Did You Know That ... ?
- The renowned composer Kuo Chih-yuan was born in Miaoli County in 1921. His father Kuo Wan-tsuei (郭萬最) was a music lover who played violin at home, so his son grew up listening to a wide variety of instruments and developed a passion for music.
- Although he dreamed of playing the violin, he chose theory over performance because of a congenital issue with his left hand - his left pinkie was bent. Because of the clinodactyly in his little finger, Kuo was unable to play the piano and had difficulty playing the strings on the violin.
- Kuo believed that the humanity, culture, and spirit of the nation cannot be reflected by Western classical music. Thus he devoted his entire life to creating music such as "Ode to Taiwan (臺灣頌)” that would represent Taiwan's cultural roots and resonate with the people when they sing.
Read more about the renowned composer here or scroll down for pictures.