Taiwan Philharmonic Performs San Francisco Debut Following Triumphant 2016 U.S. Debut

"One of Asia's best" (Los Angeles Times), the Taiwan Philharmonic finishes their 2018 North American tour with a flourish at Davies Symphony Hall in San Francisco on November 5 at 8:00 PM. The orchestra, led by Maestro Shao-Chia Lü, returns two years after their highly acclaimed United States debut in December 2016 - this time featuring 24-year-old Taiwanese violinist Yu-Chien Tseng. Tseng, rapidly gaining attention on international stages and signed to the legendary record label Deutsche Grammophon, performs Barber's intensely lyrical violin concerto.

The concert name "From Formosa" gives a nod to the historic republic on the island of Taiwan while the music traces Taiwan's classical music tradition with Taiwanese composer Gordon Chin's "Dancing Song" from Three Aboriginal Songs for Orchestra alongside Brahms's beloved second symphony.

Music Director of the Taiwan Philharmonic for the past eight years, Maestro Lü has been hailed as a "fastidious conductor with a huge vocabulary of gestures" by the American Record Guide who also lauded the Taiwan Philharmonic saying, "Many fine groups have demonstrated how classical music is thriving in Asia. The Taiwan Philharmonic demonstrated something even more impressive: excellence, pure and simple." The Philharmonic launches their highly anticipated North American tour with Stephen Hough in Costa Mesa, San Diego, and Seattle on October 30, 31, and November 3, respectively, prior to their San Francisco performance.

To purchase tickets ($35-200) to the San Francisco performance, visit the City Box Office's website at https://www.cityboxoffice.com/eventperformances.asp?evt=2507.

About the Taiwan Philharmonic
Founded in 1986, the Taiwan Philharmonic, also known as the National Symphony Orchestra at home, is hailed as one of the best orchestras in the Asian Region and became the resident orchestra of the Taipei Theater and Concert Hall, an affiliate of the National Performing Arts Center, in 2005. Led by renowned conductor Shao-Chia Lü as its fifth music director starting August 2010, the Taiwan Philharmonic has increased the country's cultural richness and music educational strength through Taiwan.

The Taiwan Philharmonic, with 99 members, presents a 40-week musical season of approximately 75 concerts/chamber recitals and one opera production each year. It also launches educational programs and outreach projects constantly. Tour performances are regularly offered throughout Taiwan and overseas. It has toured to Vienna, Paris, Berlin, Geneva, Milan, Singapore, Tokyo, Seoul, Hong Kong, among other cities. The Taiwan Philharmonic works with internationally acclaimed conductors, such as Lorin Maazel, Sir Neville Marriner, Krzysztof Penderecki, and Leonard Slatkin, and soloists including Midori, Yo-Yo Ma, Yuja Wang, Gautier Capuçon, Vadim Repin, Hilary Hahn, Ray Chen, Mischa Maisky, Martin Grubinger, Louis Lortie, Stephen Hough, and many others.

For more information, please visit http://npac-nso.org/en.

About Yu-Chien Tseng
Born in Taipei, Taiwan, Tseng previously won first prizes at the Singapore International Violin Competition, Sarasate Violin Competition in Pamplona, Spain and the Isang Yun Violin Competition in Korea.

Following his win at the XV International Tchaikovsky Violin Competition in 2015, Yu-Chien (Benny) Tseng has made a series of major debuts with the London Philharmonic Orchestra, Munich Philharmonic, Mariinsky Theatre Orchestra and Czech Philharmonic Orchestra. He has worked with Maestros such as Valery Gergiev, Ji?í B?lohlávek, Esa-Pekka Salonen, Osmo Vänskä, Jacek Kaspszyk, and most recently Mikhail Pletnev who has invited him to Tokyo for his debut there in 2019. Signed to Deutsche Grammophone in 2016, his first album was released in January 2017. His second album will be released in 2018.

Tseng plays the 1732 Giuseppe Guarneri del Gesu Ex "Castelbarco-Tarisio" on loan from the Chi-Mei Culture Foundation, Taiwan.

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