2022 SILK ROAD No.85 臺北市立國樂團 國樂.新絲路雙月刊 No.85

CHEN Cheng-Kang HUANG Li-Feng

LIN Ku-Fang, LIN Yu-Ting, WU Rung-Shun, SHIH Te-Yu, HSU Hsueh-Chi, HUANG Kuang-Nan, CHANG Jiunn-Yih, FAN Wei-Tsu, CHENG Te-Yuan, QU Chunquan, SU Wen-Cheng ( by Order of Stroke Numbers of Surname in Chinese )

CHEN Hsiao-Ping, HUANG Hsing-Wu, CHUNG Yung-Hung, LU Kuan-Yi, MA Nan-Hsuan, SU Ying-En, CHEN Hui-Chun, HUANG Chen-Chi, LIN En-Hsu Chivalry Cultural and Creative Industry & Consultant Ltd. HSU Hsin-Wen

LEE Ming-Yen CHANG Woan-Zhen

The All-Embracing Music of Taipei Celebrates the Revitalization of Performing Arts

Summer is at an end and autumn is right around the corner. The mist in the air is gradually diluting the scorching heat and TCO’s new music season is blowing in with the crisp autumn wind. The All-Embracing Music is the theme of this new music season. Under the leadership of principle conduc tor CHANG Yu-An, TCO guarantees the season will bring an inclusive and diverse soundscape to Taipei. There are 63 total performances presented in three different series: TCO Spectacular, The Warmness of TCO Family, and The Iridescence of Traditional Arts. One hundred guest performers and 20 partner troupes will spurn the aftermath of COVID-19 together with the TCO to bring new life to the performing arts. Conductors Quek Ling Kiong, YEH Tsung, WONG Kah Chun, and ZHANG Guoyong, and performers YANG Wen-Sinn, WU Wei, and WANG Jian will make their long-awaited return to Taipei and present their very best work with TCO for their fans.

The All-Embracing Music is a key element of this season’s cross-discipline productions. The new season additionally comprises operas, musicals, and dance dramas. The original production Formosa Bloom will greet audiences at National Kaohsiung Center for the Arts (Weiwuying) in Novem ber. In January 2023, TCO and All U People Theatre will put on WANG ZHAOJUN, The Musical together. The work is produced by CHANG Ta-Chun, directed by HSIEH Nien-Tsu, composed by LEE Che-Yi, and performed by actor Tony SUN and actress FANG Yu-Hsin. Eternal Love Across the Magpie Bridge 2.0 is a traditional dance drama scheduled to show in June 2023. The production tells of the immortal love of the Cowherd and the Weaver Maiden, whose hearts will go on until the end of time, and of the rain that falls on the eve of every Double-Seventh Festival. Another highlight of the new music season is the Invocation concert conducted by CHIEN Wen-Pin. YEN Ming-Hsiu will premier her very first labaxian concerto The Legend of Yimin for Labaxian and Chinese Orchestra and the labaxian quartet Invocation for Two Labaxians, Zhonghu, and Cello as show of musical diversity. We expect to generate vitality and strength through the dialogue between composers and musicians and the chemistry between the composers and the culture that has nurtured the music form. Through the participation of composers, performers, conductors, and the administrative team, we hope to inspire, awe, and connect with more people with these music productions.

The weather is getting cooler but our passion for music is not. We entreat music fans to be patient and stay with us for this new season, for it is the counterpart of the summer, filled with enthralling Chinese music workshops, Chinese music festivals, and performances. In this post pandemic era, TCO promises to ride out the rest of the storm as a cultural engine connecting and networking our way to a revitalization of the performing arts that will enrich the cultural life of everyone. The All-Embracing Music signals the beginning of a new period. Hopefully we will be able to pool our resources and efforts together in the up coming music season and enter a glorious new post-pandemic epoch for Chinese music.

北市國團長 TCO General Director

這不只是一齣歌劇，而是互文交織的創作

歌劇雖為綜合藝術，但其主體是音樂，音樂本身是抽象的有機體，高密度的生命容器，能海納各種抽象的樣貌、實際 的事件、奇幻的場景、永恆的真理，進而建立浩瀚無邊、豐富多元、複雜的情感連結。

因此李哲藝談到音樂上的創作，是處理一件複雜的事情，但他從文本出發，而劇作家梁越玲、導演曾慧誠都是合作多年 的夥伴，有一定的默契，「其實我很佩服梁團長能夠把這麼多的史料，整合到完整的舞台呈現，就是大家所看到的演出 結果，或許這是一個不容易發揮的題材，而且當我們看到劇本時都在思考要如何精簡到穠纖合度，我在創作時把一些節 奏加快，都還是有 3 個小時，連續 3 小時觀賞歌劇其實對於觀眾與演出人員都是一項挑戰，除非是像華格納的樂劇有歷 史的基礎，能夠深深的吸引到特定的族群。新創作很難有這樣子的能量，或許未來改版之後，可以讓大家在整個觀看過

，不 僅可以通往創作與環境的辯證上去思考，還能擴充民族之間、各群體相異共存的課題。或是採用大型合奏的概念，用交響 化的形式吸引不同的族群，未嘗不可。 浮凸國樂的在地化特質，一直是北市國的核心目標之一，總希望能藉由國樂的演繹，連結在地的人文情感。陳鄭港強調 「其實從 1949 年開始，很多大陸音樂家來臺，把漢人傳統音樂藝術化的經驗帶到臺灣，也形塑了之後現代化國樂發展過程 中的奠基工程。」就《蔥》的特質來看，的確是運用西方的總體藝術形式，為國樂寫下另一番新意。 但，倘若需要用西方形式為民族器樂「借力使力」，就更要在傳統的力道上下功夫。譬如加上歌劇的序曲或是前奏曲是兩 全其美的做法，既依循了歌劇的形式，也讓樂團有更多表現的機會，藉以突顯民族器樂的聲響，亦可加上某些樂器的獨奏 ，

Timeless Arts : Appreciation and Heritage –

A Review of Formosa Bloom

Text / LIU Ma-Li ( PhD, Department of Music, National Taiwan Normal University ) Image / Taipei Chinese Orchestra

Showcase and theatre offer intelligentsia and the public an opportunity to congregate, interact, exchange opinions, and express ideology. Of these opportunities, opera is probably the most encompassing of all performing arts forms. It is driven by politic s, economy, and society. Inspiring ample heated discussion and feedback, Formosa Bloom (hereinafter referred to as Bloom ) has proven to be a success attracting new audiences many of who may develop an interest for Chinese music.

This is the 150 th anniversary of Reverend George MacKay’s arrival in Taiwan as a missionary. As such, many productions are to be staged in commemoration of his life and work. Through one of these commemorations, Taipei Chinese Orchestra (TCO) awed audiences with their annual production Bloom this July. Additionally, the opera is scheduled for a performance at Opera House, National Kaohsiung Center for the Arts (Weiwuying) in November. TCO invited Professor CHENG Te-Yuan of the Tainan National University of the Arts Chinese Music Department, doctor/writer CHEN Yao-Chang, Professor YEN Lu-Fen of the Taipei National University of the Arts School of Music, composer LEE Che-Yi, Director TSENG Hui-Cheng, and the author of this article to take part in the post-show talkback at Taipei Lecture Hall in August. General director CHEN Cheng-Kang of TCO was the moderator. They delved into discussions on audience feedback, academic philosophy, and creative concepts. Hopefully the Kaohsiung performance in November will be even more impressive.

CHIANG Jeannie (left) as TIUNN Tsho-Bing and KONG Siao-Cheng (right) as Rev. MacKay. Their performance in Bloom is a testament to their exquisite professional capability.

The three fictional roles represent TIUNN Tsho-Bing’s personalities: 1) the angle of love and kindness; 2) the devil of malevolence and hatred; and 3) the spirit of flexibility and adaptation. They are performed by three vocalists from Taiwan (from right to left: CHENG Hai-Yun, LO Julian, and CHEN Hui-Ju).

The Opera and Intertextual Creation

Opera is the most complete art form that uses music as its main means of expression. Music in itself is an abstract organism filled with all sorts of intangible images, historical events, fantasy scenes, and timeless truths echoing and inspiring limitl ess, rich, and diverse emotional experiences.

LEE Che-Yi admits that creating music is a complex process. Fortunately, librettist LIANG Yue-Ling and Director TSENG Hui-Cheng are both long-time partners whom Lee trusts and understands. He decided to team up with them to create music based on their libretto (text).

“Truth be told, I am quite impressed by the level of perfection. Director Liang certainly did a great job integrating all those historical events into a single stage show Bloom . Choosing what needs to be included from such a sea of materials is never easy. We realized how hard it was going to be to trim the libretto down to an acceptable length when we first read it. I even tried changing the tempo of music to speed things up, but the final work is still three hours long. A three-hour-long opera is definitely a challenge to both the audience and the performers. Unless it's something like Wagner's opera. Such a timeless classic has earned the love and understanding of a specific group of fans already. It is much harder for a new creation to achieve this same kind of success. We hope that after several revisions, the final version of Bloom will make audiences forget the passing of time while immersed in opera.”

Doctor / writer CHEN points out that people’s attitude towards theatre and opera today is very different than it was in the 19 th century. “The length of Wagner's opera is probably quite unacceptable to the modern audience. People were accustomed to opera performances over four hours long back then. As society has changed, now any opera that lasts more than three hours is frowned upon. Two and a half hours is probably the most acceptable length for an opera today.”

Whether or not three hours is too long for an opera is actually quite subjective. The length of the opera is determined by many intricate factors:“In Europe or the US, national opera houses or companies have professional teams specialized in the produc tion of opera. They have the luxury to produce an opera with no time restraint, a suitable venue, and the resources to make the best better. As an opera is performed on stage, there may even be a version 2.0 or 3.0 that follows. As we all know, art is a growing process. Director CHEN has high hopes for the prospect of opera art in Taiwan.” Bloom is a large-scale production that requires devotion and attention to every detail. The team had to repeatedly go back to the beginning and start again. The outbreak of COVID-19 further interrupted the process.

“After all, the production team consists of 150 opera practitioners both on and off stage. Large-scale productions are by nature complex. The limited rehearsal space forced the production team to divide into three sections during rehearsal. The hardware and equipment in these respective venues posed quite a challenge for both rehearsing and final presentation.”

Generally speaking, large-scale productions such as opera have many objective and subjective requirements. For example, to produce an opera with a single year’s operating budget seems reasonable at first glance. However, such an arrangement actual ly puts reins on creative energy. “We hope to prolong the production phase to three to five years, giving us enough time to mold and shape the details and smooth out all the rough edges. Classics cannot be rushed. Time is an essential element in the creation of classics. But the performing arts industry in Taiwan made this almost impossible. All opera productions are subjected to limits imposed by the annual budget system. If these restrictions can be removed, I might be able to challenge myself even more and try to make further breakthroughs.” LEE hopes that creative energy will continue to flow without being intercepted or cut short by the restriction of annual budget plans.

TIUNN Tsho-Bing, A Collective Noun for Women’s Autonomy and Welfare

To many people, TIUNN Tsho-Bing is seen merely as a woman brave enough to become the wife of a missionary. Beyond that, they have their eyes fixed on her husband, Rev. MacKay, not her. But LIANG Yue-Ling gives flesh and blood to her character as TIUNN Tsho-Bing making the plot of the opera even more intriguing than the real story.

In Bloom , TIUNN Tsho-Bing is lively, assertive and knows what she wants. Rev. MacKay is a missionary from foreign land. Their story is full of conflict, struggle, and dramatic tension. Director TSENG focuses on the growth of TIUNN Tsho-Bing, not her husband. “Yue-Ling is also a woman. She gives a detailed and dynamic portrayal of women of her time, and an insider’s look into women’s role in the relatively conservative social structure of the church and of families in the past.”

The main story line has room within for creative fiction, as have all great creations. The librettists use their own imaginatio ns to fill in the blanks and achieve the desired results. Director TSENG mentions that, “There are some fictional plots in the libretto written to highlight the strength of our heroine. For example, when the people of Wugu district were shouting, scream ing, and throwing rocks at Rev. MacKay outside the church, she tried to protect him but was assailed with a bucket of pig faeces. This little anecdote is meant to show the audience that TIUNN Tsho-Bing is not a traditional female character but someone who is determined, forward thinking and righteous. Through Rev. MacKay, she established a relationship with the island. She was once bound by feudal ethics, but later had the courage to choose her happiness in marriage and learned to defend the rights and welfare of women.”

Visual are used to make a stronger impact on the audience. It is one of the many approaches of a cross-discipline production. Makayla Ya-Chih, the visual designer, was commissioned to add visual stimulation to the opera work, making it easier for the audience to live vicariously through the heroine and reflect upon her life’s story. As civilians of modern society, people have responsibilities to shoulder. Hopefully the opera will prompt people to dig deeper into the sensory experience and begin to speculate and form opinions of their own.

On problem that arises is that the visual elements of Bloom seem to have the opposite effect to what the story is trying to convey. This may be because of the scarcity of resources. While the opera wishes to introduce a sense of freedom and possibil ity and multiple views from different aspects, when too much is on the plate, the audience may feel confused. One may wonder if the visual are a tangent to the opera story, or even a separate narrative. This is one of the debates that continues to be h ad. Director TSENG means to document the history of Taiwan over the last century though visual presentation. Librettist LIANG wishes to present TIUNN Tsho-Bing to Taiwan as a “collective noun” for independence, autonomy, and fraternity.

The chorus is made up of average local people from the period. They gather in an old and shabby space to read the story of TIUNN Tsho-Bing.

Chinese Music Must Boldly Adapt to Local Culture Onstage and Offstage

In the mid-twentieth century, a series of heated discussions and diversified opinions arose regarding whether or not Chinese music should adapt from western music or adopt the form of symphony. As far as artistic creation and circumstances go, incor porating elements from western music has its merits. It enables people to identify, learn about, and empathize with the culture clash between racial groups or different communities. Chinese music with a touch of symphony has a good chance of attract ing the attention of audiences from different communities.

TCO aims to adapt Chinese music to local culture, hoping that the community may find something they can identify with in the repertoire and in turn fall in love with the art form. Director CHEN stresses that, “Chinese music virtuosi started coming to Taiwan in 1949. They were highly experienced traditional music artists who laid the foundation for the development of modern Chinese music.” Bloom in itself takes inspiration from the Western Gesamtkunstwerk – the total work of art. As such, the opera marked a new beginning for Chinese music.

To leverage western music forms and achieve success in ethnic instrumental music, a deeper understanding of traditional aesthetics and techniques is indispensable. For example, adding an overture or prelude to new Chinese music pieces can result in a successful piece. The final production befits the name of opera and the orchestra enjoys more exposure. The beauty of Chinese music could be further heightened through the use of instrumental solo pieces, storytelling, Beiguan, Nanguan, Xiqu, folk songs, and Taiwanese opera. They transport the audiences back to a hundred years ago and make the entire concert experi ence more fun and memorable.

YEN Lu-Fen has great faith in Bloom . She pointed out that: “It is actually the third opera presented in Taiwanese by TCO. The Four Women in Puppet Master LEE Tien-Lu's Life by CHIEN Nan-Chang is a highly original and spectacular work enriched by the art of hand puppetry in Taiwan. My Mom Needs an Education by YEN Ming-Hsiu celebrates the beauty of traditional Xiqu and is performed by Taiwanese opera artists and classic vocalists. Bloom explores the artistry of the Taiwanese language in full. The prosody of Taiwanese is handled with great delicacy and precision, though the lyrics of the chorus sound a little too Mandarin-like. The overall effect would certainly be more impressive if the wordings were authentically Taiwanese.”

Rev. MacKay loved poetry and music. He often shepherded his flock with hymns and songs. The most notable example was his singing the story of Naomi from Book of Ruth with the traditional melody of the Pingpu tribe. He also borrowed the melody of DENG Yu-Xian’s Moonlight Sorrow for other hymns. His favorite hymns included Forever with The Lord and I Am Not Ashamed to Own My Lord. These are great works that could be incorporated into the opera without much alternation

YEN Lu-Fen suggests that: “Adding Luogu and other traditional Xiqu elements such as Nanguan, Beiguan, or Peach Blossom Takes the Ferry in Bloom gives it a more authentic feel. It is very similar to Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s integration of minuet into Don Giovanni . The use of suona is also a nice touch. However, the overall effect is still too much influenced by Western music. To strike a balance, adopting the form of melodrama1 might be a feasible way to approach this problem.”

Dr. CHENG Te-Yuan is an excellent guzheng player and an expert in musical acoustics. He believes that:“Chinese orchestras have long been exploring diversity and other potentials. Too many Western elements will strip Chinese music of its lustre. It would be ideal to have a little more room for manoeuvring or freedom. Three hours of compact performance can be exhaus tive. It is better to leave small blanks or employ instruments with unique timber such as plucked string instruments, suona, or sanxian, all of which are excellent choices as they possess a special charm that western instruments lack.” From a Chinese music artist’s point of view, CHENG Te-Yuan cannot stress the importance of timber enough. It is the key to a successful Chinese music performance. Modern composers write for Chinese music because they are fascinated by the unique timber of these instruments. “Dialling up the emphasis on timber or tension can make a huge difference. If we add suona to the mix, make sure it is as unpolished and approachable as possible.”

Chorus is an integral part of Western operas. The chorus in Bloom resembles that of a Greek chorus in costume, prop, blocking, singing, arrangement, and position. Director TSENG wants the chorus to be made up of average local people of the period. They gather in an old and shabby space to read the story of TIUNN Tsho-Bing. He believes that a space can contain or trap history and time. It is an overwhelming job to put together such a chorus in the opera as everything from who they are, what they carry to how they carry them have certain implications.“The extras playing chorus members are under a lot of pressure as well. Even the blocking of the scene can lead to disaster. They are not moving around whilst singing. Actually, they are doing so when the main characters sing. At first, I had them carry around iPads, phones, and books. Later the items were switched to notebooks because the extras had to remember complicated blockings for 40 people at a time. A large chorus may be impressive on the move, but at the same time, it is torturous to remember when and where and what to do for such a large party.” To ensure smooth transitions, every detail on stage is carefully planned out and intricately interlocked.

All in all, opera represents the collective identity of a generation. The debut of Bloom marks the beginning of Chinese music operas in Taiwanese to be produced by Taiwanese artists. The opera starts with the story of our female protagonist from 100 years ago. She takes us through fights for women’s independence and rights, and across the boundaries of religion and race with a kind and generous soul. Bloom is the artistic synergy of all participants. They paint a grand panoramic view of Taiwan’s opera history with music, stage, life, and ardent passion.

Music plays an extremely important role at church services. Singing is an integral part of these Sunday services. The congre gation praises God, expresses their gratitude, and discovers the intended meaning of bible verses through hymns and songs. They reflect upon themselves and feel a sense of belonging through singing. This is why the Christian faith is often called a singing faith. The Presbyterian Church in Canada inherited the worship of the theological system of Calvin from the Free Church of Scotland. This church believes in the close connection between the reformation and humanism, and Augustine of Hippo’s theological claims on knowledge.

Rev. MacKay was the first missionary sent overseas by the Presbyterian Church in Canada. He arrived in Tamsui in 1872 and stayed for the next 29 years preaching Christian teachings. People call him Dr. MacKay or Rev. MacKay, praising his virtue, as he would, “rather burn out than rust out.” He followed a personal doctrine of, “All for Christ”. Throughout his life, he preached, treated people’s illnesses, and taught those with no formal education, introducing Western culture to traditional Taiwanese society. His wife TIUNN Tsho-Bing was from Taiwan. He established the Presbyterian Church in Taiwan in the north and founded the Oxford College and Tamsui Girls' School. He devoted himself to the adaptation of hymns to local culture. At the same time, he contributed greatly to the advancement of Christian music education in Taiwan.

Protestants believe in singing and making music from their hearts to God. They are quite proficient in contrafacta. Naomi, for example, is an adapted hymn in Taiwanese. Others like I Will Lift up My Eyes, From Greenland's Icy Mountains, I Am Not Ashamed to Own My Lord, God Created the World, and Forever with the Lord are all hymns Rev. MacKay sang repeatedly with his congregation.

Rev. MacKay and the Cultural Adaptation of Hymns

1 Melodrama originates from Greek tragedy and refers to spoken dialogues with self-contained music. It was very popular in France and Germany in the 1770s. Both Ludwig van Beethoven and Carl Maria von Weber used melodrama in their operas.

Singapore Chinese Orchestra Is Where I Belong —

A Conversation with Taiwanese Musicians in Singapore

Text / LEE Ming-Yen ( Senior Lecturer, School of Music, Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts ) Image / Singapore Chinese Orchestra

On April 8, 2022, I conducted an interview with erhu musician CHEN Shu-Hua from the Singapore Chinese Orchestra (SCO) in Bugis, an area in central Singapore. This vibrant old district has a similar feeling of exuberance to Ximending. The history , culture, and lively teenage dynamic give this district its vitality. Throughout our two-hour conversation, I was amazed by CHEN Shu-Hua’s love for SCO and how involved she is in the future development of the orchestra. To her, SCO is home. CHEN Laoshi and her husband decided to settle down, raise their family in Singapore, and work together promoting the devel opment of Chinese music there.

SCO, founded in 1996, is the youngest professional Chinese orchestra outside Greater China. Musicians in SCO, though, are from the Greater China region. Presently, SCO has seven musicians from Taiwan. Listed by seniority, they are: zhonghu musician WANG Yi-Jen (23 years, joined 1999), erhu musician CHEN Shu-Hua (20 years, joined in 2002), zhongruan musician CHENG Tzu-Ting (14 years, joined in 2008), erhu musician HSIEH I-Chieh (12 years, joined in 2010), cellist HUANG Ting-Yu (8 years, joined in 2014), gaohu musician HU Chung-Chin (5 years, joined in 2017), and zhongyin sheng musician YANG Sin-Yu (joined in 2022).

Apart from YANG, who just joined the SCO family this year, the other six virtuosi have all worked at SCO for at least five years. Most of them became members right after graduation and have stayed in Singapore ever since. This being the case, the author wishes to discover, through interviews with the musicians, what makes these Taiwanese musicians so loyal to SCO.

Taiwan cellist HUANG Ting-Yu, sheng artist YANG Sin-Yu, and Singapore Chinese Orchestra perform in Mother's Day Concert 2022: To Mum with Love.

Reliable Administration Creates a Worry-Free Environment

SCO is the only Chinese orchestra in the world with the privilege of enjoying the patronage of a Prime Minister. Their board of directors, supervised by the honorable patron, consists of elites from all walks of life in Singapore. They offer profession al advice on SCO’s social participation and future development. The administrative department, led by executive director Terence HO Wee San, is the heart of SCO. They execute music director Tsung YEH’s vision and plan scrupulously, handling all planning, production, and marketing of concerts. In the first five years after the establishment of the orchestra, many outstan d ing virtuosi were recruited from other countries. They were all paid well according to their respective positions. Compared to jobs with minimum wage in Singapore, the musicians earn enough money to ensure a comfortable lifestyle after their basic expenses are paid. The compensation package is truly generous. It is not surprising that musicians want to become musicians of the SCO’s big family.

How is SCO able to afford such an extraordinary offer? The orchestra has a special Finance & Accounts Management Depart ment responsible for all financial management. The department handles government grants, SCO endowments, and investments of the orchestra’s reserve. All profits of their investments go into a fixed account. According to the FY2020/2021 Singapore Chinese Orchestra Annual Report, the present reserve is estimated to be around 82 million Singapore dollars (around 1.9 billion NTD). 1 In this way, the professional financial team allows the orchestra to enjoy monetary and financial stability. Since SCO is spared from financial difficulty, it is able to offer attractive salaries to musicians.

Musicians of SCO agreed that the benefit of their stable financial system showed its true worth during the COVID-19 outbreak of 2019. The raging pandemic quashed almost all artistic performances and events. SCO cancelled several practices as well. However, the orchestra was able to pay musicians in spite of the economic uncertainty. This allowed musicians to stay within the safety of their own homes and maintain a sense of security. The professional administrative system made sure SCO was able to pass through this difficult time with a minimum of turbulence and panic. This impressive strength and reliability furth er convinced the musicians how crucial a competent administrative team can be to the steady development of an orchestra.

Future Development and Brand Building

The overall development plan of SCO adheres to the National Arts Council’s Our SG Arts Plan, published every five years. The ten visions laid out in Our SG Arts Plan 2018-2022 are: 1) achieving arts excellence; 2) strong state support and public institutions; 3) diversifying support for the arts; 4) enlarging social commons in diversity; 5) strengthening national identity and shared heritage; 6) harnessing technology; 7) growing diverse capabilities; 8) providing access and opportunity; 9) growing audiences; and 10) unlocking arts spaces. 2

The overall development of SCO from 2018 to 2022 has conformed to the goals set forth by the National Arts Council. Every year, the programming of SCO strives to achieve arts excellence. For the past two year, as the pandemic wreaked its havoc, the integration of Chinese music and high-end technology allowed people all around the world to appreciate the great artistry of the SCO. Through performances of every sort and format, the orchestra wishes to get closer to audience members regardless of race, gender, and age. Through the collaboration between musicians of different ethnic groups, the orchestra demonstrates that its common ground is music. In other words, SCO hopes to show how much it cares about society through its Chinese music performances and showcases and, in turn, improve people’s spiritual values.

Aside from a clear vision, SCO is also keen on branding. When asked what the most prominent feature of SCO is, the musicians agree unanimously – Nanyang Style Music. It is the manifestation of the Rojak culture in Singapore. The style was established when music director Tsung YEH joined the SCO family in 2002. YEH wanted to pioneer something uniquely Singaporean, yet still highly relatable to Chinese orchestras around the world. SCO hosted many international Chinese music composer competi tions in an effort to explore more deeply what Chinese music is in Singapore. Many great Nanyang style compositions were composed, such as The Sisters’ Island and Confluence , by WANG Chenwei; Prince Sang Nila Utama and Singa and Admiral of The Seven Seas , by LAW Wai Lun; and Buka Pangguang , by YII Kah Hoe. These are some prominent Nanyang Style pieces composed and performed by the SCO.

1 FY 2020/2021 Singapore Chinese Orchestra Annual Report

2 Our SG Arts Plan 2018-2022

Cultural

Difference

Nourishes Professional Excellence

Singapore government believes racial harmony is vital to the country’s social cohesion. The importance of racial and religious harmony is repeatedly stressed in the workplace of all industries and fields. Three-fifths of the musicians in SCO are from foreign lands. These musicians have brought their culture and musical philosophy with them. Zhongruan musician CHENG Tzu-Ting highlighted, “I am grateful for the opportunity to be working with outstanding musicians from all over the world. I learn to appreciate different music styles. My senior colleagues generously impart their knowledge, wisdom, and understanding of culture and the world. Step by step, I become a valuable part of the team.” Musicians all over the world congregate here at SCO, making the orchestra a microcosm of Singapore. Through music, SCO becomes the shared home to musicians of many races and languages.

In addition, SCO provides a fantastic platform for musicians to sharpen their skills and continue progressing. For example, if musicians wish to hold a concert, they can apply to perform for the SCO Music Tuesdays concerts. Then the orchestra will handle all the administrative tasks, including marketing and promotion. Take the “Transcending Time and Space” concert this April as an example: Both performers chose repertoire that accentuates their respective cultural backgrounds. The orchestra embraces cultural differences and celebrates diversity. Musicians feel comfortable in the exploration of other cultures without losing their own distinctive characters. SCO also values musicians’ feedback. The board of directors communicate with the musicians regularly to ensure a healthy development of the orchestra.

left : gaohu artist HU Chung-Chin / right : zhongruan artist CHENG Tzu-Ting

This Is Home, Truly

During the interview, CHEN candidly shared with me, “SCO is lucky to have Singapore Conference Hall as the rehearsal space and performance venue. The orchestra is like a home to me. I feel safe and secure.” The financial and administrative management of SCO guarantees a stable and reliable environment for these musicians. The outstanding artistic program further fosters a sense of belonging and an organizational identity for SCO musicians.

As John Baldoni writes, “The sense of belonging heightens our ability to cooperate with others and collaborate in ways that enable individuals and teams more than they had expected. Community nurtures the bonds that bind us in ways that employees find more fulfilling and employers can find more rewarding.” 3 SCO recruits excellent virtuosi from all over the world. Through multicultural interactions and exchanges, the orchestra continues to thrive and grow. The orchestra encourages its musicians to take lessons and hold concerts. The professional administrative team is their strongest support mechanism. SCO has clearly established a strong branding, allowing musicians to identify with the orchestra. All these factors contribute to the strengthening of a sense of belonging at SCO.

Taiwan erhu artist HSIEH I-Chieh will premier "Xuan Wan" Erhu Concerto by Taiwan composer WANG Yun-Ya in Singapore. Let the bow dancing briskly on the strings leads the audiences on a journey through the seasons and appreciate the beauty of the changes.

3 John Baldoni, “A Sense Of Community At Work Is Good For Business,” Forbes , April 8, 2022.

的同學後，發現之前從未思考過的問題，重新思考、再度引發新的興趣，也是美事一樁。 「興趣是最好的老師，熱情會帶你找到答案」，有許多曾經就讀過國樂班的孩子，雖然之後沒有繼續走科班，對國樂仍保 有熱情，參加比賽報的是 B 組，卻紮紮實實是A組的底子。能演奏出好音樂，無關 A 、 B 組，在於孩子從教師上學到了 什麼、學會了什麼、自己體會了什麼。各教育階段的教師，先清楚自己所處教育階段的任務，知道孩子、瞭解孩子，才 能教育孩子。當所處環境必須被框架的時候，鼓勵孩子打破框架思考，在框架內成功。蘇格拉底（Socrates，前 470 - 前 399） 「最有效的教育方法，不是告訴他們答案，而是向他們提問」，尤其現在正處於全球變化快速的時代，國樂教育更要注重 每一個學生的個別差異。米開朗基羅（Michelangelo ，1475-1564 ）創作舉世聞名的大衛雕像：「大衛已經在石頭裡，我 只是把他釋放出來而已」。未來的教育需要的老師是藝術家，發現石塊的本質，把不同的石塊雕刻成獨一無二的雕像。 國樂合奏之所以悅耳動聽、之所以成功，就是因為教師懂得每一位團員的特性，懂得傾聽與調整。而做這件事需要技術、 更是藝術，對推廣國樂而言，才算加分。

經典曲目。 時至今日，國樂合奏曲在演奏家的不斷催生和作曲家不輟的筆耕之下，逐漸擺脫曲荒困境，累積了不少精彩作品。不過 隨著時代演進，注重地方風格與文化獨特性的作品需求與日俱增，發掘隱藏在歷史長河中的珍寶，是當代國樂創作的進 路之一。臺北市立國樂團 2022 年委託顏名秀創作的《義民傳奇》便是這樣一首作品，要將具有臺灣特色的樂器，寫進新 作品裡，介紹給廣大觀眾。 喇叭弦是臺灣獨有的拉弦樂器， 1930 年代在日本政府「禁鼓樂」政策背景下，由臺灣樂師研製而成。喇叭弦採用中空的 金屬圓柱管作為琴桿，頂端裝有留聲機的喇叭頭，底端則為留聲機唱頭的雲母圓片，並將琴馬置於其上，裝上兩條金屬 琴弦，以馬尾弓拉奏；音色高亢卻又悲情，曾被廣泛運用在歌仔戲的哭調，以及客家山歌中，成為具有時代特殊性和地 域代表性的臺灣樂器。透過委託創作，期待在作曲家、製琴師、演奏家的通力合作之下，為這個傳統樂器創造出新的可 能性，賦予它舞台新生命。

張宇安也抱持著同樣的理念：「當我們把《春》、《夏》、《秋》、《冬》當成新作品來研讀，就會發現他原來還可以這樣、還可 以聽起來這麼新，無論多麼熟悉，我們依然能找到新的曲趣，而且，千萬不要小看他，他還是很難！」確實，《冬》快板的 速度依然難以抵達，《秋》的高胡獨奏仍在技術之巔，《夏》還是需要克服吹管樂器把烏本身的問題。故而張宇安有感而發： 「或許沒有一個國樂團，能不演奏《春》、《夏》、《秋》、《冬》」這是國樂團的基本功，是國樂交響化的磐石；也因此， 張宇安認為：「錄製這套《春夏秋冬》，是為了引出更多的《春》、《夏》、《秋》、《冬》」當越來越多的指揮、演奏家願意與 作曲家、作品本身展開深度對話，對樂種發展而言，無疑是健康的。 公的

面對新創作品，深度對話的範圍則可更全面且廣泛，若參考民族音樂學的研究方法，將田野調查（ field work ）、參與觀察 （ participant observation ）、深度訪談（ in-depth interview ）等方法應用於創作上，或可使作品與文化母體更具黏著度，並 透過作曲家與演奏家深入理解後的轉譯，使其在不同文化群體間建立起新連結，進而為觀眾帶來創新的體驗與感動。臺 北市立國樂團委託顏名秀創作的《義民傳奇》喇叭弦協奏曲，便是秉持上述概念發想的樂曲，聚攏了樂器製造端的製琴 師，音樂演奏端的民間傳統藝師和專業演奏家，以及委託創作端的行政團隊和作曲家、指揮家，一起加入對話。

製作團隊為此特地至苗栗采風，造訪苗栗縣客家山歌傳統表演藝術認定保存者賴仁政藝師，請益喇叭弦的製作及演奏技 術，賴仁政為關西隴西八音團第八代弟子、臺灣三腳採茶戲阿文師派下第四代弟子，熟稔並精通各式傳統樂器。得益於 賴仁政的傳授，製作團隊深入認識了喇叭弦在客家音樂中的應用，甚至認識了喇叭弦還可區分「公」、「母」的文化意涵， 基於「男主外、女主內」的傳統社會習俗，喇叭弦高音為公，低音則為母，顛覆了多數人對音樂的想像。另一方面，由 於音樂會的演出時間正值歲末，係農業社會秋收酬神謝平安之際，故決定以眾神護臺灣的意象來策劃節目。將喇叭弦、 客家音樂、民間信仰三股素材彙整後，這才確認了創作方向，顏名秀回憶道：「就在苗栗的路上，我們終於決定從客家的 神、從義民的故事來創作。」接下來，顏名秀針對義民傳說及史實進行了一定程度的研究，最後選定新竹縣新埔鎮的褒忠 義民廟為故事背景。 《義民傳奇》將以清代林爽文事件的戰爭場景為開端，描寫烽火連天中，義民英勇起身保衛家園的事蹟；亂事平定後， 鄉民以牛車載運陣亡者屍骨，行至義民廟現址，牛車停駐不再前進，故在此安葬建廟；時至今日，義民廟已成為凝聚客 家族群的信仰中心，透過年復一年的祭典，延續客家精神。顏名秀認為喇叭弦的音色非常適合這個故事：「這首樂曲當中 有戰爭也有悲情、有歷史感也有滄桑感，喇叭弦很像留聲機的聲音，彷彿從遠處傳來，卻又很紮實，就像是說書人的角 色，獨樹一幟。」喇叭弦由於音色獨特，具有很好的穿透力，高把位音區也依然穩定強勁，足以和樂團抗衡；唯一的挑戰

府的委託及補助，因配合推動文武合一的教育政策，除了舉辦寒暑假青年訓練活動外，對培養青年領袖人才，推展青 年藝文活動尤為積極，在臺發展終身學習的資歷深厚。至今救國團的臉書，仍使用「救國團藝文終身學習中心」作為 它的全名。

救國團在臺灣播種國樂終身學習教育 1958 年，救國團曾在臺北市成立幼獅國樂社（以下簡稱幼獅），由周岐峰先生領軍規劃課程，僅僅十餘年，在出版、 指揮、演奏、教育、教學、行政等方面，培植出各型國樂人才、國樂菁英，也為國樂專業教育奠定了基石 2 。此外救國 團總團部曾在 1963 、 1964 年舉辦全國青年學藝大競賽，是最早的國樂比賽，可說是為國樂正式納入臺灣省教育廳舉 辦的全省音樂比賽 3 暖身。 1969 年起，救國團更在臺灣省北區與南區辦理國樂研習營，北區由中廣國樂團主導，南區 由「幼獅」負責，更加速了推廣的腳步，學習國樂的風氣在中等學校及大專院校蔓延開來，成功播種國樂成為終身學 習教育。救國團對早期國樂的推廣，厥功甚偉，不容忽視，而許輪乾老師正是「幼獅」第一期社員，成為救國團的國 樂播種時期之見證者之一。

2025 年將邁入超高齡社會。如何讓高齡者 享有高品質的生活，是全球關注的議題。 2002 年臺灣頒訂了「終身學習法」，成為全球第 6 個為終身學習教育立法的國 家。在發展的過程中，「規劃生涯學習體系，建立終身學習社會」一直是重要的教育方向，尤其自 1998 年訂為「終身學習 年」，更是帶動社會學習運動，舉凡社區大學的設立，提供民眾多元學習的課程，從 1998 年文山社大首先設立，目前全 國已有 88 所社區大學，設置 372 個樂齡學習中心，1292 個樂齡學習社團及 會相較於 1960 年代，明顯的提升許多。

許老師多年，他不僅出席大臺北地區的音樂會現場，連中壢、新竹、苗栗的音樂會他也會到場聆聽，他甚至還遠赴臺 南市歸仁文化中心演藝廳欣賞演出 6。俗語說：「教學相長」，原來聽音樂會也是一種令自己進步的學習。許老師對國樂 的看法，是採取開放的態度，他認為每個世代的年輕人，都會有自己喜歡的風格表現，「與時俱進」本來就是音樂發展 的特點，國樂也不需拘泥於傳統或現代音樂，可以兩者兼容並蓄，無論傳統或創新，甚至流行的、跨界的表現對國樂 皆合宜。許老師對筆者一一細數分享他近來聽過的演出，有些是他過去的學生，有些卻不是，但許老師都以「愛屋及 烏」的心，到場給予鼓勵。許老師這樣的長者風範、學習精神，對後輩的影響不言可喻。

達到一氣呵成並連綿不斷的效果。笛子的循環換氣技巧是趙松庭根據笛子的特性，移植改良嗩吶的循環此換氣而來，

在 1950 年代是相當新穎且具突破性的技巧運用。《三五七》的音樂風格與南派、江南絲竹差異極大，曲中表現出的強 勁力度與粗獷豪放的性格，是源於婺劇吸收來自北方的亂彈聲腔，但由於婺劇是浙江金華的地方戲曲，受周圍地理人 文影響，旋律與江南絲竹卻又有相似之處，多以級進的音程相連接，並大量使用顫音、疊音、打音等具有南派格的裝 飾音，使樂曲又富有浙江的鄉土氣息。因此在南北風格的碰撞下，《三五七》成為極具特色的一種綜合性表現樂曲。

俞遜發演奏版本

中國竹笛演奏家俞遜發（ 1946-2006 ）於 1960 年代時已掌握了南北派不同的演奏風格及技巧。 1964 年，俞遜發前往杭 州向趙松庭學習「循環換氣」以及趙松庭的笛曲《三五七》與《二凡》。日後為了更好的演繹《三五七》，俞遜發特意至 蘭溪婺劇團學習，從樂曲源頭了解音樂，讓俞遜發的《三五七》有了自己的特色，並在 1984 年於北京民族宮舉辦音樂 會中演奏其具有獨自見解的《三五七》，獲得熱烈的反響（毛雲崗 76 ）。 俞遜發演奏的《三五七》對比趙松庭創作的《三五七》，主要有兩處更動： 一、將原本使用的 C 調曲笛改為 D 調曲笛。趙松庭根據婺劇亂彈【三五七】演唱的音高與樂師習慣使用的笛子，選擇了 C 調曲笛演奏，音色相對寬厚溫婉；但俞遜發使用了高大二度的 D 調曲笛，呈現出清脆明亮的音色，使《三五七》的音 樂個性更為鮮明活潑。 二、在符合婺劇音樂特色下，對原譜進行些微改動。俞遜發認為：「只要能將婺劇風格及地方特色的精華表現出來，並 非一定要依照傳譜一字不漏地模仿。而所謂的傳統，所謂的正統，所謂的道地，其實都帶有一定的繼承與發展的關係。」

俞遜發在《三五七》中的詮釋，是基於深入瞭解婺劇音樂並消化後的產物，是對傳統繼承再發展的體現（毛雲崗 77）。

文化的「傳承」

一個地區的文化與音樂發展，從來都不只有單一元素影響，在人、事、時、地、物的相互作用下，可能擁有相同的母文 化，但經過時間的發展，最終呈現的會是差異極大的文化內容，因此世上才會有如此多風格迥異的文化與音樂。

筆者本次以笛曲《三五七》作為主軸，簡略地透過了解婺劇音樂的特點、婺劇的發展脈絡與【三五七】曲牌淵源的討論， 體會到傳統民間音樂、戲曲的發展是與周圍的人事時地物，多方交流融合而產生的形式，因此才展現如此多樣貌的文化 及藝術。了解趙松庭對於家鄉音樂的深刻認知，從婺劇曲牌【三五七】到笛曲《三五七》的創作。再到俞遜發重新演繹， 賦予《三五七》新的演奏思想，在在都讓筆者更深入了解樂曲中乘載的文化意涵。俞遜發做到的先「承」後「傳」，就 是很好體現音樂發展及流傳的「傳承」例子。

經作曲家精心設計樂段鋪陳下，除了有炫技的樂段，還需要長時間練習培養強大的默契，在複雜又快速的節奏中交織 下，又能慢慢堆疊一層層的旋律襯托，呼應每一聲部樂器音色特點。 作曲家賦予樂曲在技巧的呈現上有很大的自由與彈性空間，使音樂色彩更深更廣更富有彈性，欣賞兩位演奏者如何詮 釋與展現高難度的技巧，嗩吶與打擊樂器演奏旋律之間運用傳統國樂曲牌旋律骨幹精華線條為素材，遊刃於傳統的豐 厚與虛實聲響交織且融入金屬打擊樂器特色，再引入弦樂拉奏深沉、寧靜、悠揚的聲響風味，並合併一些西打樂器和 熱鬧歡樂的管樂聲響，展現音樂十分強烈的對比。 3

傳承國樂的感動，未來 ⋯⋯值得期待

在疫情期間，看到現場幾乎座無虛席，觀眾的掌聲不斷，令人著實感動，今日演出彷彿像追夢成功的勇士們，每首演 出與安排展現滿滿的誠意，筆者認為樂團整個向心力非常的強，才能把每段樂曲處理的乾淨俐落與充滿韻味並兼具感 性與理性，這發揮了「竹青之聲，您聽到的不只是音樂是默契，更是精神！」把樂團的信念、理想，像百鳥朝鳳電影 的新師傅、劉英老師⋯⋯致力於傳承國樂理念，充分傳達每個觀眾的心中，竹青近年來也積極推廣很多好聽的國樂曲 在 YouTube 介紹，勇於挑戰許多不一樣形式的國樂曲，並常與很多不同領域的藝術家們國樂跨界合作，新竹青年國樂