VoxUnity 沃！International Choral Festival VoxUnity International Choral Festival
Schedule
2026.12.11–13
- 12.11 (Fri) 13:00–16:40 Open Rehearsals with International Conductors Longshan Cultural and Creative Base – Multipurpose Hall Four sessions at 13:00, 14:00, 15:00 and 16:00, 40 minutes each.
Admission with a festival ticket stub; no registration required. With ticket stub - 12.11 (Fri) Time TBA Choral Marathon Venue to be announced Free
- 12.12 (Sat) 19:30 International Choral Night I New Taipei City Arts Center – Auditorium Ticketed
- 12.13 (Sun) 19:30 International Choral Night II New Taipei City Arts Center – Auditorium Ticketed
About
The predecessor of the VoxUnity International Choral Festival was the “TCS Funfest” concert series launched by the Taipei Chamber Singers in 2014. Over the past decade, the TCS Institute for Choral Arts has upheld the core philosophy of “making the joy of singing with you even more joyful,” connecting domestic and international choral groups to bring choral art from professional halls into public life.
In 2026, the Taipei Chamber Singers will elevate this energy into the VoxUnity International Choral Festival. “Vox” stands for voice, and “Unity” signifies coming together. The festival symbolizes breaking down national and linguistic barriers through choral music, gathering diverse voices into a harmonious whole.
This festival marks a new milestone for the Taipei Chamber Singers in promoting choral art. International guest groups, including Garden Place Choir (Japan), EUM Choir (Korea), La Voce Choir (Malaysia) and The Dynamics (Thailand), have been invited to Taiwan. They will perform alongside TCS Institute teams—TCS Female Choirs 1, 2, 3 and 5—to foster deep cultural exchange and artistic nourishment.
This year’s festival returns to the essence of music, focusing on “Exchange, Dialogue, and Integration” in a non-competitive format.
Choral Marathon: an outdoor “Choral Marathon” brings choral singing into the city.
Open Rehearsals with International Conductors: guest conductors working across different choirs, open to festival ticket holders.
Gala Concert: the festival’s climax will take place at the New Taipei City Arts Center, featuring two “International Choral Nights”.
Performers
Japan · Korea · Malaysia · Thailand × Taiwan!
The DynamicsJapan
Garden Place Choir
Garden Place Choir (GPC) boasts a wide-ranging repertoire, from European Renaissance sacred music to contemporary Japanese songs, with the motto “Pursuing high-quality music.” GPC was founded in July 1996 after holding auditions for more than 400 people. In 2026, GPC celebrated its 30th anniversary under the leadership of Kaoru TANI, third permanent conductor, and performed Bach’s Mass in B minor at its 65th anniversary concert in September. In 2027, GPC plans to attend “TANI Festival 2” in April with four other choirs conducted by Kaoru TANI, and in August, it plans to invite Choral Conducting Professor Michiya AZUMI at the Heidelberg University of Church Music to conduct its 66th concert.
Kaoru Tani, Conductor
Kaoru Tani was born in Fukuoka (Japan) in 1987.
In 2010, Kaoru received a bachelor’s degree in vocal music at the Kunitachi College of Music in Tokyo. During her years at Kunitachi, she sang in various vocal ensembles and pursued a growing interest in choral conducting.
Upon finishing her bachelor studies in Tokyo, she moved to Austria to study choral and orchestral conducting at the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna (from 2011 to 2014) and choral conducting, under the tutelage of Johannes Prinz, at the University of Music and Performing Arts Graz (from 2014 to 2017). During these years, she had the pleasure of singing with the Arnold Schoenberg Choir and the Wiener Singverein. She returned to Japan after receiving an MA in music in September 2017. She was able to pursue her final year of study abroad under the auspices of the Agency for Cultural Affairs of the government of Japan.
Kaoru studied vocal music with Shoko Sakamoto, Naoko Ihara and Kyoko Akiba in Japan, and Helena Dearing and Maria Loidl in Austria. She studied orchestral conducting with Chikara Imamura, Yuji Yuasa and Uroš Lajovic, and choral conducting with Tetsuro Hanai, Erwin Ortner and Johannes Prinz.
During her years in Europe, she participated in numerous master classes under fine teachers such as Morten Schuldt-Jensen, Simon Halsey, Daniel Reuss, Hans-Christoph Rademann and Josep Vila i Casañas.
Kaoru was awarded 2nd Prize in the 5th Competition for Young Choral Conductors at Tokyo Cantat 2016 and honourable mentions and Best Performance of Renaissance Music at the 7th International Conducting Choir Competition “Towards Polyphony” in Wrocław, Poland, also in 2016. As part of the special award, she had the opportunity to conduct the NFM Choir in Wroclaw in February 2018.
Kaoru is presently a leading conductor of five choral groups based in Japan: vocalconsort initium, Hugo Distler Vokalensemble, Tokyo Bay Chamber Choir, Osaka Bay Chamber Choir, Men’s Vocal Ensemble KOE, and the Garden Place Choir.
Korea
EUM Choir
EUM Choir is a project choir newly formed in Korea in 2026 to create meaningful connections through music and cultural exchange. The ensemble brings together young singers, choral musicians, conductors, and instrumentalists from diverse musical backgrounds to share one stage and one musical vision. Members contribute in various roles—not only as singers, but also as conductors and musicians—bringing their individual experiences and artistic perspectives to a flexible and creative ensemble. EUM Choir aims to introduce the beauty and spirit of Korean choral music to international audiences while building meaningful connections with choirs from different countries and cultures.
Through the VoxUnity International Choral Music Festival, EUM Choir hopes to present a special performance in which different cultures and voices come together in harmony.
Pianists
CHO Sujung — B.M. in Piano, Presbyterian University and Theological Seminary; Master’s Degree, Hochschule für Kirchenmusik Heidelberg; completed Doctoral Coursework in Collaborative Piano, Sungshin Women’s University.
CHOI Kyoungwon — Graduate, Dukwon Arts High School; B.M. in Piano, Sejong University; currently pursuing an M.M. in Collaborative Piano at Sungshin Women’s University.
Malaysia
La Voce Choir
Founded in 2006 by 30 choral music enthusiasts, La Voce Choir promotes Malaysian choral music on the global stage. Guided by Lim Hock Siong and Tang Hui Kung, the choir performs traditional, folk, classical and contemporary works in various languages. La Voce has presented concerts including The Mermaid Voices, A Decade in Harmony, A Poetic Encounter, Romantic German Lieder, Symphony of Guitar and Voice and Voyage. International highlights include festivals in China, Korea, Japan, Spain and the Netherlands. In 2025, the choir won Gold Awards at the Taipei International Choral Competition and Malaysian Choral Eisteddfod, with Tang Hui Kung receiving Outstanding Conductor Award.
Ng Jiun Yann (Casper), Piano
Casper received classical piano training under Mr. Tan Tiong Yih and earned the LTCL Performance Diploma with distinction from Trinity College London in 2013. He currently studies under Mr. Ng Chong Lim. He also holds LCM Grade 8 in Jazz Piano from the University of West London. As an arranger and collaborative pianist, he has worked extensively with La Voce Choir. In 2019, he founded Casperion Music Cottage and co-founded The Little Jazz Adventure. He has also developed ABRSM teacher-training materials with Poco Studio and collaborated with Adhipati on the Malay jazz-fusion album Menembus Mimpi.
Founded in 1997, TCS Female Choir (formerly TCS Women’s Choir) is an affiliated ensemble of the Taipei Chamber Singers, made up of women from all over Taiwan. Alongside busy family and working lives, these music-loving mothers make time to enrich themselves and hope to give back to society through what they learn.
Under artistic directors Serene Liang, Chia-Fen Weng and Yun-Hung Chen, and current conductor Su-Chen Fang, the choir has developed the distinctive character of a female choir. Its annual “Songs of the Years” series promotes refined choral music with varied formations and approachable repertoire, so that audiences unfamiliar with classical performance can also enjoy the beauty of music. Well received on tours across Taiwan, the choir has also been invited several times to tour Japan and Malaysia, engaging in cultural exchange with local arts groups.
Beyond the concert stage, the choir has challenged the narrow image of amateur community choirs. It won the community division of the 12th Sun Yat-sen Cup Golden Voice Choral Competition in 2007, and at the 2012 Taiwan International Vocal Ensemble Festival World Cup Choral Competition it won the only Gold Award in the senior category, together with the Han Kuang Poetry Singing Award and the Best Stage Presentation Award.
Su-Chen Fang, Conductor
Su-Chen Fang first studied voice with Hui-Mei Hung and Mei-Chih Kuo. Fang graduated first in the Western music division of the Department of Music at Chinese Culture University in 1990, majoring in voice under Professor Ching-Mei Lee.
In 1992 Fang co-founded the Taipei Chamber Singers with fellow choral enthusiasts and became its general manager. With the choir, Fang has won a number of international competitions, including first prize in the chamber choir category and the Grand Prix at the 22nd Béla Bartók International Choral Competition and Folklore Festival in Hungary in 2006. Fang often appears as soprano soloist in Taipei Chamber Singers concerts, praised by audiences at home and abroad for excellent technique and sincere expression, and is frequently invited as a soloist by other ensembles.
Between 1997 and 2024 Fang founded TCS Female Choirs 1 to 5 and the TCS Fifty Mixed Choir. Fang has conducted the TCS Fifty Mixed Choir at the National Concert Hall, the National Recital Hall and in Miyazaki, Japan.
Fang is currently general manager of the Taipei Chamber Singers and conductor of the TCS Fifty Mixed Choir, TCS Female Choir, CPC Choir, NSTC Yun-Hsin Choir, Taoyuan Zhiyin Choir and the Rotary District 3521 Choir.
李妮穎, Piano
李妮穎 graduated from the collaborative piano program of the Graduate Institute of Performing Arts at National Taiwan Normal University, studying with Professor Yen-Yi Lee, after majoring in piano in the Department of Music at the same university under Professor Chieh-Chen Wang. Active in collaborative piano, 李妮穎 performs chamber music and accompanies instrumental recitals, and has also worked in theatre as a keyboardist for pop musicals. 李妮穎 is currently pianist for TCS Female Choir, Ching Yun Choir and Tsai Yueh Choir.
TCS Female Choir 2 (formerly TCS Women’s Choir 2), founded in 2013, is the third affiliated ensemble of the Taipei Chamber Singers. Under conductor 鄭有席, the choir won the Gold Award and overall championship at the 6th Singapore International Chinese Choral Festival in 2017, and gave its first full-length concert, “Bella Generation”, at the National Recital Hall in 2018.
Since its founding, the choir has built a rich performance record and has visited Tokyo, Singapore and Italy for exchanges. Through diverse repertoire, pure vocal sound and creative movement, it has shaped its own singing style, sharing the energy and passion of choral art with audiences.
鄭有席, Conductor
鄭有席 holds a master’s degree in vocal performance from Soochow University, having studied with Professors Hsiu-Fen Lee, Chung-Kuang Lin, Lin Chen and Ching-Chi Sun.
Since passing the audition for the Taipei Chamber Singers in 1999, 鄭有席 has travelled with the choir to many music festivals and international competitions, winning first prizes at the International Johannes Brahms Choir Competition in Germany and the Béla Bartók International Choral Competition in Hungary.
鄭有席 is a member of the Taiwan Vocal Association and the Taiwan Choral Association, and of the Taipei Chamber Singers, TCS Singers and the NTCH Opera Workshop. 鄭有席 also conducts TCS Female Choir 2, the training choir of Taipei HuaShin Children’s Chorus, Rainbow Life Choir, Hsin Tao Yuan Music Friends Choir, Taoyuan Teachers’ Choir, Somali Choir, Zijingcheng Community Choir and the choir of Taipei Chung Presbyterian Church.
鍾慧敏, Piano
鍾慧敏 began piano lessons as a child and was active in choirs from primary school. 鍾慧敏 graduated from the Department of Music at National Taiwan Normal University in 2001, majoring in piano with a minor in voice, and received a master’s degree in voice from the Department of Music at Taipei Municipal University of Education (now University of Taipei) in 2012. 鍾慧敏 studied piano with Yen-Chen Wei, Mr. Allen Burnham-Airey and Professor Wei-Wei Lee, and voice with Professors Ming-Lu Chen, Hsieh-Yi Lin and Jung Jen. 鍾慧敏 is currently a member of the Taipei Chamber Singers.
Founded in 2016, TCS Female Choir 3 (formerly TCS Women’s Choir 3) has been guided by former conductor Yi-Yun Chiu and current conductor Chu-Chin Hsieh. It won an Excellence Award in the bel canto category of the Hakka choral competition at the International Hakka Pop Music Festival in 2018, was invited to perform at the Tokyo International Exchange Music Festival in 2019, and gave its first full-length concert, “Days of Radiance”, in the Chung Cheng Hall of Zhongshan Hall, Taipei, in 2022.
With a passion for choral singing, the choir regularly performs at hospitals, communities and museums. With its young and lively character, it shares music through singing and serves the public good, bringing energy to the TCS Institute for Choral Arts in promoting choral education.
Chu-Chin Hsieh, Conductor
Hsieh graduated from the Department of Western Music at Chinese Culture University, majoring in voice under Professors Shang-Fen Chiu and Pao-Lin Chai. As a student, Hsieh received the Hwa Kang Youth award and sang in many major concerts on and off campus. Hsieh is currently alto section leader and a member of the Taipei Chamber Singers, and has travelled with the choir to international competitions and festivals, winning first prizes at the International Johannes Brahms Choir Competition in Germany and the Béla Bartók International Choral Competition in Hungary, and performing at the ISCM-ACL World Music Days, the IFCM World Symposium on Choral Music, the Arezzo International Choral Festival in Italy and the Polyfonia International Choral Festival in France. Hsieh has also coached high school choirs and served as a judge for universities and singing competitions.
From 2008 to 2011 Hsieh was administrative manager of the Musical Theatre Company, overseeing administration and production for “Waiting for the Rain” (2008), “6+11” with percussionist Pei-Ching Wu and pianist Chia-Ching Lin (2009, shortlisted for the 8th Taishin Arts Award), “The Next-Door Family” (2009–10) and “Spring Breeze of Weishui” (2010, commissioned by the Taipei Arts Festival). From 2011 to 2017 Hsieh was marketing manager of the Taipei Chamber Singers.
Hsieh currently conducts TCS Female Choir 3 and the NCCU EMBA Choir, teaches voice courses at the TCS Institute for Choral Arts, and is vocal coach for several choirs, including Art Philharmonic Choir, the Control Yuan Choir and the Yilan Fifty Philharmonic Choir. Hsieh also coaches professional singers, works as a recording session vocalist and gives talks for companies and organizations.
Shao, Yu Fan, Piano
Shao graduated from the Department of Music at National Taiwan Normal University, majoring in piano, and holds a master’s degree in music education from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, specializing in piano, conducting and string education.
Shao has been collaborative pianist for the Wisconsin Chamber Choir (USA), the Taipei Chamber Singers, Kuang Ching Choir, Golden Ear Choir, TCS Female Choir, Chengchung Church Choir and Taipei HuaShin Children’s Chorus, performing in nearly a hundred concerts in Taiwan, Japan, Macau, Hong Kong, China, the USA, Hungary, Slovenia and Italy. Shao currently teaches music at Taipei Municipal Chenggong High School.
In 2023 Shao received the Education Great Love Teacher Award and was appointed a distinguished teacher by the Taipei City Department of Education. In 2022 Shao received the Ministry of Education’s Excellent Teacher Award, and in 2018 co-authored high school music textbooks for the 108 Curriculum.
Founded in August 2024, TCS Female Choir 5 is the sixth ensemble of the TCS Institute for Choral Arts. Led by conductor 莊皓瑋, who loves nature and simple, beautiful things, the choir is dedicated to singing training that promotes physical, mental and spiritual well-being. Learning happily together, this young choir hopes to grow like seeds into a rich and diverse forest, helping its members become healthy, energetic, confident and creative choral singers, and bringing the beauty of choral sound into a healthy way of life.
The choir is also committed to community service, performing in local communities, care homes and social welfare institutions, bringing choral art closer to everyday life and supporting the TCS Institute’s mission of making choral singing part of daily life.
莊皓瑋, Conductor
莊皓瑋 holds a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree in voice from National Taipei University of Education, majoring in voice with minors in piano and composition, and has extensive experience in vocal performance, a cappella ensemble singing, choral singing, collaborative piano and vocal technique training.
莊皓瑋 has been commissioned to write arrangements for Taipei HuaShin Children’s Chorus, TCS Singers and TCS Women’s Choir, and has collaborated as a pianist with many choirs. 莊皓瑋 has conducted school and community choirs and currently coaches several church, community and university choirs as resident vocal instructor.
A singer with the Taipei Chamber Singers since 2009, 莊皓瑋 often appears as a soloist and has toured with the choir to Hong Kong, Tokyo, Shanghai, France and Italy, gaining extensive experience in contemporary vocal music. 莊皓瑋 is passionate about teaching singing and has developed a personal approach to healthy vocal training.
鐘涵雯, Piano
鐘涵雯 graduated from National Taiwan University of Arts, majoring in piano. 鐘涵雯 is active as a collaborative pianist in music competitions and performances across Taiwan and has performed at music festivals and international choral competitions abroad. 鐘涵雯 is currently collaborative pianist for TCS Female Choir 5, Kuang Ching Choir, Feng Ya Song Choir, Fengyou Chamber Choir and Shih Yu Choir.
Organizers & Sponsors
Organizer
Taipei Chamber Choral Arts and Culture AssociationSponsor
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