2024.02.21
NTHU's inaugural "Spring x Tsing Hua Arts Festival" runs from mid-April to the end of May.
Embracing the arrival of an artistic spring in Hsinchu, National Tsing Hua University (NTHU) in Taiwan will host its first-ever "Spring x Tsing Hua Arts Festival" from mid-April to the end of May, commemorating its 113th founding anniversary and 68th anniversary in Taiwan.
Adopting an interdisciplinary approach, the festival will feature six concerts, residencies for international artists, art exhibitions, master classes, techno-art workshops, and an art market.
Moreover, students will organize musical “flash mobs” at the Hsinchu Railway Station Square and the Hsinchu Cheng Huang Temple. NTHU will invite students and community members from around Taiwan to join these cultural experiences.
The festival is sponsored by the "Spring Foundation," founded by Ms. Shu-Chau Wang Ho (侯王淑昭), Honorary Dean of NTHU's College of Arts.
President W. John Kao expressed gratitude to the late Ms. Wang Ho for her dedication to supporting the arts at NTHU since 2018. He envisions the festival becoming an annual arts highlight in Hsinchu.
Concerts and Exhibitions Take Center Stage
Dean Fang-Yu Chang (張芳宇) of the College of Arts at NTHU stated that the festival's six concerts will commence with the Cavatina Duo, showcasing top-tier flute and guitar performances.
Following this are performances by esteemed violinists and pianists, who will play first at the Recital Hall in the Music Building and then at the National Taichung Theater, promising a series of musical extravaganzas.
The NTHU Anniversary Concert, scheduled for May 24 at the National Taichung Theater, will feature the NTHU Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Kai-Hsi Fan (范楷西).
This special event will also include a guest appearance by French violin virtuoso Gérard Poulet, accompanied by Assistant Professor Ching-Yun Tu (杜沁澐), performing Mozart Concertone for two Violins and Orchestra in C major, K. 190.
In addition to the concert series, a brass band, recorder ensemble, and percussion ensemble from the Department of Music will surprise audiences with “flash mob” style performances at the Hsinchu Railway Station Square and the Hsinchu Cheng Huang Temple.
Meanwhile, professors from the College of Arts will unveil the "Artistic Splendor of NTHU: A Group Exhibition Featuring Art College Professors," which will feature new creations in painting, installation art, craft design, and interdisciplinary technology art that challenge traditional boundaries.
The festival includes two techno-art workshops, which will delve into virtual reality, motion capture for creative application and design, AI generation, and specialized sound technology.
On May 4, the "Quirky Artworks Bazaar" at Lake Success will feature artworks crafted by NTHU students, including oil paintings, ink paintings, watercolors, and crafts made from wood, metal, clay, and glass. More than simply an exhibition, this lakeside event will offer an "art supermarket" experience, allowing visitors to purchase artwork on the spot.
Internationally Renowned Mezzo-Soprano and Master of the Arts in Residence
To foster global exchange, NTHU has enlisted the expertise of acclaimed mezzo-soprano Jennifer Larmore and Japanese interdisciplinary artist Hitoshi Taguchi as resident instructors.
Additionally, NTHU has invited several world-renowned musicians to lead master classes. These sessions will provide personalized guidance to promising NTHU students, with opportunities available for students from outside the campus to participate or audit free of charge.
Jennifer Larmore, who has been teaching at Seoul National University's College of Music in Korea for the past several years, will reside at NTHU for three weeks starting in April.
Larmore participated in the theme song performance at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics closing ceremony and won the Grammy Award for Best Opera Recording in 2007 for "Hänsel and Gretel."
Larmore's previous visit to NTHU involved mentoring vocal students. According to Chun-Yu Tang (湯竣宇), a sophomore from the NTHU Department of Music, Larmore was approachable and readily provided personal demonstrations.
Witnessing her effortlessly hit a high C while performing Donizetti's "Quel guardo il Cavaliere" from "Don Pasquale" left a lasting impression on the students. Tang remarked, "Her mastery of diction, pronunciation, and expressive power was truly inspiring."
In March, Hitoshi Taguchi, known for his interdisciplinary works of art and multiple wins at the Japan Media Arts Festival, will commence his three-month artist residency at NTHU. Taguchi's lectures and micro-course, "Interdisciplinary Performance Realization," will explore the theme of "Cross-disciplinary Performance Art." In this course, students will delve into various interdisciplinary technological creations using image processing, computer graphics, and virtual reality.
NTHU's inaugural "Spring x Tsing Hua Arts Festival" runs from mid-April to the end of May. From left: Students from the Department of Music Hao-Bin Guo (郭浩彬), Bao-Syuan Huang (黃寶萱), President W. John Kao (高為元), Dean of the College of Arts Fang-Yu Chang (張芳宇), the Department of Music student Chun-Yu Tang (湯竣宇), and Department of Arts and Design student Wei Hsu (徐葳).
The "Spring x Tsing Hua Arts Festival" will present six concerts. Left to right: Department of Music students Hao-Bin Guo (郭浩彬), Bao-Syuan Huang (黃寶萱), and Chun-Yu Tang (湯竣宇).
The "Spring x Tsing Hua Arts Festival" will present six concerts. Left to right: Department of Music students Hao-Bin Guo (郭浩彬), Bao-Syuan Huang (黃寶萱), and Chun-Yu Tang (湯竣宇).
President W. John Kao (高為元) hopes that the "Spring x Tsing Hua Arts Festival" will be held annually.
Dean Fang-Yu Chang (張芳宇) of the College of Arts stated that the "Spring x Tsing Hua Arts Festival" has arranged a series of exciting music and art activities.
The "Spring x Tsing Hua Arts Festival" will present six concerts.
The "Quirky Artworks Bazaar" will take place by Lake Success on May 4.
Mezzo-soprano Jennifer Larmore (right) will return to NTHU in April to mentor students again.
French virtuoso violinist Gérard Poulet (left) visited NTHU last year to mentor students.
French virtuoso violinist Gérard Poulet (center) visited NTHU last year to mentor students.
The NTHU Anniversary Concert hit the stage at the National Taichung Theater last year.
Schedule for the "Spring x Tsing Hua Arts Festival."
