With the encouragement of Chen Chiu-shen, conductor of the Taiwan Provincial Symphony Orchestra, five young musicians have cooperated to pioneer the performance of chamber music in Taiwan.
When the designation of "chamber music" originated during the late 16th and early 17th centuries, this type of music was performed predominantly in the homes of the aristocracy and the well-to-do. This custom persisted through the 19th century, when the public concert became popular, and chamber works began to be presented more frequently in the concert hall, where they are most often heard today. Chamber music refers usually to instrumental music, written for from two to eight players, with one player to a part, and traditionally performed without a conductor. Thus, the chamber music players must be of high caliber and have great talent to interpret precisely the atmosphere and content of the music.
Of the quintet, Su Cheng-tu, violin, graduated from the Music Department of the College of Chinese Culture in 1977 and is currently deputy conductor and first violin of the Taiwan Provincial Symphony Orchestra. During his spare time, he also conducts the National Taiwan University's Symphony Orchestra and Linchuan Children's Holy Orchestra. Last year, led by Chen and Su, the Huahsin Philharmonic Orchestra won first prize in the philharmonic music competition in Holland.
Chen Wei-lin, clarinet, graduated from the same university as Su. He is currently first clarinet in the Taiwan Provincial Symphony Orchestra, and teacher in the Music Department of the National Taiwan Normal University and Hwakang Art School.
Cellist Lee Mei-yin is still a student at the Music Department of the National Taiwan Normal University. She won the gold medal in the Taiwan provincial children's and youth cello competitions in 1970 and 1971 respectively. She has since been playing with orchestras in Europe and the United States.
Wu Han, who started to learn piano at the age of nine under such famous professors as Azusa Fujita, Liu Shu-mei, and Kuo Chao-zer, is still a student in the Music Department of the Soochow University in Taipei. Soprano soloist Tsai Min graduated from the Music Department of the Shih Chien Home Economics College and the Mozart Music College in Austria.
The quintet's debut concert on May 14 included the works by Schubert, Brahms and Mendelssohn. The applause from the full-house audience gave the musicians confidence to continue their efforts in promoting chamber music in Taiwan.
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