Taiwan Connection Music Festival

History and Mission

Taiwan Connection was co-founded by Stanley Yen and Nai-Yuan Hu, a Taiwanese violinist residing in the United States, with Hu serving as thTaiwan Connection was co-founded by Stanley Yen and Nai-Yuan Hu, a Taiwanese violinist residing in the United States, with Hu serving as the Music Director. Since its inception in 2004, TC musicians have traveled from national concert halls to remote villages, establishing the annual TC Music Festival as a highly anticipated end-of-year musical extravaganza in Taiwan.e Music Director. Since its inception in 2004, TC musicians have traveled from national concert halls to remote villages, establishing the annual TC Music Festival as a highly anticipated end-of-year musical extravaganza in Taiwan.

In 2014, Director Hu temporarily put Taiwan Connection on hold. After a few years of regrouping and preparation, TC made a strong comeback in 2017 with a vision to "bring music to every corner of the world" and to re-engage with music enthusiasts. The 2017 tour, "Classics Revisited - Mozart vs. Dvořák", performed eight shows at National Taichung Theater and National Theater & Concert Hall, and in six cities in Mainland China, alongside hosting masterclasses to advance music education.

Starting in the fall of 2017, TC embarked on outreach programs. Three small groups formed by TC musicians - "Trio d'Anches Sen," "Artrich String Quartet," and "Counterpoint String Quartet" - performed in rural schools, hospitals, and corporate offices. Principal oboist Wanchen Hsieh introduced child-friendly pieces and brought students from rural schools to concert hall performances.

Under the 2018 touring theme "Pastoral," TC performed Beethoven's Symphonies No. 3, 5, 7, and the "Pastoral" Symphony No. 6. This year also marked the debut of the “TC International Chamber Music Series,” featuring international musicians Marc Danel, Paul Neubauer, Keith Robinson, Sung-Won Yang, Scott Lee, alongside emerging talents William Wei, Yi-Hsin Lin, Shih-Hsien Tsai, Tse-Hung Su, Yun, and TC's principal cellist, Victor Coo. The series included not only performances but also lectures and masterclasses.

In 2019, TC performed across Taiwan, including Taipei, Taichung, and Kaohsiung. Director Hu further challenged the concept of conductorless orchestras by tackling Brahms's Second Symphony, presenting a memorable auditory experience with a refined string ensemble, complemented by the harmonious woodwind and brass principals.*

In 2022, after a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic, the TC Music Festival returned, paying homage to the C minor pieces by Mozart and Beethoven. In addition to the TC Chamber Orchestra Tour, Director Hu invited musicians such as violinist William Wei, violist Paul Neubauer, horn player Hung-Wei Huang, cellist Bion Tsang, and pianists Pei-Yao Wang and Steven Lin for the TC International Chamber Music Series, which also included lectures and masterclasses in Taipei, Taichung, and Kaohsiung.

In 2023, the TC Music Festival showcased seminal works from the Romantic period. The TC Chamber Orchestra Tour specially invited Andrew Bain, the principal French horn of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, as a soloist. The TC International Chamber Music Series also featured beloved cellist Wen-Sinn Yang, distinguished Swiss pianist Adrian Oetiker, charismatic violist Paul Neubauer, Scott Lee, and skillful violinists William Wei and Hsuan-Hao Hsu, creating a harmonious musical celebration.

*The TC Music Festival was canceled in 2020 and 2021 due to COVID-19.