Taiwan’s One Song Orchestra rings in the New Year with its annual concert

Taiwan’s One Song Orchestra delighted fans for the fifth year in a row on Sunday, presenting both traditional and modern Taiwanese tunes from the country’s diverse cultures. Celebrated musicians and composers joined hands to share their creations, as well as reinterpretations of some classics. Here’s a sample of the concert by Taiwan’s own symphony orchestra.

As a unique way to ring in the new year, One Song Orchestra is bringing the sounds of Taiwan to revelers everywhere.

The group’s producer Stan Shih, musical director Lee Che-yi, and FTV chairperson Wang Ming-yu joined hands to bring Taiwan’s exclusive New Year’s orchestra to the world. In response to the trend of “globalization through localization,” the concert organizers hoped to bring the unique sounds of Taiwan to the world through the international language of classical music.

The performance kicked off with the Suite of Seediq Songs, a collection of traditional ceremonial music. Internationally renowned Peking Opera performer, Wei Hai-min, and the symphony orchestra together provided a masterful interpretation of classical Peking opera compositions.

Celebrated cellist Chien Pi-chin returned to the stage to reproduce old favorites.

Chien’s husband, renowned Swiss composer Fabian Muller composed his “Mother Earth” for this year’s concert, which celebrates the beauty of Taiwan’s majestic landscape.

Trumpet soloist Hou Chuan-an, who won first prize at the National Trumpet Competition in the U.S. in 2013, delighted fans this year with a new piece that combines the Beiguan style with elements of Minnan, Hakka and other cultures, in a re-imagination of the traditional.

One Song Orchestra is now in its fifth year, and has already become a seasonal favorite among classical music lovers.