November 21, 2024, Taipei, Taiwan – The Evergreen Symphony Orchestra (ESO), a subsidiary of the Chang Yung-fa Foundation which fully supports the orchestra, today announced a groundbreaking development at a press conference in Taipei. Starting in January 2025, the internationally renowned conductor Jaap van Zweden will begin an association with the ESO as its Artist-in-Residence for a period of two years. As one of the world’s leading conductors, van Zweden has been hailed internationally for his artistry and his work in orchestra building. The Evergreen Symphony Orchestra looks forward to working with Maestro van Zweden to enhance Taiwan's classical musical landscape. During these two years (2025 and 2026), the orchestra’s concentration and goal will be to further develop and train Taiwanese musicians, including young conductors and composers, and appreciably raise the standard of the ESO. Music educational activities and community outreach programs will be included in this process. 

Demie Chung, Executive Director of the Chang Yung-fa Foundation, stated, 'Our founder, Mr. Chang Yung-fa, was a lifelong lover of music. Under his vision, 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.'

Van Zweden expressed his excitement about the upcoming collaboration: 'I’ve watched several performance videos by the Evergreen Symphony Orchestra and noted the solid foundation they have built over the years. 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. 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 which supports it. The message is simple and direct: it is important to give back.'

Born in Amsterdam, Jaap van Zweden has devoted over 40 years to the world of music and has been invited to lead many of the world’s top orchestras, among them the Vienna Philharmonic, Berlin Philharmonic, Orchestre de Paris, Chicago Symphony, Cleveland Orchestra, Los Angeles Philharmonic, and London Symphony Orchestra. In 2024, he concluded his tenure as Music Director of both the New York Philharmonic and the Hong Kong Philharmonic, and began as Music Director of the Seoul Philharmonic. In the fall of 2026, he adds Music Director of the Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France.

Recently, the Evergreen Symphony Orchestra actively sought to bring van Zweden on board. Both parties quickly aligned in vision, signing a partnership agreement in May, with the formal collaboration set to begin in January 2025. Jaap van Zweden is known for his remarkable ability to elevate an orchestra’s performance level in a short period, leaving a lasting impression on audiences.

The first concerts with Maestro van Zweden and the Evergreen Symphony Orchestra will take place tomorrow, November 22, at the Weiwuying Concert Hall in Kaohsiung, followed by another performance on November 25 at the National Concert Hall in Taipei. Tickets for both concerts are sold out. The program for van Zweden’s debut in Taiwan includes Beethoven's Symphony No. 7, overture to Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro, and Beethoven’s Violin Concerto in D Major with celebrated Japanese violin soloist Sayaka Shoji, a gold medalist at the prestigious Paganini Competition.