北加州台大校友合唱團
北加州台大校友合唱團的成立,可以溯源自2003年12月台大合唱團四十週年團慶。來自海內外前後四十屆,以及其前身「純誼」、「友愛」時代的老團友共聚一堂。席間,眾團友倡議籌組「台大合唱團校友團」,隨後改名為「台大校友合唱團」。在計畫前來美西演唱之際, 2005年年初在金山灣區的台大合唱團團友就成立了「北加州台大校友合唱團」,網羅不少台大校友唱將,水準整齊,實力可觀;並與台北團共同推動在灣區聯合演出的計畫,並負責實際執行。經過數月的努力,終於促成台北、北加、南加三地校友合唱團「2005美西行吟」的完美演出。
北加州台大校友合唱團立迄今十一年,團員多數從大學時代起就浸淫於合唱音樂的湧泉之中。除了定期舉辦公演,也積極參與社區活動。 2008年本團參與史丹佛大學泛亞音樂節、以及中國文化部主辦之中國國際青年藝術週的演出,與其他合唱團組成聯隊,以《布蘭詩歌》與《貝多芬合唱交響曲》獻藝於北加州帕洛奧圖、上海、北京。2008年11月,北加州台大校友合唱團與硅谷愛樂合唱團舉行聯合公演。這是北加州校友團的第一次正式公演。2009年10月,校友團首度單獨公演。 2010年7月,由北加州校友團主導,聯合台大校友合唱團台北團、華府團、南加團組成聯隊,協同硅谷愛樂合唱團赴北京參加第三屆中國國際青年藝術週『名校之夜』的演出。在北京中央音樂學院音樂廳演出清唱劇《路》。2010年10月,北加校友團在美首演英文清唱劇《紅樓夢》。2011年9月,演出以多媒體及合唱結合的「跨樂一百」,回顧民國百年的合唱音樂。2012年9月,以「生命禮讚」為主題舉行公演。2013年7月,北加團赴台北參與台大合唱團成立50周年慶典活動。同年9月在美首演中文清唱劇《永州八記》。2014 年公演以「風雅頌」為題。 2015年以「楊柳依依」為主題,表現我們熱愛生命的熱忱和渴望和平的祈求。2016年以「小天地,大世界」為主題,以歌聲由兒童渾然忘我的小天地投射到萬象的大世界。2017年的表演以「和聲,在雅俗之間」的主題呈現典雅和通俗交織的音樂會。2018年的演唱主題「千里陽關」取義「千里西行陽關」,唱出離鄉流散,堅定信仰,相互扶持,和不屈不撓的堅持。
藉著不斷接受新的挑戰,這一群愛樂如癡的台大歌人和家属親朋的大團隊 ,希望以他們對合唱的熱忱,將合唱之美,呈現給知音樂友們。
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National Taiwan University Alumni Chorus in Northern California
It was during the NTU chorus alumni’s 40th reunion dinner in 2003 that the idea of an “alumni chorus” was first conceptualized. Two years later, in 2005, the National Taiwan University Alumni Chorus in Northern California (NTUAC-NC) was established.
In the summer of 2008, NUTAC-NC joined the Stanford Symphonic Choral Union and Orchestra, Silicon Valley Ai-Yue (SVAY) Chorus and Los Angeles Children’s Chorus, for a concert tour in Shanghai and Beijing. The trip included a much coveted appearance in the Great Hall of the People.
In November 2008, NTUAC-NC joined by SVAY Chorus, held its first public concert. Next year in October, NTUAC-NC held its very first solo concert. The summer of 2010, NTUAC-NC invited other NTU Alumni Choruses in Taipei, Southern California, and Washington DC to form an NTU Alumni Chorus Alliance. Together with SVAY, NTUAC Alliance premiered the Cantata Road/Lu in the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing as part of the Third China International Youth Music Festival. In October, 2010, the chorus presented the U.S. premiere of the English cantata Dream of the Red Chamber. NTUAC held its annual performances in the fall of 2011, 2012,2013, and 2014 with the theme of “Leap across 100”, “Ode to Life”, “Love, Hope, Peace”, and “Pops, Elegance, Ode”, respectively. For 2015, “Willow Caressing”, a verse from an ancient Chinese poem, was chosen to be the theme of the performance to express our passion for life and prayer for peace. The theme of 2016 program is “Little Universe, Large World”. The repertoire includes songs that express humor, love and positive attitude toward our lives. “Harmony among Grace and Popularity” is the theme of the annual concert on 2017. The program presents the beauty of choral harmony through various contemporary, classical and popular songs. 2018 annual concert uses “Excel beyond Boundaries” as the program theme. It is based on the anchor piece “Crossing the Yangguan”. The lyric of the song symbolizes a mix feeling of uncertainty, leaving one’s homeland, and the beginning of a journey of exploration. This feeling resonates well with many Chinese in America today.