Maybe it's not. This tale, which seems like a remote dream, has been coming true. A computer engineer from Taiwan has led a group of young North Americans of Chinese ancestry in concert after concert, their orchestra gradually taking shape. . . . And this year, a branch orchestra will be organized in Taiwan as another link in the chain.
This year the North American Elite Youth Orchestra (NAEYO), composed entirely of young people of Chinese ancestry, came to Taiwan for the third time at the invitation of the Cultural Renaissance Movement Association. Before this they performed in Houston and Dallas in the US, and then-for the first time-in mainland China, doing a number of shows with young musicians from the PRC. It is said that they were kept busy until two or three in the morning the night before coming to Taiwan, but these wide-eyed youthful faces do not look tired.
And no wonder. Except for veterans of the last tour, and "child prodigies" from Taiwan who have gone to the US to study music, for most members of the NAEYO this was their first time in Taiwan. But their parents have told them much about this place, the land of their roots, and they look about at everything, unable to hide their excitement. One thing puts them at ease right away-seeing all the hamburger and fried chicken joints on the roads, at least they know they'll find familiar food here.
After lunch, they go to the newly completed Chinatrust Concert Hall to rehearse for the evening's performance. That night, they open with the light, fast-paced overture from The Barber of Seville. Then they do a medley of folk songs, including "High Mountain Greenery" and "The Little Cowherd"; the whole orchestra joins in, and the atmosphere intensifies. Then comes the familiar "Awaiting Your Early Return." The paixiao interpretation is elegant. Finally, they close with the rousing theme from Star Wars. The audience, mostly made up of friends and family, can't get enough, and call for an encore. The encore piece is the Taiwan melody "Adolescent Longing," a familiar and heartwarming choice. You have to understand that before playing together most of these musicians had never even heard of the performer of this melody. Does the fact that they could interpret it so elegantly and with such a sense of "home" mean that, at bottom, they have a mystical connection with Taiwan?
The NAEYO was founded in April 1995. It was the first orchestra in all of Asian-American society to be formed entirely of young people. All the members are of Chinese ancestry, and-though some are American-born and others were born outside North America-99% trace their roots to Taiwan. They come from all over America, with the youngest only 10 and the "eldest" 28. Founder, leader and conductor David Wong found the musicians after a search through more than 10 major US cities. The first seats for strings and woodwinds all come from Juilliard or the Manhattan School of Music, but most are ordinary high school or college students, for whom music is a pastime. However, many of them have had experience in school orchestras or competitions.
The NAEYO is not a standing orchestra, but re-forms every summer vacation. Over the past three years, they have not only put on more than 10 full scale concerts and chamber performances per year, but have recorded seven CDs. They are also preparing to make a recording devoted to the works of Huang You-li. Wherever they go, they invite famous local musicians as well as young music students to come and perform with them. For one thing this helps them observe different techniques and absorb more experience, but it also contributes to the building of a "Chinese musicians bank" of people with shared interests, paving the way for the future.
A modern "foolish old man"
David Wong, who says "I must be crazy," laid the groundwork for the NAEYO single-handedly. He did not major in music himself, nor is he interested in politics. But six years ago he got an idea to "bring together Chinese around the world with music" while "bringing Chinese music to the world." Though his efforts have met ceaseless applause and found many supporters, and he has achieved considerable success, for himself and his family it has been a long road with no end in sight.
"And all because of winning some prize." Thinking back to the early days, Wong's expression betrays mixed emotions-pride, but also frustration.
Wong was born and raised in Taiwan. After graduating from university 20 years ago, he went to the US to study. He stayed to build a career, becoming a computer systems analyst at IBM. Though his background is in computers and business administration, Wong has always had a deep affection for music. He studied violin as a child with Szetu Hsincheng and Chen Chao-liang, and also studied yangchin with the Chaochou school's Luo Yu-lin. He got his first insight into conducting by mimicking Chen Chiu-sheng, and after beginning work he took classes in conducting at the university, building up his foundation in theory. He participated in the Huahsing symphony orchestra in Taiwan, and was continually active in bands when he was studying abroad.
Six years ago, unable to leave music out of his life, Wong formed the Dallas Chinese-American Youth Chamber Orchestra in his adopted hometown. He specially cultivated young musicians of Chinese ancestry, and worked to get performance opportunities. It later became the Dallas International Youth Orchestra. In the orchestra he taught students to play Chinese music, beginning with easy and familiar melodies from Taiwan. He discovered that most of the kids caught on very quickly, and studied with great enthusiasm. Some even went out and found similar music to listen to on their own. He was very excited about how quickly the young people related to Chinese music. He had previously heard the Moscow Symphony Orchestra perform works by Chinese composers and Chinese folk songs, but he felt that they could not interpret them with the right feel. Wong concluded that perhaps people of Chinese ancestry would be the best choices to promote Chinese compositions.
Moreover, having been in the US for a long time, he had seen many groups of overseas Chinese fighting amongst themselves over politics. He became convinced that Chinese could not but split into factions when discussing politics, unlike music: "When Chinese music begins to play, everyone's heart softens." Large orchestras display harmony and beauty through their playing, while the audience sits tranquilly and listens. For Wong, "this was the culture I wanted to extol."
The more he did, the more determined he became, the bigger the orchestra grew, and the more performing opportunities there were. The city of Richardson, where Wong lives, even declared a "North American Elite Youth Orchestra Day" to affirm their achievements. In 1993, the Huaqiao Lianhe Zonghui (United Association of Overseas Chinese) presented Wong with a medal as an outstanding young overseas Chinese. The same year he was selected as one of the year's ten outstanding young people by the ROC government, for "promoting Sino-US relations through music."
For Wong, this award was not a wrap-up to his previous accomplishments, but a starting point for even loftier ambitions. He decided to expand the orchestra to the whole country, gathering together talented musicians of Chinese ancestry from all over the States, giving them formal opportunities to perform, helping them to overcome stage fright, and to develop their technique. He also wanted to allow these children-who share so much in terms of backgrounds and interests-to meet one another. They could make friends, and also build up a network of contacts, which would be helpful to them in their future careers.
All for music
To put his ideals into practice, Wong gave up his 12-year career as a computer engineer, and set himself up at home. To organize a full 75-member orchestra of the required quality, he traveled through 14 US cities, including Chicago, Houston, New York and Los Angeles, to audition musicians. Before that, he had visited with overseas Chinese papers. Media people, found his plan very interesting. They wrote long stories about his project, and increasing numbers of students came forward to audition.
Besides putting the players through their paces, he also spoke with the parents about his goals. He spoke of how he wanted to have these young musicians extol Chinese music, to use music to unify overseas Chinese, and to become a force for people-to-people diplomacy, improving the image of overseas Chinese and strengthening ethnic self-confidence.
Most parents were convinced right away. After all, everybody came from similar backgrounds, all had gone to the US to study, and all could be proud of what they had built up with their own hands. And all also had the sense of loss felt by so many intellectuals in this generation of immigrants. The parents, spread across many states, did not know each other at first, but now they stay in touch and there are support groups for the orchestra in various states. This is the thing that the parents are happiest about. "Not only do the kids make more friends, it's great for the parents too!" says one parent who is along on this trip to Taiwan.
Even more interestingly, there are some parents with ulterior motives who still secretly hope that their children will marry other "children of the dragon," so they strongly encourage their kids to participate in the orchestra. Though there has not as yet been any talk of anyone being romantically linked, it is common that members during previous years still stay in frequent contact by e-mail. This is exactly what Wong had in mind when forming the group-that talented Chinese would meet each other and build up a network.
What is Chinese music?
For the orchestra to establish itself in North America, naturally it cannot exclude Western music. And after all the structure of the symphony orchestra derives from Western classical music. Wong's hope is that there can eventually be interaction and equality between Western and Chinese music. Perhaps it is because he did not major in music himself, so his interests encompass both East and West. In any case, he can escape from convention, and use the symphony orchestra to interpret works by Chinese.
In his mind, "Chinese music" is woodwind and string music that has an element of Chinese "humanism." Examples include Liang Zhu Violin Concerto, by the mainland composer Chen Gang, or folk songs like "Flowers in the Raining Night" and "Adolescent Longing," adapted for orchestra. By including Chinese instruments like the pipa, erhu, and paidi in the orchestra, the special flavor of Chinese music can be brought out within the context of a Western orchestra.
As for his sense of mission, this is something that people who have left Taiwan as adults can better understand, but young American-born Chinese don't share. "I just play what's written on the score. I don't have any special feeling about it," says Bin Chen, with frankness. But 13-year-old Richard Kao Dzeng says that he felt very natural the first time he played a Chinese instrument, and he especially enjoys performing the Wang Zhaojun Violin Concerto with Xia Xiaocao, a mainland violinist living in America. He hopes in the future to get an up-close look at how an erhu is played.
Taiwan composer Ma Shui-lung affirms Wong's heartfelt efforts. But, purely from a musical point of view, he feels that the arrangements could be broader and deeper. Though it is great that popular tunes can be arranged to be more edifying without losing their common touch, it is also worth performing truly original works; after all, the space for Chinese music is broad.
The grass is greener at home
Over the last three years, the NAEYO has gained a measure of fame and built up contacts. Still, most of the orchestra's support comes from Taiwan, the mother country to which Wong still feels such an attachment. Besides the fact that most participants have a Taiwan background, helpers include the ROC Overseas Chinese Affairs Commission, the Council for Cultural Affairs, and the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the United States. There are also individuals who help in a personal capacity, such as Chu Chien-yi, director-general of the Bureau of Consular Affairs at the Foreign Ministry; Sun Chi-ming, head of the office of cultural and educational affairs at the Straits Exchange Foundation; and Chen Chiu-sheng, director and conductor of the Taipei Municipal Symphony Orchestra. Says Wong: "These people help me unconditionally, without ulterior motives, without asking for anything in return. Whenever I feel that it is too hard to go on, I think about them and all the other people who have helped us, who are too numerous to mention, and my courage is revived."
At the end of 1995, the "Sino-American Music Association, Taiwan Office" was founded. Members included doctors, lawyers, people from the travel industry, and parents. At the beginning of this year, there was embryonic development of the long-conceived Taiwan branch orchestra. Four middle school girls taking music courses are serving as the vanguard. Besides performing with the NAEYO in Taiwan, after the NAEYO goes back to the US, the girls will practice together each weekend, forming a quartet to play chamber music.
If the plan to set up a foundation in Taiwan succeeds, the NAEYO will change its name to the "Sino-American Elite Orchestra." Next year the direction will be reversed, as a group of mainly Taiwan musicians will first tour Taiwan and then go to the US to join up with US members.
Wong is full of hope for this bold plan, and the parents of Taiwan members are very confident. They say: "David Wong did everything all by himself for three years. Now things have gotten this far, and with all of us helping out, we'll certainly be able to do it." But Wong also warns that they can't rely entirely on the government for money. Tai-wan's strength lies mainly in its business sector, so if the business community is willing to help out, the plan is even more a sure thing.
Li Mu-tuo, head of a local Junior Chamber of Commerce, is in charge of planning work for the Foundation. He seems more cautious than Wong. He and his wife are both lovers of classical music, which is the main reason he dedicated himself to this work, and he hopes musically talented people from Taiwan can have more opportunities to perform. But, with the naturally more pragmatic character typical of a businessman, he is more reserved in his estimates of the situation. Wong himself has also accepted the opinions of the Foundation planning committee, and has agreed to start from a much smaller scale, with chamber music.
Li Mu-tuo's concerns are very practical ones, but David Wong is not very willing to talk about that most troublesome of problems, fund-raising. He worries that people will think of him as "crying poor." In fact, besides going to virtually all the institutions that can possibly be of help, as mentioned earlier (like the Council for Cultural Affairs), he has had to rely on contributions from enthusiastic parents. Sometimes, he has to arrange visits or charity performances just for the free meal that goes with them.
Trumpet Principal Timothy Hsu is an "old-timer" who has been with the group all three years and is now a senior at Juilliard. He describes the first year with one word-"tiring." They had 12 shows scattered across Taiwan in one week. But if they didn't play, they didn't eat.
Arranging the musicians
Because this is not a full-time standing orchestra, there are many new faces each year. Most of the participants the first year were university students, of similar ages and skill levels, and it was easier to fit them together. The second year the orchestra was divided 50-50 between older and younger musicians. This year there are more younger children, with only 20-plus older youths. In terms of structure, most Chinese study violin, so the string section is strong. The brass section is weaker, but luckily for the past two years a group of brass players has come from Taiwan to help out, strengthening the orchestra considerably.
In trying to move such a large body of people at one time, the main problem is settling the personnel. Wong admits that some parents pressure him about everything from selection of pieces to on-stage seating arrangements (for example trying to get their kids closer to the front of the stage so they can take photos). And when there are special opportunities, like the specially arranged performance of chamber music at the Office of the President, everyone wants in. Choosing who will go, while convincing the parents of those not selected that the process was fair, is a great challenge. After all, the parents who have come along have put in their money and effort voluntarily, so Wong understands if they want their children to shine.
No matter whether it is the preliminary selection process, or choosing which members who will actually perform, Wong stresses "giving everyone a chance." He wants every child who is willing to make the effort and has the desire to get a chance to participate. "Professional orchestras go for the best, but I don't want to have just another professional orchestra. The point is to give many more music students a chance to get on stage, and to meet more friends with similar interests."
To be sure, compared to the typical music student in Taiwan, these kids from America look more relaxed, and their self-esteem isn't shattered if they hit a few wrong notes. Bass trombone principal Alan Wang Shimming is the oldest member of the group. He says the whole journey has been fun. Besides getting experience in stage performing, the most important thing has been seeing the world. For example, going to the PRC, or being invited into the Office of the President are not run-of-the-mill experiences. He says that making friends and having fun is more important than the music. "It's enough just to have a good time."
Many people have high praise for David Wong's administrative abilities. He could never have gotten so many musicians and parents mobilized in the US, then taken them on a tour of the PRC and Taiwan, without really knowing what's what. Timothy Hsu says that he is very moved by Wong's determination and enthusiasm-Wong can stay on the phone making long-distance calls all night just to get one soloist, and he will keep trying until his invitation is accepted. However, because there is not enough manpower, and there are constant changes in the schedule; some people have minor complaints. "In this big a group of course someone must be in charge," says deputy director Patsy Fang Chen in Wong's defense. "After all, if it weren't for David this orchestra wouldn't even exist, so you can't criticize him."
But every individual has his limits. Wong is both conductor and administrator, and most of his time is spent on orchestra affairs, so inevitably there is reduced time for researching music. Moreover, there is little rehearsal time, so there is not enough time to get the timing quite right for some pieces or some soloists. This causes some musicians to complain that the music is being shortchanged. On stage the conductor's eyes do not leave the score, so he cannot look at the musicians, and sometimes even the rhythm is thrown off, not to mention capturing the nuances of a piece.
Collective dream
Music critic Wang Hen only partly agrees with this assessment. He thinks Wong is a quite outstanding conductor, and that this year in particular he raised his game a notch. Moreover, his ability to coordinate each section of musicians is rare indeed; otherwise it would be impossible to bring together musicians from different places, of different ages, and with different habits, and produce a quality sound in only a short rehearsal period. However, Wang Hen too is worried that administrative duties take up too much of Wong's time, affecting the professionalism of the orchestra. Even more worrying is, at this rate of activity, how long can Wong keep it up?
Taiwan has not been without artists who have devoted their lives to promoting traditional music, preserving the heritage, and developing a new generation of talent. People like Hsu Chang-huei and Hsiao Tai-ran are both living examples. Composer Hsiao promoted Taiwan music in America for many years, and frequently performed there, only stopping when he became seriously ill a few years ago. When the NAEYO came to Taiwan, Hsiao went to watch them perform, and said their performance was above average. "The important thing is to keep at it."
The NAEYO has performed compositions by Hsiao, and David Wong has great respect and envy for Hsiao. "Heritage itself is a great source of strength." With regard to Chinese music, Wong sees himself as being like a pawn in chess-only going forward is permitted.
Under his command, the little troopers of the NAEYO will perform in Washington DC on January 17, 1998, and at the Lisner Auditorium at George Washington University the next day. The shows are being supported by the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the United States. Wong has been able, in only a short period of time, to pull together an orchestra that can perform on short notice. He hopes overseas Chinese from Washington and the surrounding areas will come out to support and encourage these outstanding young musicians. Originally they hoped for the Kennedy Center, but that is being renovated. "That's OK anyway, we can take more time to make fuller preparations." The year after next, if the Foundation in Taiwan can raise the necessary funds, musicians from the US and Taiwan will perform side by side, with even deeper harmonizing of Chinese and Western music.
Currently, this is still a dream. But if more people get involved, the dream will become a reality that much faster. Hey, music lovers, want to come and help build a dream?
p.124
For many of the members of the NAEYO, this is their first trip to Taiwan, and everything is novel. A flying beetle-a less pleasant novelty-lands on a child, immediately causing a flurry of activity.
The itinerary is packed, and of course the National Palace Museum is not to be missed. Such a huge piece of jade-those Chinese emperors sure knew how to live!
p.126
The NAEYO always plays with local musicians, as here at the China Trust Concert Hall.
David Wong, who built the NAEYO single-handedly, accepts flowers after a performance. He gives the impression of having mixed emotions; what is he really thinking?
p.128
Few Taiwanese study trumpet, and fewer still are good at it. Trumpet Principal Timothy Hsu, a three-year NAEYO "vet," took time to give a seminar at Chungshan Girls' High School; lots of students seized this rare opportunity to learn.
p.131
(opposite page and this page) Though the musicians are familiar with the music, they still take every opportunity to practice. Cellist Su Hsin (fourth from the left on the opposite page) comes from a well-known musical family and has lots of performing experience. Learning from each other is a fun way to improve their skills.
The NAEYO always plays with local musicians, as here at the China Trust Concert Hall.
David Wong, who built the NAEYO single-handedly, accepts flowers after a performance. He gives the impression of having mixed emotions; what is he really thinking?
Few Taiwanese study trumpet, and fewer still are good at it. Trumpet Principal Timothy Hsu, a three-year NAEYO "vet," took time to give a seminar at Chungshan Girls' High School; lots of students seized this rare opportunity to learn.
（opposite page and this page） Though the musicians are familiar with the music, they still take every opportunity to practice. Cellist Su Hsin （fourth from the left on the opposite page） comes from a well-known musical family and has lots of performing experience. Learning from each other is a fun way to improve their skills.
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