Yao-Yu WU, Stefan Schilli & NTSO

This concert is a unique journey through the spirit of Czech music, guided by three works spanning more than half a century. Together, they reflect the continual evolution of Czech music as it searches for its own voice across different eras. Dvořák laid the foundation of Czech national music, and his student Suk carried on this tradition, transforming the national spirit into a finely wrought and poetic symphonic language. The young Martinů studied briefly with Suk before leaving for France, where he developed his own modern style and carried Czech music into a broader world.Suk's Fantasy Scherzo (1903) and Martinů's Concerto for Oboe and Small Orchestra (1955) stand in striking contrast to one another: the former glows with youthful brightness and Romantic color, while the latter, with its refined and transparent sonorities, reflects the increasingly mature artistic vision of Martinů’s years in exile. Though they interpret the Czech spirit in distinctly different languages, both compositions share singing melodies and vivid, animated rhythms. Martinů's Czech Rhapsody returns to the historical moment of the founding of Czechoslovakia in 1918, intertwining baritone soloist, mixed chorus, orchestra, and organ to convey the joy and glory of national rebirth. From Suk, who inherited Dvořák's legacy, to Martinů, who carried Czech music to the wider world, Czech music has continued to sing in its own voice through every historical change.This concert is led by prize-winning young conductor Yao-Yu WU, first prize winner of the Besançon International Conducting Competition, alongside Stefan Schilli, principal oboist of the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, baritone Wen-I TSENG, and the Kaohsiung Chamber Choir. Schilli, one of the current leading oboe artists in the German-Austrian tradition, is globally renowned for his pure, nuanced tone. TSENG and the Kaohsiung Chamber Choir will present the epic breadth and profound emotional depth of Czech Rhapsody. From Romantic lyricism to national epic, this concert is a journey through Czech music, linking history, culture, and musical aesthetics.