Taiwan, China to launch joint symphony orchestra to promote peace

May 25, 2009, 7:48 GMT

   Taipei - Taiwanese and Chinese musicians will launch a joint symphony orchestra in July to promote peace across the Taiwan Strait, a Taiwan arts group said Monday.

   The Cross-Strait Peace Symphony Orchestra will be founded by Taiwan's New Aspect Cultural and Educational Foundation and China's State Symphony Development Foundation, New Aspect founder Hsu Poh-yun said.

   The joint orchestra will have some 90 members. Most of them will come from the Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou symphony orchestras, with Taiwan contributing 25 musicians, he said by phone.

   'This is the first time Taiwan and China have launched a joint musical performance group. It carries great significance because we want to promote peace through music,' he said.

   The Cross-Strait Peace Symphony Orchestra will tour China and Taiwan each year.

   Its inaugural tour will kick off on July 27 in Beijing, and then move on to Shanghai, Guangzhou and Taiwan, Hsu said.

   On its inaugural tour, the Cross-Strait Peace Symphony Orchestra will perform Tchaikovsky's Symphony Number 5 as well as pieces by Chinese and Taiwanese composers.

   Taiwan-China cultural exchanges have increased sharply since Taiwan's President Ma Ying-jeou took office on May 20, 2008.

   On Monday, a group of Chinese gymnasts - including China's gold medalists at the Beijing Olympics - will give the first of three free-of-charge performances in Taiwan.