President and Madame Lee Teng-hui tonight host a concert at the Office of the President, which is the 15th concert since the Chiehshou Hall Concert Series was intiated by President Lee in July 1991.
The guests for tonight's concert are representatives from women's groups who have devoted their efforts in promoting social education and representatives of foreign businesses operating in Taiwan who have made contributions to this country's economic development. Dr. Huang Kun-huei, secretary-general to the President, Mr. Stephen S.F. Chen, deputy secretary-general to the President, and Dr. Wang Chih-kang, minister of economic affairs, are also present.
In his speech before the concert begins, President Lee reiterates that the purposes of the Chiehshou Hall Concert Series are to upgrade the quality of life of our people, promote peace and harmony among them, and encourage outstanding Chinese musicians to reach even greater heights in the international music arena.
The President also takes this opportunity to express his appreciation to the carefully selected guests. "We wish to thank you wholeheartedly for your past effort and dedication," he notes, "and the the same time, basing on the current economic success, we wish to work with you further to enrich our cultural and spiritual gardens so that these aspects of our national development can also reach the level of a modernized nation."
Tonight's programs feature Chinese music. The performers are excellent new musicians in this country. "Through their interpretation, one can readily see that, whether in the selection of material, arrangement of pieces, or performance of instruments, traditional music shows its modern facet, elegant and vibrant, rich in both traditional humanistic outlook of China and the unique flavor of Taiwan," President Lee says.
Tonight's programs include: "Floral Umbrella and Orchid" (wind and percussion ensemble) by Tsung-hsin Hsieh (waist drum), "Evening Song from the Fishing Boat" (duet) by Kuang-hsun Ou (kaohu) and Le-chun Chang (cheng), "The Dragon Boat" (pipa solo) by Wen-hsin Cheng (pipa), "Composition in Two Sections" (duet) by Hui-chun Chen (erhu) and Yu-fung Tsai (yangchin), "The Mantra of Cundhe" (chin and chanting) by Yung-ming Huang (chin and chanting), "Fishermen's Song" (liuchin concerto) by Pao-hsiu Liu (liuchin), "Sawing the Big Jar" (suona concerto) by Chin-tsai Kuo, Chou-shun Tsui and Rung-wen Tsai (suona), "Starlings at Bath" (percussion ensemble) by Yao-fen Chen, Huang-ren Su, Ching-hua Shih and Pei-han Chen (ensemble), "The Phoenix Returns to the Nest" (leichin concerto) by Shu-ran Chang (leichin), "The Grasshopper at Play with the Rooster"(two-flute concerto) by Kui-ying Chuang (bangdi) and Hui-shan Lin (chudi), and "Flowery Clapper Opera Music from Hopei" (banhu concerto) by Yi-yu Wan (banhu). An ensemble of the Taipei Municipal Chinese Classical Orchestra (TMCCO) also plays a significant role in the performance. And Mr. Chung-sheng Chen is the conductor.