Saturday, March 5, 2011

第28屆得獎人蕭泰然博士(Dr Tyzen Hsiao)

蕭泰然博士(Dr Tyzen Hsiao)

1938~1966 音樂啟蒙路 Path of Initiation to Music
1967~1977 初綻光芒 Initial Display of Brilliance
1977~1985 遠走異鄉 Away to a Foreign Land
1985~1995 創作黃金時期 Golden Period of Composition
1995~ 榮譽歸鄉 Returning Home with Glory



1938~1966 音樂啟蒙路 Path of Initiation to Music

1938年蕭泰然出生於高雄一個頗具聲望的基督教會家庭,父親蕭瑞安先生是留日的牙科醫生、母親林雪雲女士則是早期有名的留日音樂家。蕭先生五歲由母親啟蒙開始學琴,加上父親所珍藏的許多古典唱片,豐富了他的童年,因此很早就展露高度的音樂天份。高雄初中畢業後,蕭泰然進入南部有名的教會學校—長榮中學就讀。在充滿琴聲、歌聲的校園中得到薰陶,加上受教於留日鋼琴家高錦花、聲樂家高雅美,成為音樂家的志向漸漸萌芽滋長。

蕭泰然真正走上音樂之路有一段插曲。原本他父親期盼長子能夠承襲父志當醫生,為此蕭泰然當時的高中校長戴明福先生提醒他父親說:「你的兒子若當醫生,他只不過是一個普通的醫生;但假如讓他學音樂,將來的展望是無可限量的。」於是父親放手讓蕭泰然發展自己的志趣,希望他即使不能懸壺濟世,也不要忘記藉由音樂撫慰人心:「本人身為醫生,許諾長男泰然攻讀音樂的所以然,唯一的囑望是他日後能為宗教音樂有所貢獻。」(引用至蕭泰然作品NO:35,神劇「耶穌基督」,附言)

Tyzen Hsiao was born to a reputable Christian family in Kaohsiung in 1938. His father, Mr. Hsiao Jui-An, was a dentist who completed his education in Japan and was married to Madam Lin Hsueh-Yun, a renowned musician in Japan. Hsiao was initiated into music by his mother at the tender age of five. Aided with his fathers sizeable collection of classical vinyl records, he enjoyed a fruitful childhood and demonstrated an exceptional gift in music at an early age. Upon completing his junior high school education at the Kaohisung Junior High School, Hsiao was admitted to Chang Jung Senior High School, a renowned church school in the southern Taiwan. Nurtured in a campus environment filled with the sounds of music and songs,
along with the tutelage of musicians such as Ms. Kao Chin-Hwa (a pianist who completed her music education in Japan) and Ms. Kao Ya-Mei (a vocal artist), the ambition of becoming an accomplished musician gradually took root in the talented young mans mind.

Interestingly, there was a brief interlude in Hsiaos path to music. As a dentist, Hsiaos father had wished for his son to specialize in the same profession he has chosen. However, it was Mr. Tai Ming-Fu (the principal of the senior high school that Hsiao was enrolled in back then) who convinced his father, If your son becomes a physician, he will be nothing more than an ordinary doctor; but if you let him learn music, you will witness the limitless potential in your son. And thus, Hsiaos father no longer intervened in Hsiaos wishes to cultivate his interests with the hope that even if his son rejected the path of practicing medicine, he would not forget to soothe the hearts of mankind with his music. As a physician, I have permitted my eldest son Ty-Zen to pursue his career in music. My only hope for him is that he would one day be able to contribute to the
domain of religious music (Excerpt from the post script of Libretto Jesus Christ, No.35 of his works).

1967~1977初綻光芒Initial Display of Brilliance

自日本學成歸國後,蕭泰然受到多所學校禮聘以及各界邀約,展開了繁忙的教學與演奏 活動。身兼教職、作曲與演奏等多重角色,儼然成為台灣音樂舞台上一顆耀眼的新星。 這段時期蕭泰然先後任教於文藻女子外語專校(今文藻大學)、高雄女師專(今國立高雄 師範大學)、台南家專、台南神學院以及台灣師範大學音樂系,主要教授鋼琴、和聲學 等。除了教學與演奏,蕭泰然仍不忘學習,常請益來自加拿大的宣教師德明利姑娘(Miss Isabel Taylor)和奧地利籍鋼琴家兼作曲家蕭茲博士(Dr. Robert Scholz)。

After returning to Taiwan from Japan, Hsiao received countless offers for employment from schools and invitations to give performances from various circles, starting a brand new page in his life, one of overwhelming education and performance activities. Hsiao assumed multiple roles in education, composition and performance and has established himself as
one of the brightest stars in the domestic domain of music. During this period, Hsiao taught at various schools including Wenzao Women’s Institute of Foreign Language (the present Wenzao University), Kaohsiung Women’s Normal College (the present National Kaohsiung Normal University), Tainan Junior College of Home Economics, Tainan Theological College
& Seminary and National Taiwan Normal University (Department of Music), focusing on the instruction of piano and choral music. Despite his busy schedule in education and performance, Mr. Hsiao was never lax in his learning. He has often sought guidance from Miss Isabel Taylor (a missionary from Canada) and the Austrian pianist/composer Dr. Robert Scholz.

1977~1985遠走異鄉Away to a Foreign Land

1977這年,蕭泰然因妻子經商被倒債,迫於現實的無奈遠走美國,暫居妹妹在亞特蘭 大的家,後移居洛杉磯。初至美國那一年,意志消沉的他幾乎毫無創作,僅偶爾在自己 開設的禮品店裡彈琴自娛。有一天,一位老婦人默默駐足聆聽他彈琴許久後,對蕭泰然 說:「Young man, you are so talented. Why are you here?」這句話喚醒蕭泰然對音樂的熱 情,再加上海外台灣人的鼓勵,使他重新回到創作的殿堂,也展開了創作的黃金時代。

In 1977, Mr. Hsiao had no choice but to make the decision to move to the United States due to difficult circumstances arising from his wife’s failed business venture. He resided temporarily in his sister’s home in Atlanta and later moved to Los Angeles. In his depressed state, Mr. Hsiao made virtually no progress in the area of composition during his first year in
the United States and his musical activities were limited to the occasional playing of piano in the gift shop he opened for the sake of self-entertainment. One day, after listening to Mr. Hsiao playing the piano quietly for a while in his shop, an old lady spoke to him: “Young man, you are so talented. Why are you here?” It was her very words that rekindled Mr. Hsiao’s passion in music. Catalyzed with the encouragement from the Taiwanese people residing abroad at the time, Mr. Hsiao returned to the halls of composition and ushered in his golden period in composition.

1985~1995 創作黃金時期 Golden Period of Composition
這段時期,蕭泰然先後完成了《福爾摩沙交響曲》,以及《D大調小提琴協奏曲》、《C 大調大提琴協奏曲》與《C小調鋼琴協奏曲》三首作品,曲中透露了優美的台灣印象與 富生命力的台灣精神,不僅撫慰了海外華人離鄉背井的寂寞心靈,更隨著作品躍登國際 舞台,讓世界認識了來自台灣的聲音。 1992年小提琴家林昭亮與聖地牙哥交響樂團首次演出蕭泰然的小提琴協奏曲,這是台灣 作曲家的作品第一次被美國知名交響樂團演出,演出相當成功。三首協奏曲作品建立了 他在國際樂壇的地位,也建立了他東方浪漫派大師的地位。

During this period, Mr. Hsiao completed his definitive works, including Formosa Symphony, Violin Concerto in D, Cello Concerto in C and Piano Concerto in C Minor. These brilliant pieces portray beautiful imageries of Taiwan and revealed the vibrant vitality of the Taiwanese spirit. Mr. Hsiao’s music not only soothed the lonely souls of overseas Chinese people who
have left their homes but also made it to the international stage for the world to recognize the voice from Taiwan.
In 1992, Mr. Hsiao’s Violin Concerto in D was performed for the very first time by violinist Lin Cho-Liang and San Diego Symphony Orchestra. The performance was significant because it was the first time in history for the works of a Taiwanese composer to be performed by a reputable American symphony orchestra. The performance was largely successful and the three concertos have helped Mr. Hsiao to consolidate his status in the domain of international music as the maestro of the Asian romantic school.

1995~ 榮譽歸鄉Returning Home with Glory
1995夏天,蕭泰然回到久違的故鄉台灣,定居於淡水。有關他作品演出的音樂會不斷,在國內受到普遍的愛戴和欣賞。1998年「蕭泰然文教基金會」成立,開始有計畫地出版有聲資料和曲譜。1999年他的小提琴專輯 (由小提琴家蘇顯達主奏的《台灣情、泰然心》)榮獲第十屆金曲獎。2000年清唱劇《浪子》獲得第十五屆金曲獎傳統暨音樂作品類最佳作曲人獎。2004年獲得第八屆國家文藝獎、2008年獲得國家最高文化獎項─行政院文化獎。

In the summer of 1995, Mr. Hsiao returned to his long lost home in Taiwan and resided in Tanshui. Concerts and performances of his works in Taiwan proliferated and were extensively well received and welcomed by the Taiwanese people. In 1998, Tyzen Hsiao Music Association was founded in Taiwan to systematically publish various audio data and scores. In 1999, his violin album Tyzen Hsiao Violin Works (performed by violinist Su Shien-Ta) received the 10th Golden Melody Award. In the following year, his oratorio The Prodigal Son earned him the 15th Golden Melody Award as the best composer in the
category of traditional music. Mr. Hsiao later received the extinguished awards of the 8th Taiwan’s National Art Prize and 28th National Cultural Award in 2004 and 2008 respectively.

http://www.topwin.com.tw/cultural27/index02-28-1.html