The Evergreen Symphony Orchestra engaged world-renowned maestro Jaap van Zweden as its artist-in-residence beginning in 2025, and now together they are launching a nationwide tour across Taiwan's cities and townships to promote universal music education. The inaugural performance of this tour took place on May 31st at the Miaobei Art Center, featuring acclaimed pianist Kit Armstrong in the 'Jaap van Zweden & Kit Armstrong & ESO' concert, presenting repertoire that spans both the classical and modern periods. A subsequent performance was held at the National Concert Hall in Taipei on June 1st.

Ms. Chung Teh-Mei, Executive Director of the Chang Yung-Fa Foundation, which oversees the Evergreen Symphony Orchestra, expressed special gratitude to Miaoli County Magistrate Chung Tung-Chin for his enthusiastic support of the concert. She also acknowledged his facilitation in engaging local enterprises including Tau Miau Motor Co., Ltd., Miaoli Medical Association, and Wei Gong Memorial Hospital, among other organizations, enabling local residents to experience excellent musical performances.

Miaoli County Magistrate Chung Tung-Chin remarked: 'The Evergreen Symphony Orchestra's performance in our locality not only brings highest-caliber auditory feast to our citizens, but also symbolizes an important step in bringing art to cities and townships while enriching local culture. The Miaoli County Government has long been committed to the popularization and promotion of arts education. We hope this concert will inspire greater passion for the arts among young people and open new chapters of artistic integration for Miaoli.'
 

The 'Jaap van Zweden & Kit Armstrong & ESO' concert featured a journey from Mozart's classical elegance to the emotional reasoning of Rachmaninoff and Shostakovich in the 20th century, with three works each showcasing the composers' distinctive musical style. Opening with Mozart's dramatically charged Overture to Don Giovanni, the program continued with European-based American pianist Kit Armstrong as soloist in Rachmaninoff's Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini. The prodigiously talented Armstrong first emerged on the international music scene at age eight and studied under legendary Austrian pianist Alfred Brendel.

Armstrong's musical interpretation combines rationality with profound emotion, demonstrating extraordinary artistry. His performance of Rachmaninoff's rhapsody based on Paganini's theme showcased his masterful control and refined musical sensitivity. His rendition of the '18th Variation' created the evening's most enchanting magical moment. The second half featured van Zweden conducting the Evergreen Symphony Orchestra in Soviet composer Shostakovich's Symphony No. 5 in D minor. The layered emotional expression conveyed the composer's struggles and constraints, particularly the finale's brass and percussion bursting forth from suppression, creating breathtaking and overwhelming moments.

The Evergreen Symphony Orchestra looks forward to its continuing working relationship with artist in residence van Zweden. This collaboration will continue to engage in more flexible performance formats and bring music to every corner of Taiwan, allowing music lovers to enjoy high-quality concerts without arduous travel, while continuing the organization's long-standing mission of promoting music education.