Tour Dates: 9 - 19 Nov, 2012

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

Ticket Information:

Under the direction of Ju, Tzong-Ching, JPG has become known worldwide for its innovative blend of East and West, traditional and contemporary. Through its more than 100 domestic and international performances annually, its reaches an approximate audience 150,000 each year., and has largely increased Taiwan’s visibility on the international percussion map.

Since its establishment, JPG has performed in Asia, Europe, Australia and America. Starting from 1993, the Group has been joined in performances by leading percussion ensembles from different continents at the Taipei International Percussion Convention (TIPC).

JPG was invited to release the concerts for four times in Percussion Arts Society International Convention(PASIC). In 2009 JPG had performed in the ”PASIC Evening Concert” in Indianapolis, U.S.A.

JPG collaborated with the world-famous Les Percussions de Strasbourg (France) on the cultural-exchange project, Les Douze Lunes du Serpent, which was premiered in December 2001. Invited by the Budapest Spring Festival, JPG and the Amadinda Percussion Group (Hungary) jointly presented James Wood’s grand percussive work Stoicheia in 2002. In the following year, JPG was invited to take part in the Chekhov International Theatre Festival in2003 and 2007, and the first international performance season of the National Centre for the Performing Arts in Beijing in 2008. Their participation in both events received critical acclaim. In 2010, JPG is invited to take a part in Canton Asian Music Festival.

JPG has actively cultivated percussion music by regularly commissioning and premiering compositions. It has accumulated more than 150 national and international commissioned works.

JPG pioneered the development of the percussive arts in Taiwan. Through the classical, popular and children concerts that JPG arranged annually, it has contributed to the steadily growing popularity of percussion music in Taiwan.

JU, TZONG-CHING／FOUNDER AND 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. Ju received the diploma of Music Performer in percussion in 1982.

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. In 1994, he initiated the Traditional Percussion Center, whose mission was to preserve traditional percussion music. In 1998, he launched Arts Circle, a magazine to further promote percussion music and the arts.

Ju, Tzong-Ching received a Youth Medal in 1983, and was named one of the Ten Outstanding Young Persons of Taiwan in 1988. He was honored with the National Award for Arts of the National Culture and Arts Foundation, R. O. C. in 2000. In 2005, he earned his Executive Master of Business Administration degree from the National Taiwan University. The Percussive Arts Society (PAS) has awarded Ju the Outstanding Contribution Award three times his dedication to the percussive arts. In addition, he received Fulbright Grant in 1996. In 2009, the Percussive Arts Society (PAS) has awarded Ju the 2009 Lifetime Achievement in Education Award.

Ju served as a board member of PAS from 1998 to 1999 and as the dean of the music department at the Taipei National University of the Arts (TNUA) from 1997 to 2000. He was the Director of National Taiwan Symphony Orchestra and the Artistic Director of the National Chiang Kai-shek Cultural Center R.O.C. - National Theatre and National Concert Hall from 2001 until 2004. He currently serves as the president of the Taipei National University of the Arts (TNUA) and artistic director of JPG.

Program:

Reviews:

“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