JU Percussion Group

Rooted in Taiwan and shine on the world stage, JU Percussion Group has played in 27 different countries around the world, cultivating more than 120,000 percussion learners by means of its instruction system. Besides, the group has been commissioned to create as many as 200 pieces so far. The growth of JU Percussion Group is, so to speak, a reflection of how contemporary percussion develops on the island.

In 1986, in a hot pot restaurant in Taipei, JU Percussion Group dined here around a table together and took the occasion to tell the whole world that the very first professional percussion band was born in Taiwan. To them, this banquet was a symbol of unity. In 1992, the instruction system of JU Percussion Group came into being, sweeping the country with interesting and genuine teaching style. At present, in addition to the 26 music schools in Taiwan, JU Percussion Group has broken into the markets of China and Australia ambitiously. In 1993, the group started to organize Taipei International Percussion Convention(TIPC), hooking the country up formally with the international community. In 2009, Mr. Ju, Tzong-Ching, was the first Chinese presented the Award of Lifetime Achievement in Education by Percussive Arts Society (PAS) in November.

Initially, when JU Percussion Group was formed, the general public in Taiwan was unfamiliar with its music genre. Thanks to the group's contribution, JU Percussion Group soon became a household name throughout the island. In 1987, the group left the concert hall and performed outside in front of tourist attractions and historic buildings. Since 1988, the group has been organizing concerts specially designed for young children. In 1989, its New Year Concert was unprecedented successful.

On one hand, JU Percussion Group is working on discovering more potential audience. On the other hand, the group strives to cooperate with cross-over artists to extend the limits of percussion. Simply five months after its establishment, the group worked with the Cloud Gate Dance Theatre of Taiwan in Legacy. Moreover, the group worked with Lan Ling Theatre Workshop in "Fireflies' Light". In 1992, JU Percussion Group released its concert, "Taiwan in Four Seasons", in the manner of music theatre in the National Theatre. Yet, to take the music of percussion to a new stage, JU Percussion Group "Mulan" was a successful integration of percussion and Beijing Opera. The group created a new performing style— percussion theatre.

To make its performance full of variety, JU Percussion Group holds three grand concerts every year to demonstrate its capability of being creative, inheriting the cultural legacy, and pulling the western and the oriental societies closer. Therefore, in addition to western percussion, members of JU Percussion Group have to learn oriental percussion like Beijing Opera Gong, Lion Dance Drum, and Nanguan / Beiguan Music. Apart from concerts, composing authentic songs to release is another feature of the group. JU Percussion Group is one of the few ensembles owning its exclusive composers. Besides, it invests massive resources in domestic and overseas creation to develop and treasure the voice of this era.

JU Percussion Group is rooted in Taiwan and shine on the world stage. The group is widely recognized and has been invited to various international occasions such as "Quartier D'ete, Paris," "Budapest Spring Festival, Hungary," "2005 World Exposition, Japan," and "Chekhov International Theatre Festival, Moscow, Russia." Besides, the group has also performed in Washington D.C, U.S.A. On the other hand, JU Percussion Group has always been a cultural ambassador across the Strait, performing in different provinces of China like Xian, Beijing, and Shanghai.

Since its establishment, JU Percussion Group has been booming and prosperous on the island. Appealing to the creativity of the youth, JU Percussion Group 2 devotes itself actively to promote concerts of children. While Jumping Percussion Group focuses mainly on performing around different schools, Juvenile Percussion Ensemble recruits learners primarily from its instruction system. Both of them present the vitality of percussion among new generations in Taiwan.

JU, TZONG - CHING / Founder & Artistic Director

Ju, Tzong-Ching has played a significant role in enhancing the wide interest in percussion music in Taiwan over the last two decades, and the popularity of percussion music in Taiwan owes a great deal to Ju for his pioneering efforts in music education. Upon graduating from the National Taiwan Academy of the Arts, Ju continued his percussion studies at Hochschule für Musik und Darstellende Kunst in Vienna with Walter Veigl and Richard Hochrainer, former principal percussionist of the Wiener Philharmoniker.

Upon returning to Taiwan, Ju served as the principal percussionist of the Taiwan Symphony Orchestra. He founded Taiwan's first percussion ensemble, the Ju Percussion Group (JPG), in January 1986. Three years later, the Ju Percussion Group Foundation was formed to handle JPG's administrative affairs. In 1992, Ju established the Ju Percussion Music School, the first domestically-developed percussion education system and the fastest channel to promote the percussive arts in Taiwan.

Ju, Tzong-Ching received a Youth Medal in 1983, and in 1988, he was named one of the Ten Outstanding Young Persons of Taiwan. In 2009, the Percussive Arts Society (PAS) has awarded Ju the 2009 Lifetime Achievement in Education Award.

Review

“The Ju Percussion group...has eager, active and highly competent performers.”

—The New York Times

“The Ju Percussion Group has dramatically increased percussion education and done an outstanding job of informing the public about percussion music.”

—Percussive Notes

“The Ju Percussion Group is marked by outstanding musicianship and disciplined playing, ...Their personalities come through, adding greatly to the enjoyment of the show. ”

—Lawrence Journal-World

“Not only was the performance uniquely presented, but the running and training of the Ju Percussion Group demonstrated professionalism.”

—All Music Magazine, Taiwan

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