A delegation of over 70 teachers and students from TNUA departed on October 7 for a three-week visit to France and Austria, during which they called on sister schools and gave concerts.
They visited Conservatoire national supérieur de musique et de danse de Paris, Universität Mozarteum Salzburg, and Universität für Musik und darstellende Kunst Wien.
Their excellent performances in five concerts in France and Austria won them wide acclaim. They also received more invitations for future visits, again attesting to TNUA’s success on the international stage. TNUA President Prof. Ju, Tzong-ching noted that in this age of globalization, arts and culture form an important channel of international exchange.
Under the leadership of Prof. Hwei-jin Liu, dean of the School of Music, and Prof. Shien-ta Su, chairman of the Department of Music, the trip to Europe – the birth place of classical music – as well as the concerts in France and Austria, attested to the fact TNUA teachers and students’ exceptional performance in the professional fields of art has already been recognized internationally, Prof. Ju said.
The Europe trip has also bolstered Taiwan’s soft power, making great strides forward, he added.
Prof. Liu pointed out that the idea of making such a trip was first conceived in 2009 when Taiwan-born pianist Fang-yi Lee, her French husband Guillaume Plays – the principal violinist of France’s Orchestre de la Garde Republicaine – and French conductor François Boulanger guest-lectured at TNUA.
The concert tour in Europe was realized as a result of the strong assistance by Prof. Lee, as well as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Council for Cultural Affairs, Prof. Liu said.
TNUA also extended its gratitude to the Chi Mei Culture Foundation for lending 38 string instruments from its collection for the tour, as well as sponsoring the insurance and air tickets for the cellos.