2025 TCAF: “Peer Gynt’s Adventure” Relaxed Concert

★Peer Gynt Suite by Edvard Grieg, a classic musical masterpiece, inspired by Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen's famous play Peer Gynt.

★The most comfortable and relaxing concert experience.

The fancy-free concert is an amazing space for you to be close to art,  offering you and your all body sensations to feel the music in this concert. Don’t need to worry about if you cough or make any sounds, or need to hide your curiosity that will disturb others. You can get up your seat if you need the toilet or have a cup of tea. These are all the usual requisites that we will have. Please be free to enjoy the show and sink into the melody.

This time Evergreen Symphony Orchestra will bring you “ Edvard Grieg - Peer Gynt suite”.  The melody draws the main character Peer Gynt’s wild and fantastical life as a young adventurer wandering from imagination to reality. Edvard Grieg used vivid movement to create harmony like the musical pieces “Morning Mood” and “In the Hall of Mountain King”.  Following Peer’s dramatic and unpredictable journey, the story dives into the deeper questions of humanity, responsibility, and self-identity.

Performance | Evergreen Symphony Orchestra (ESO)

Founded in 2002, the Evergreen Symphony Orchestra (ESO) is the only professional orchestra in Taiwan overseen by a private foundation. ESO has been led by three music directors: Kek-tjiang Lim, Ya-hui Wang, and Prof. Gernot Schmalfuss. Now in 2025, the internationally renowned conductor Jaap van Zweden joins as ESO’s “Artist-in-Residence”.

Over the years, ESO has demonstrated the global influence of Taiwan’s musical culture by performing across Europe, the Americas, Asia, and Australia. Collaborations with globally celebrated musicians include tenors José Carreras, Plácido Domingo, Luciano Pavarotti, and Andrea Bocelli; soprano Sarah Brightman; violinists Cho-liang Lin and Yu-chien Tseng; and pianists Lang Lang and Ching-yun Hu. ESO has also left lasting impressions at such prominent venues as the 2010 Shanghai World Expo and the Sydney Opera House in 2015. Looking ahead, ESO will continue to honor classical traditions, champion new musical creations, and use music to transcend cultural and racial boundaries.

Conductor | Jerry Hou

Starting in 2025, Jerry Hou is invited to be Associate Conductor of the Evergreen.Symphony Orchestra. Studying conducting with Jorma Panula in Finland, Taiwanese-American conductor Jerry Hou is now recognized for his dynamic presence, insightful interpretations, musical versatility, and commanding technique on the podium. Hou recently concluded his celebrated tenure as Resident Conductor of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and Music Director of the Atlanta Symphony Youth Orchestra. In 2021, he began an association with the New York Philharmonic and music director Jaap van Zweden. He made his debut with the orchestra in 2023 and returns again this
season.
He is on the faculty of the Shepherd School of Music at Rice University. From the 2025-26 season, he will begin as Music Director of the Wyoming Symphony Orchestra.

Lecture Host | Lin Bojie
Despite not having a formal music education, Lin Bo-Jie has immersed himself in music for years through passion and hard work. He has worked as a project manager at Rolling Stone Records and is currently the Music Director at King Records and Editorial Director at Le Le Culture. Bo-Jie has also served as a judge for the Golden Melody Awards, an adjunct lecturer, and a host for programs like "Family Music Hall" and "Island Voices." He continues to give lectures and host concerts and has authored books and online courses on music.