The world-renowned violinist Lin Cho-liang and four other accomplished Taiwanese-American musicians on May 28 performed at chamber music recital hosted by the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office (TECRO) in the United States at the Twin Oaks estate in Washington D.C.
Taiwan's chief Representative in the United States C. J. (Chien-Jen) Chen personally welcomed some 100 distinguished guests to the recital. The Representative noted that May is Asian-American Heritage Month. Each year on this occasion TECRO sponsors various activities and exhibitions of culture and arts. Through the activities, Representative Chen hopes to promote understanding and appreciation of Taiwan history, culture and tradition, and to enhance mutual understanding and friendship.
Lin Cho-liang, accompanied by Liu Meng-chieh on the piano, first played a 1995 composition by Taiwan-born composer Gordon Chin titled "Phantasy." Mr. Lin, speaking before the performance, described the often dramatic and thunderous piece, which pits the violin against the piano, as "indicative of recent progress" from a new generation of Taiwan composers.
The second piece, also composed in 1995, was a trio for piano, violin and cello called simply "Folk Songs" by Hsu Sung-jen. Tseng Keng-yuan on violin, Felix Fan on cello and Mr. Liu on piano, performed the four-movement composition, which is based on a Hakka folk song.
To conclude the evening's recital Mr. Lin on violin, Miss Huang Hsin-yun on viola, Mr. Fan on cello and Mr. Liu on piano performed the Quartet for piano, violin, viola and cello, Op. 87 by Antonin Dvorak. An appropriate finale, this more conventional classical work allowed the audience to fully appreciate the talent and skill of this young Taiwanese-American ensemble.
