A memorial concert and exhibition dedicated to the memory of Tyzen Hsiao (蕭泰然), a late musician who was widely known as "Taiwan's Rachmaninoff,” will be hosted by the Taiwan Academy in Los Angeles.
Hsiao (1938 - 2015) was a composer, pianist, and conductor who composed close to 100 pieces, including symphonies and ensemble pieces, throughout his life. He is known for his fusion of Taiwanese and international music traditions, and many of his vocal works are set to poems written in Taiwanese.
Born on Jan. 1, 1938 in the southern Taiwanese city of Kaohsiung, he studied music at the National Taiwan Normal University and the Musashino Music University in Japan before relocating to the United States in 1977.
He is best known for his epic "1947 Overture,” which was composed in 1993. His other memorable pieces include a number of works for solo instruments, chamber ensembles, and choirs.
For his lifelong dedication to Taiwan's music, he received the National Award for Arts and the National Cultural Award. He passed away in Los Angeles at the age of 77 on Feb. 24.
The program will open with a lecture by Dr. Milton Stern, a professor at the California State University in Los Angeles who once taught Hsiao in graduate school, followed by a repertoire of Hsiao's compositions performed by Chinese-American female ensemble Harmonium Trio.
An exhibition showcasing manuscripts and an extensive collection of his compositions - grouped into the six categories of folk customs, politics, homeland, culture, religion, and romance - will also be held at the Westwood venue until the end of the year.
'Tyzen Hsiao: Music without Borders'
Date: Oct. 3, 2015
Lecture: An introduction of Hsiao's music by Dr. Milton Stern
Concert: Selected compositions performed by Harmonium Trio
Venue: Taiwan Academy in Los Angeles
Address: 1137 Westwood Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90024
Lunch will be provided after the program
No children under 13, and no oversized bags please