World-renowned tambourine kings, together with Taiwan's tambourine diva Huang Xinhui (黃馨慧) and Taipei So Good percussion group, have been invited by the National Chinese Orchestra (NCO) of the National Centre for Traditional Arts (NCFTA) to jointly perform on stage at the National Kaohsiung Center for the Arts (Weiwuying) on June 9 and the Taiwan Traditional Theatre Center on June 11.
The program will feature four international music heavyweights with a wealth of performing experience - Glen Velez, the four-time Grammy winner from the United States; Andrea Piccioni, an Italian "national musical treasure" who has been hailed as a tambourine master by Musica Jazz magazine; German percussionist Murat Coskun, who has given concerts worldwide and deals with many genres of style such as world music, classical, early music, jazz, and other new music genres; Israeli musician Zohar Fresco who specializes on the frame drum and well known for his development of a unique fingering technique.
NCFTA Director Chen Yue-yi (陳悅宜) said that this cross-border collaboration allows NCO to showcase its musical prowess through the performance that connects the past to the present, combines Eastern and Western music, and fuses various musical rhythms. This sparks a diverse and vibrant art scene while strengthening NCO's position on the international stage.
Highlights of the concert include an opening performance by Huang Xinhui and the NCO as well as a new piece of music composed by Japanese musician Koji Sakurai, which will be interpreted through a joint performance by the four tambourine masters, Huang, and 46 members of the Taipei So Good percussion group.
Huang said that she is looking forward to creating an exciting cross-cultural dialogue through this performance which involves over a hundred people. For more information on the concert, please visit NCO's Facebook page, Instagram or call 02-88669791.