Form the middle of July, posters publicizing the First Taipei Music Festival gave extra color to the streets of Taipei. The design of the poster based on a famous Chinese painting, ching ming shang ho tu (Going upstream during the Tombsweeping Day) featured 10 ancient musicians wearing clothes embroidered with the Chinese character meaning "courage" riding on horseback while playing all kinds of musical instruments. Tickets for all the concerts were sold out in a couple of days.

The presentation of the "Swan Lake" ballet on August 22 opened the festival, and in the following 20 days, a total of 26 concerts were presented at the Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall and a the open-air bandstand in Taipei New Park. The musical activities attracted some 100,000 citizens.

A three-dimensional sculpture in the shape of a Chinese classical harp mounted with a steel-made treble clef was placed in front of the Memorial Hall. It was not only a masterpiece of art, incorporating oriental and western styles, but also a symbol of the sponsors' efforts to put equal emphasis on the presentation of Chinese and Western music during the festival.

Since his induction as Mayor of Taipei in June last year, Lee Teng-hui has cherished the dream of accelerating Taipei's development into a modern city by providing spiritual stimulation for its citizens. Consequently, the Taipei City Government appropriated NT$5 million as funds for the Taipei Music Festival, which was not only a first in the musical history of the Republic of China, but also an unprecedented cooperative effort between local and overseas Chinese musicians. It indicated that the cultural life of the people has gradually attained a more sophisticated and advanced level.

The enhancement of a city's cultural life is related to progress in the economic sector. In recent years, as the economy of the Republic of China has grown steadily, per capita income has risen and the people have more leisure to enjoy music. In addition, easy access to musical instruments and facilities, and the growing cultivation of musical talent, have promoted musical standards. Large numbers of private musical groups have been formed, including choirs for children, teachers and housewives, and amateur Chinese musical societies.

Soloists and groups take part in the festival were among the most outstanding in local and overseas Chinese musical communities. They included the Taipei City Symphony Orchestra, Taiwan Provincial Symphony Orchestra, Taipei Philharmonic Orchestra and Yao Ming-li Ballet Dance Troupe, and among solo performers, Tseng Dau-hsiung, Hsin Yun-hsiu, Wu Wen-hsiu and Chiu Yu-lan, etc. Famous Chinese musicians invited from overseas included young violinists Chien Min-yen, Lin Chao-lian and Hsin Ming-feng, pianist Chen Pi-shien, and soloist Chiang Chen-tao.

From September 1 to 10, a total of 10 performances was held at the open-air bandstand in the Taipei New Park, with choirs and orchestras from schools, and two Chinese folk music groups participating. The free-of-charge open-air concerts attracted thousands of citizens who enjoyed the music under the moonlight, and thereby attained the main goal of assisting public appreciation of music.

Planning of the festival, a cooperative effort between Mayor Lee, and director Chen Tun-chu, secretary-general Yang Tse-ming and conductor Hsu Sun-jen of the Taipei City Symphony Orchestra, took six months. Mayor Lee has won wide acclaim from Taipei city residents for his determination to improve the capital city's cultural life. At the end of the music festival, the Mayor said that drama, athletic and dance festivals will be held in the near future, and then every year, to start a new era in the cultural life of the city.

In this issue, Sinorama introduces three of the most popular programs in the music festival, the "Swan Lake" ballet, the folk song concert of Chiang Chen-tao, and the concert conducted by Helen Quach, director-conductor of the Taipei Philharmonic Orchestra.

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The symbol of the First Taipei Music Festival, a three-dimensional sculpture in the shape of a Chinese classical harp mounted with a steel-made treble clef, is not only a masterpiece of art, incorporating oriental and western styles, but also represents the sponsors' intention of putting equal emphasis on the presentation of Chinese and Western music during the festival.

The Taiwan Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Chen Chiu-sheng, gives one of the most polished performances during the festival.

Left: The promising young violinist Chien Min-yen came from the United States to perform for his compatriots. Right: The Chinese balloon-guitar player resident in Hong Kong,Feng Te-ming, gave the first presentation of his composition "Chih-pi," based on a famous battle during the period of the Three Kingdoms, and "Rain in the Spring."

The internationally renowned pianist, Chen Pi-shien, was one of the leading performers at the music festival.

The Taiwan Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Chen Chiu-sheng, gives one of the most polished performances during the festival.

Left: The promising young violinist Chien Min-yen came from the United States to perform for his compatriots.

Right: The Chinese balloon-guitar player resident in Hong Kong,　Feng Te-ming, gave the first presentation of his composition "Chih-pi," based on a famous battle during the period of the Three Kingdoms, and "Rain in the Spring.".

The internationally renowned pianist, Chen Pi-shien, was one of the leading performers at the music festival.