Keelung’s blind pianist Hsu Cheh-cheng plays for the people of Turkey

Keelung’s blind pianist Hsu Cheh-cheng plays for the people of Turkey

2023-02-15

Last week, Keelung shoppers were astonished by a surprise performance by pianist Hsu Cheh-cheng. Hsu held a pop-up concert in a shopping mall in the city. It was a tribute to the people of Turkey, as they deal with the aftermath of the horrendous earthquake that struck on Feb. 6. A native of Keelung, Hsu was born blind and is now an internationally sought-after concert pianist who was trained in Austria. He says he particularly enjoys playing in public places, because of the "down-to-earth" atmosphere, and the chance to connect more deeply with the audience.

His hands fly deftly over the keys. A beautiful melody soars out through this shopping mall and its hubbub. Many shoppers pause to listen and enjoy the special occasion.

This is Keelung’s celebrated pianist Hsu Cheh-cheng. He’s playing Mozart’s “Turkish March” as a tribute to the people of Turkey.

Hsu Cheh-cheng
Pianist
I wanted to play the “Turkish March” even though it’s a very happy tune, because I wanted to inspire people’s compassion. If any of our friends in Turkey are listening, I hope it can bring hope into their hearts.

Hsu performed the pop-up concert at Keelung’s E-Square Mall last Friday afternoon, selecting a wide program of piano pieces. Many listeners went away deeply touched.

Member of public
I’ve got tears in my eyes. No matter what struggles we encounter, it’s enough to make us carry on with courage. Really.

39-year-old Hsu was born blind. At the age of three, he could pick out the notes on a piano to a tune hummed by his grandfather. He began piano lessons at the age of five, and at 13 he won first prize in an international piano competition for visually-impaired youth. He then went to Austria for further training, and has been invited to perform around the world. But despite his pedigree, he loves to play for passing crowds in Taiwan’s public places.

Hsu Cheh-cheng
Pianist
I think the atmosphere is very down-to-earth. Otherwise, if you play in a concert hall, you’re very far away from the people. It really feels like we’re performing somewhere high and lofty above them. But in fact, as performers we feel very lonely. But in public places, you can connect with people up close.

For his final encore, Hsu even sang while playing. Through music, he hopes to create connections with everyone around him, even his friends on the other side of the planet.

土耳其地震嚴重傷亡視障鋼琴家演奏鼓勵人心

2023-02-15

土耳其大地震，讓世界各國的民眾都感到心疼。基隆一名視障鋼琴家"許哲誠"，日前在東岸廣場大廳，以快閃演奏的方式，在人來人往的大廳，演奏莫札特的土耳其進行曲，希望藉由音樂能讓土耳其居民走出悲傷，同時也鼓勵台灣人多伸出援手幫忙，讓現場民眾聽得感動哽咽。

雙手靈巧地在黑白琴鍵上遊走，音符飄盪在人來人往的商場，吸引民眾停下腳步，享受這場音樂盛宴。

基隆著名的視障鋼琴家"許哲誠"，特別演奏莫札特的土耳其進行曲，希望能替土耳其居民加油打氣。

[[視障鋼琴家許哲誠]]
“我想用這首土耳其進行曲，雖然它聽起來是很快樂的一首曲子，可是我希望這首曲子，能夠讓大家能發揮愛心。土耳其的觀眾朋友們，如果能夠聽到的話，也能夠在心目中帶來盼望”

許哲誠上周五下午，以快閃演奏的方式，在基隆東岸廣場大廳，一連演奏多首鋼琴音樂，讓民眾感動到哽咽。

[[民眾]]
“眼眶就要流(淚)出來了，可以讓大家，就是不管遭遇到什麼挫折，都要勇敢地活下來，真的”

今年39歲的許哲誠，天生眼盲，3歲時就能把外公哼的民謠精準彈出來，5歲開始拜師學藝，13歲獲得國際身障青年鋼琴首獎，之後便到奧地利深造，受邀到世界各地演出，但他依然喜愛在公共場合，演奏給民眾聽。

[[視障鋼琴家許哲誠]]
“我覺得氛圍是一種接地氣的，要不然如果你在一個音樂廳裡面，跟人群是非常遠的，感覺就會好像真的是，我們高高在上地在演出，可是實際上我們演出者會覺得很孤單，但是在公共場合，可以跟大家近距離的相處”

最後安可曲，許哲誠邊彈邊唱，用最愛的音樂，拉近與民眾的距離，並對世界表達關懷。

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Taiwan’s rescue team returned home from Turkey on Wednesday, after more than a hundred hours of grueling work in earthquake-stricken areas. Over a five-day period, the team of 130 rescuers and five rescue dogs worked nonstop and rescued three people from under collapsed buildings. Team leader Huang Po-tsun said he was honored to have helped, adding that among his three overseas missions, Turkey was the most unforgettable.

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Lin Yu-chang
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Our efforts were recognized by Turkey. We’ve helped the country more or less. I think it was worthwhile, even though it was cold, really cold. When I was in Iran, at minus 4 degrees, I didn’t feel so cold. But under Turkey’s minus 4 degrees, I couldn’t stop shivering.

This is the third overseas search and rescue mission led by firefighter Huang Po-tsun, who said Turkey was the most unforgettable among them.

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I’ve led exactly three overseas search teams. This time I’ve also felt most honored, and it was unforgettable. Now I have frostbite on various parts of my body, so it’s felt in the bones too.

Though many parts of Huang’s body were frostbitten, the pain cannot compare to that experienced by Turkish locals affected by the earthquake. The rescue team’s relentless effort once again showed the world that “Taiwan Can Help.”

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President Tsai Ing-wen and Paraguay President Mario Abdo Benitez, pose for a group photo with representatives from allied nations in Latin America and the Caribbean. The ICDF on Wednesday held the Empower Women Empower LAC Forum. There Tsai discussed her administration’s efforts to achieve gender equality in Taiwan.

Tsai Ing-wen
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In 2019, Taiwan finally became the first country in Asia to legalize same-sex marriage. Over in the government, 40% of our lawmakers were women. That’s the highest ratio in Asia. On the front of economics, 37% of our enterprises are women-led small and medium enterprises.

Many of Taiwan’s allies bore the brunt of COVID. To help them, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs commissioned the ICDF to launch programs to provide technical assistance, educational training and financial services for women-led small and medium enterprises in Taiwan’s diplomatic allies.

Women who benefitted from the programs were in attendance at the event. Together with his wife Paraguay’s president spoke about how the programs had helped women in his country.

Mario Abdo Benitez
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I would like to thank the R.O.C. Taiwan for providing US$5 million in funds so that these programs can be implemented more concretely.

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Egg prices are soaring sky high again. School catering companies have been forced to adjust their menus, reducing the number of eggs in meals.

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What we’re doing is basically adding some vegetables on top of the eggs, for example things kids like, such as onions, sweet corn and tomatoes. For the protein, we’re using vegetable-based proteins to make up the difference, such as soft and dried tofu.

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Meanwhile, on the popular discussion network PTT, netizens are discussing which foods they’ve stopped buying due to the soaring prices. The top three are chicken cutlets, hand-shaken drinks and eggs.

Hsia Tzu-wen
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Soy products, seafood, fish, and even beef and pork, can all replace the protein from eggs. Of course, there are some nutrients which are more particular to eggs, such as lecithin. We hope that people eat a balanced diet, because when you consume a varied diet, you can get the nutrients you would get from eggs from other sources.

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Hsia Tzu-wen
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Former Finance Minister Lin Chen-kuo, who is 85 this year, thanks the medical team at Taipei Veterans General Hospital. During the Lunar New Year break, Lin was sent to the emergency room due to severe tricuspid valve regurgitation, which even triggered heart failure.

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