| About the Sound of Formosa Through an uncompromising commitment to Performance, Worship, and the Taiwanese heritage, Ann Arbor Taiwanese Presbyterian Church (AATPC) serves Michigan audiences by bringing to our community an annual concert featuring talented Taiwanese artists, who represent excellence, commitment and contribution of Taiwan in today's vigorous and exciting live performing arts world. The idea grew from a group of Taiwanese University of Michigan alumni who gathered together for the practice of Ann Arbor Taiwanese Choir. Led by Professor Chih-Long Hu, a U of M alumnus, and coordinated by members of Ann Arbor Taiwanese Presbyterian Church, the group assumed the name The Sound of Formosa. Their first concert was held in October, 2007 and this transmission of great performance, cultural and heritage will be presented at the First Presbyterian Church annually. Taiwan, also known as Formosa, (from Portuguese (Ilha) Formosa, meaning "beautiful island"), is located in East Asia off the coast of mainland China, southwest of the main islands of Japan. Portuguese named it Formosa when they first came to Taiwan in the 19th century. For most of performers and the audience tonight, Formosa means their beautiful hometown, where they grew up, where they got educated, and the place they dreamed of in thousands of days and nights. Tonight, we would like to invite each of you to join us on a musical journey from Italy, Russia, France, and United States to Taiwan, exploring the best of Scarlatti, Rachmaninov, Debussy, Vierni, Verdi and avant-garde Taiwanese composers. This journey is presented by promising Taiwanese musicians: I-Chun Cheng, Chih-Long Hu, Yi-Ting Kuo, Chi-Hui Lai, Ling-Ju Lai, Ching-Mei Lin, Natalie Lin, Aaron Tan, and Ming-Hsiu Yen. While proudly affiliated with First Presbyterian Church in Ann Arbor to present The Sound of Formosa, AATPC is a separate not-for-profit organization that supports itself mainly from corporate and individual contributions. Therefore, your freewill offering tonight in any amount is very much appreciated. 藉著對音樂藝術、敬拜讚美、以及台灣文化的傳承的感動與堅持，為了將台灣音樂及世界音樂大師的知名作品，帶入社區觀眾的生命，安雅堡台灣基督長老教會，每年夏末，即開始與多位來自台灣的優秀音樂家、以及密西根大學音樂系的台灣 學生共同籌畫這場名為『福爾摩沙之聲』的年度音樂饗宴。 第一場『福爾摩沙之聲』音樂會由密西根大學音樂系傑出校友，現任東田納西大學音樂系助理教授胡志龍統籌，安雅堡台灣基督長老教會配合執行，在去年(2007年)十月假美國第一長老教會禮拜堂舉行。音樂會的靈感來自於幾位教會會友，每周日禮拜結束後的合唱團練習，他們憑著對美好音樂藝術的喜愛，台灣文化傳承的使命，以及對上帝恩典的回應，致力於將這樣的訊息透過每年的音樂會傳遞出去。 台灣，也就是人們口中的福爾摩沙 (福爾摩沙即為葡萄牙語中『美麗的島嶼』之意)，位於東亞，西臨中國，北朝日本。十九世紀葡萄牙人首度踏上這個美麗的島嶼時，給了台灣這個浪漫的名字: 福爾摩沙。但對於許多今晚的觀眾與音樂家來說，福爾摩沙意味著他們甜蜜的家鄉，一個他們出生長大、受教育的地方，一塊令他們日夜魂縈夢牽的土地。 今晚，我們很榮幸地能夠邀請您，一同經歷一場暢遊義大利、俄國、法國、美國與台灣的音樂華麗冒險。今晚的演出者集合多位來自台灣的優秀樂手，包括目前任教於東田納西州立大學(East Tennessee State University) ， 獲獎無數的年輕鋼琴家胡志龍、女高音鄭怡君 、林京美、林芹卉 、顏名秀 、郭怡婷 、賴麒徽、賴玲如與蘇聖榮共九位，他們將以音符傳遞美妙的福爾摩沙之聲。 安雅堡台灣基督長老教會很榮幸能與美國第一長老教會合作，共同舉辦這場地方音樂盛事。安雅堡台灣基督長老教會是一個屬於台灣人的非營利宗教組織，財務與行政皆獨立於美國第一長老教會之外，教會各項事工的資源皆來自於會友的奉獻，每年的音樂會是許多人奉獻時間與金錢的辛苦結晶，您的自由奉獻將會是我們在繼續推展這項音樂事工上大大的鼓勵。 |