Taiwan Philharmonic Chamber Ensemble to Present FROM FORMOSA U.S. Tour

The chamber ensemble from Taiwan Philharmonic will embark on its 2026 U.S. tour, "From Formosa," with performances in Los Angeles, Phoenix, and New York, May 15-19. "From Formosa" celebrates Taiwanese American Heritage Month through a richly curated program of world premieres, Taiwanese masterworks, and cross-cultural collaborations.

An elite group of musicians led by Taiwan Philharmonic Concertmaster Hao-Tun Teng, the chamber ensemble will present performances that feature acclaimed pianist Chun-Chieh Yen and the soulful voices of Taiwan's Taiwu Ballads Troupe. The tour highlights a distinctive artistic vision that bridges Western chamber music traditions with the cultural heritage of Taiwan and its Indigenous communities. The performances take place at Thayer Hall, at Colburn School in Los Angeles; Camelback Bible Church in Phoenix; and Merkin Hall, at Kaufman Music Center in New York City.

A defining feature of "From Formosa" is the collaboration with Taiwu Ballads Troupe -one of Taiwan's leading indigenous vocal ensembles, dedicated to preserving and performing music from the Paiwan, an indigenous people of Taiwan. In addition, the Phoenix concert features Native American flutist R. Carlos Nakai, creating a powerful artistic dialogue between Taiwanese and Native American traditions.

Program Highlights

"From Formosa" weaves together traditional and contemporary voices in a program that reflects Taiwan's cultural diversity and artistic innovation. Highlights include:

• Taiwanese indigenous polyphonic songs

• Taiwanese Indigenous Music for String Quartet & Chorus (arr. by Ting-Chuan Chen)

• Ke-Chia Chen: Silver Fields for Piano Quintet (world premiere, commissioned by Muzik 3 Foundation)

• Tyzen Hsiao: The Highlander's Suite for Piano Quintet

• Yun-Jou Chen: Terra/ Liturgy for String Quartet (world premiere, commissioned by Hakka Affairs Council)

• Aaron Copland: Two Pieces for String Quartet

• James DeMars: Lake That Speaks for Native American Flute and Cello

• Amazing Grace for Native American and Chamber Ensemble (arr. by Billy Williams)

Together, these works explore themes of identity, heritage, and cultural continuity, placing Taiwanese and indigenous traditions in dialogue with the Western classical canon.

The Taiwan Philharmonic Chamber Ensemble features Hao-Tun Teng and Yi-Ju Chen on violin, Jubel Chen on viola, Yi-Shien Lien on cello, and Chun-Chieh Yen on piano. Special guest artists include Taiwu Ballads Troupe, as well as R. Carlos Nakai on Native American flute for the Phoenix performance on May 17.

Los Angeles, CA

May 15, 2026 at 7 PM
Colburn School, Thayer Hall
Presented by Colburn School
Tickets: https://colburnschool.edu/calendar/events/from-formosa-taiwan-philharmonic-chamber-ensemble-2026-us-tour/

Phoenix, AZ

May 17, 2026 at 3 PM
Doors Open at 2 PM (Taiwanese Pop-up Fair starts in the church lobby)
Camelback Bible Church
Tickets*: http://taiwanphoenix.org
*Each ticket can be redeemed for $10 worth of souvenirs at the Taiwanese Pop-up Fair.

New York, NY