Golden Melody honor traditional arts, music

2014-08-12

The 25th Golden Melody Awards for Traditional Arts and Music were held Aug. 9 in Taipei City, attracting record submissions of 193 albums and 2,467 pieces from 128 entrants, according to the Ministry of Culture.

“Traditional arts should be promoted as the core of our culture as they represent voices, aesthetics and languages of our own people,” MOC Minister Lung Ying-tai said at the awards ceremony.

A total of 11 awards were shared by nine local artists such as Li Yuan-chen and Hung Chien-hui, as well as 10 arts groups including ArchiMusic Production Co. Ltd. and Muse Art and Culture Management Co. Ltd.

Taipei Puppet Theater won Best Annual Group Performance Award and a cash prize of NT$500,000 (US$16,666) for its unconventional interpretation of Chinese literary classic “Outlaws of the Marsh.”

Special Award for Drama Performances went to late musician Liu Wen-liang, who was recognized for his innovative efforts to introduce Western orchestra to the art of Taiwan opera. Liu composed 200 music pieces for nearly 50 traditional dramas in his lifetime.

“This recognition for Liu is long overdue,” Lung said. “It reminds us that traditional arts should be promoted sooner rather than later.”

Special Award for Publication was given to musician Fan Man-long for her commitment to promoting traditional arts and exchanges between the local and overseas art scenes.

Best Album Production Award was claimed by Bunun Cultural Association in Xinyi Township of Nantou County, and Best Traditional Music Album Award went to a recording of 50-plus aboriginal Amis elders from Taitung County produced by Miaoli Culture Studio.

This year’s event also includes the new Best Recording Award and Drama Performance Section. The former was claimed by Yu Tzu-tse, while new acting talents Huang Yu-ling, Liu Wen-liang and the Taipei Puppet Theater claimed the latter.

Source: Taiwan Today (http://taiwantoday.tw/ct.asp?xItem=220498&CtNode=413)