Arstrio Taipei Overview
Ars Trio Taipei, formally established in October 1993 and keeps performing and planning intensive chamber concert activities, is the most active piano trio in Taiwan. Up to the present, the group has held over 350 concerts and the performing frequency is growing.
For the development of classical music in Taiwan, the group has made plans for a series of thematic concerts to introduce the classical music to the audience.
Having received unanimous praise for their authoritative and engaging performances, they were chosen by the government to represent Taiwan in the International Music Festival in Costa Rica as well as 5 major cities in the United States in 1995.
In 1996, they got the scholarship to study with the pianist of the Beaux Arts Trio Mr. Menahem Pressler, the pianist of great renown in Banff, and they gave performances there for their studies. In the mean time, they were invited very often for local performances, not only giving performance to the public but also introducing the detail of the pieces which are touched the lives of inner-city people.
1997, they started to give the series of weekend concert every month both in Taipei and Taichung, 2 of the major cities in Taiwan. In the weekend concerts, they present different kinds of classical music to the midst of the people.
1999, they were invited to give their performance in the International FAME Festival in New Jersey, U.S. 2003, they celebrated their 10th anniversary, not only gave a series of concerts during the year, but also release the first highlight album selected from their previous performances.
Since 2005, they started to cooperate with the renowned soprano Zoe Hwang who won the bronze prize of the Queen Elizabeth International Music Competition of Belgium for series concerts, with a composer for salute. They did one for Gabriel Faure in 2005, and for Mozart in 2006. They are invited to Israel for a tour in October 2006.
They will keep devoting all themselves to the classical music in Taiwan and work hard as a professional music group in the world, and be well prepared to meet any challenge in the future.
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Soprano/ Zoe Hwang
Ms. Hwang is a soprano, writer, and broadcast hostess, Designer House Creative Coordinator
Zoe Hwang got her Bachelor's and Master's from the Juilliard School, also had American Opera Center Training.
She won the bronze medal of the International Queen Elisabeth Vocal Competition (Belgium), attended festivals included: Aldeburgh Festival (UK), Flander's Festival (Belgium), Monte-Carlo Printemps des Arts (Monaco). Her CD released by the French brand REM, with Richard Strauss and Berg Songs.
As a piano accompaniment, she worked for Opera Comique de Paris, Flander Opera, and the Juilliard School. She participated the media at the Philharmonic Radio Taipei, since 1995.
She writes for the columns of Performing Arts Magazine and Interior Magazine, also had 8 books published, meanwhile she is a creative coordinator for fashion.
Zoe speaks Chinese, English and French very fluently, also was trained for German, Italian, Dutch and Japanese.
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Violinist / Fang-Liu Chen
Began to study violin at the age of 6. After graduating from the Applied Psychology Department of Fu-Jen University.
Mr. Chen went to the Manhattan School of Music, New York in 1990, was majored in Violin Performance under the guidance of Prof. Lucie Robert and received his Master's degree in the May of 1992.
During his studies in New York, he gave solo recitals, had invited by the Gilbert Sullivan Society Orchestra and the Villa-Lobos Orchestra as a concertmaster.
The summer of 1991, he attended the Grand Teton Festival and the Waterloo Festival with scholarships.
In 1992, he came back to Taiwan and got into the National Symphony Orchestra as the first violinist.
He has organized the Ars Trio Taipei and devotes to the performing career since 1993.
At present, he is the leader and violinist of this trio, founder of the Taiwan Classical Music Society and teaches at the Taiwan Theology College, Christ College in Guandu, Hsiao-Ming Girls’ High School and Hsin-Min High School in Taichung.
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Cellist / Jessica Chen
Ms. Chen was chosen into the music-talented program from lower school through senior high.
She graduated with excellent achievement from the Fu-Jen Catholic University, then went to study at the Manhattan School of Music with Prof. Marion Feldman on scholarship.
Received the Master’s degree in 1991, and was given an Eric and Pepi Hollaender Memorial Scholarship, continued to study a year at the same school for the Orchestral Performance program with Mr. Lorne Munroe.
Ms. Chen was the first-prize winner of many Taiwan National Cello Competitions, Taipei City Symphony Orchestra Concerto Competition, Fu-Jen Solo and Concerto Competitions and Manhattanville Concerto Competition.
She has given many solo recitals, also has been a soloist with the Taipei City Symphony Orchestra, Fu-Jen Orchestra and Manhattanville Orchestra.
Meanwhile, she was the principal cellist of the Manhattan Symphony Orchestra, the Manhattan Chamber Sinfonia and the Taipei Philharmonic Orchestra, toured with this ensemble to US, Canada and Europe as the cello principal.
She is the executive manager of Taiwan Classical Music Society, and teaches at the music departments of National Taipei Teachers' College, National Taichung Teachers' College and Shih-Chen University.
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