Thursday, October 11, 2012

Taiwanese-Austrian pianist to perform with disabled teens

Taiwanese-Austrian pianist to perform with disabled teens


2012-03-20 Want ChinaTimes

Taiwanese-Austrian pianist Rueibin Chen will perform with three young disabled musicians at two concerts later this week in Taiwan, event organizers announced Monday.

The three high school students were selected from dozens of teenage applicants around Taiwan, organizers said.

"I hope the events will help the public experience the special talent of disabled musicians," Chen said at the news conference, where he played two classical pieces with one of the students.

During practice sessions with Ku in the run-up to the concerts, Chen said that the 17-year-old did not always reply to his instructions verbally, but showed his response through his performance.

"I felt that he was responding to my instructions with his heart," Chen said.

Chen also offered advice to the young musicians on how to play before a large audience. "Your music has to be heard by a member of the audience who is sitting in the most distant corner of the concert hall," Chen said.

There will be 650 free tickets provided for disabled students and social welfare groups that help disabled people, the organizers said.

The 90-minute concert will debut in the southern city of Tainan on March 23, followed by a Taipei concert the next day.