“Kanpai, Japan!” Symphony ConcertArtistic Direct

Maestro Ken Hsieh & Vancouver Metropolitan Orchestra

Fresh on the heels of a Cultural Tango with Hong Kong, the Vancouver Metropolitan Orchestra is back for an enthusiastic “Kanpai, Japan!”

Like so many other arts, Western Classical music was introduced to Taiwan by the Japanese over their 50 year long period of rule over the island. The Vancouver Metropolitan Orchestra brings the sweet sounds of “Formosan Dance” to Vancouver.

Composed by Bunya Koh, born in the era of Japanese-colonized Taiwan, “Formosan Dance” was submitted to the Arts Competitions of the 1936 Berlin Olympics where it won second place. While representing his Japanese nationality, the piece was a love letter from Koh to the beauty of the island and its peoples.

Koh was instrumental in connecting the Chinese, Taiwanese and Japanese peoples, but his prestige and much of his work disappeared in the Cultural Revolution.

Discover these hidden gems and more as we explore cross-cultural influences in “Kanpai, Japan!”

“Kanpai, Japan!” is an exploration of these influences, connecting the island nations of Japan and Taiwan, and again with Canada. Join us for a collective Kanpai!