The TNUA Wind Ensemble undertook a two-week concert tour in Canada, taking them to Vancouver, Calgary and Banff this summer.
The 57-member ensemble gave a total of five concerts during the tour that began on July 15. Two of the concerts were joined by the 12-member wind ensemble from the University of British Columbia (UBC). The trip is the third time that musicians from TNUA’s Department of Music have been invited to take part in major musical events in Canada, following their participation as artists in residence at the Powell River International Choral Kathaumixw in both 2006 and 2008.
This year’s tour was taken mainly at the invitation of UBC, a sister school of TNUA’s. Prof. Hwei-Jin Liu, dean of the TNUA School of Music, said the TNUA Wind Ensemble gave two major concerts, as well as three chamber music concerts.
The conductors of these concerts were TUNA’s Prof. Wang Chan and UBC Prof. Martin Berinbaum, who has twice guest-lectured at TNUA for the Maestro Lectures.
The TNUA ensemble wasted no time for preparation for their concert tour, starting intensive rehearsals with their UBC counterparts soon after arriving in Canada. They also exchanged their experiences in learning and performing. Their joint concerts on July 23 and 25 saw them perform masterpieces by famous composers, such as Holst’s “The Planets,” Richard Strauss’ “Serenade in E-flat, Op. 7,” John Williams’ “Star Wars Trilogy,” and Joe Lee’s “The Temple Square.”
TNUA has been actively encouraging its teachers and students to take part in international performances. Musicians from the Department of Music, apart from their three trips to Canada, have traveled to as far as Argentina to participate in concerts in the South American country. Their recent concerts during their international exchange trips to Japan with the Tokyo University of the Arts (Geida) and to Beijing with the Central Conservatory of Music.
The concerts they held during their trips won wide acclaim. They successfully demonstrated not just their own excellent art but also in general TNUA’s excellence in teaching. All the achievements they have accomplishments have allowed TNUA to continue to shine on the international stage.