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Taiwan’s Evergreen Symphony Orchestra Announces New Artist-in-Residence (The Violin Channel)
- 2024-11-21
- Press Release
Supported by the Chang Yung-fa Foundation, the Evergreen Symphony Orchestra (ESO) in Taiwan has announced the appointment of conductor Jaap van Zweden as its next Artist-in-Residence.
To start the role in January 2025 for a period of two years, van Zweden will help enhance Taiwan’s classical musical scene and further develop and train Taiwanese musicians, including young conductors and composers through educational and outreach programs.
The ESO and van Zweden signed their upcoming partnership agreement in May 2024. Additionally, in the Fall of 2026, he will become Music Director of the Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France.
Now sold out, the initial concerts featuring the ESO with van Zweden will take place this November at the Weiwuying Concert Hall and at the National Concert Hall in Taipei.
The program for van Zweden’s debut in Taiwan includes Beethoven's Symphony No. 7, the overture to Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro, and Beethoven’s Violin Concerto in D Major with Japanese violinist Sayaka Shoji — a former gold medalist at the Paganini Competition.
“Our founder, Mr. Chang Yung-fa, was a lifelong lover of music,” said Chang Yung-fa Foundation’s Executive Director Demie Chung in a press release. “The Evergreen Symphony Orchestra has successfully brought classical music closer to the people of Taiwan over the past 23 years, while also incorporating traditional Taiwanese folk songs to introduce local music to the international stage. The conductor is the soul of an orchestra. We are thrilled to collaborate with a conductor of Jaap van Zweden's stature. This partnership will benefit not only our orchestra members but the entire classical music community in Taiwan.”
“I’ve watched several performance videos by the Evergreen Symphony Orchestra and noted the solid foundation they have built over the years,” van Zweden expressed. “I am confident that through this collaboration, we can make meaningful contributions to Taiwan’s music scene.
“I was also impressed to learn that, aside from the orchestra, the Chang Yung-fa Foundation operates the Evergreen Maritime Museum and engages in various cultural and educational philanthropic initiatives,” he added. “This aligns with my own values. For over 25 years, my wife and I have run a foundation, the Papageno Foundation in the Netherlands, supporting children with autism, and like the Chang Yung-fa Foundation, we believe in altruism and the importance of doing good for the community.
“This shared philosophy was a major factor in my decision to work with the Evergreen Symphony Orchestra. Today, we are announcing the start of our journey, not only as musicians but as ambassadors for Evergreen and the Foundation that supports it. The message is simple and direct: it is important to give back.”
Born in Amsterdam, van Zweden has over 40 years of experience leading orchestras including the Vienna Philharmonic, Berlin Philharmonic, Orchestre de Paris, Chicago Symphony, Cleveland Orchestra, Los Angeles Philharmonic, and the London Symphony Orchestra.
This year, he concluded his tenure as Music Director of both the New York Philharmonic and the Hong Kong Philharmonic and began the same role at the Seoul Philharmonic.