal role in the Kaohsiung Spring Arts Festival and successfully established the reputation of the "Grassland Concert" and the full-scale opera productions, also frequently be invited to participate in Weiwuying Presented Programs of National Kaohsiung Center for the Arts (Weiwuying). On the international stage, KSO has been successively invited to perform in the USA, Macao, Nanking, Shanghai, Qingdao, Suzhou, Singapore, and Beijing. Lately, KSO was invited to the Beethoven-themed Spring Green Music Festival in Kanazawa, Japan, as well as Hong Kong's Taiwan Culture Festival. KSO will keep taking the international-level orchestra as the goal of self-enhancement and growth, steadily stepping beyond countries and borders, and moving forward firmly.

Partner: Kaohsiung Spring Arts Festival

  Cultural Development Partner