The Little Giant Chinese
Chamber Orchestra (“gCO”) was founded in October 2000 by its
artistic director and conductor Chih-Sheng Chen. With ten years of
experience, the gCO has matured into an ensemble of both technical
and artistic proficiency. A strong musical force in Taiwan, it
represents a new generation of Chinese orchestral music. It strives
to demonstrate the energy and passion of its dedicated musicians
with every performance. The gCO breathes new life into an art form
that holds ancient roots, and devotes itself to promoting Chinese
music on the world stage.
The gCO’s repertoire ranges from the
classics of Chinese traditional works to the latest contemporary
compositions by Taiwanese and Chinese composers. It offers a
full season at the prestigious National Concert Hall in Taiwan,
presenting both the full orchestra of over one hundred musicians
and smaller chamber ensembles throughout the year. In recent
years, the orchestra has presented large-scale interdisciplinary
projects, combining theatre and multimedia with orchestral
music. Its international appearances include the Zentrum für
Kunst und Medientechnologie (ZKM) at the 2007 Flying Circus
Festival in Germany, the 2008 Hong Kong International Chinese
Music Festival, the Edmonton Chinese Music Festival and a
concert in Vancouver during its 2010 debut Canada Tour. In
addition, the gCO’s educational programs have introduced
thousands of young audience members to Chinese music. The gCO
has released three CDs and one DVD from its live performances.
