Choral music is flourishing in Taiwan: composer Will Todd on his experiences collaborating with the Soochow University Alumni Choir in Taiwan

Will Todd & Soochow University Alumni Choir

Composer Will Todd has been collaborating with a choir in Taiwan, the Soochow University Alumni Choir, first performing his Mass in Blue in 2024 then writing a commission for them and then creating what he consider his third jazz oratorio (after Mass in Blue and Passion Music). Todd and the choir performed it me twice in Taiwan and again in the summer touring to Japan. In this article, Will Todd talks about his experiences being in Taiwan, Taiwanese choral music and his new Christmas-themed oratorio, The Promise written for the Soochow University Alumni Choir.

Choral music is flourishing in Taiwan with beautiful performances of Western music and excellent newer compositions from contemporary Taiwanese composers. There are choirs all over the country and several top class choral conducting and singing programmes at Taiwanese Universities. I know this because I have experienced it first hand having had the good fortune to work there over the past three years. Beginning with an invitation from Soochow University Alumni Choir to perform my jazz choral work Mass in Blue I travelled there in 2024 where the choir gave a brilliant performance, with guest jazz musicians at the National Concert Hall of Taipei. And it was packed out with nearly 2000 concert goers! Also on the programme were works by Taiwanese composers some of whom had been commissioned by Soochow University Alumni Choir. Among these modern compositions, sometimes reflecting Chinese folk music traditions as well as skilfully weaving in more lyrical western harmonic elements and setting Chinese and Taiwanese texts, we heard, among others music by Weng Ching-hsi, Tianhao Ran, Shen-Hsien Liu and Yu Chung-yuan. I also visited the Soochow University and was privileged to direct a masterclass with a group of excellent up and coming young composers, their emerging styles often blending pop and classical genres and showing a real enthusiasm for choral music.