Taiwan's Only Private Orchestra Makes Japan Debut Under Star Dutch Conductor

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Taiwan's only private orchestra has arrived in Japan for the first time. The Evergreen Symphony Orchestra (ESO) was led on its Japan tour by Dutch conductor Jaap van Zweden, former music director of the New York Philharmonic, who has served as the ensemble's artist-in-residence since last year.

Though founded just 24 years ago, ESO's rapid rise was on full display in its Gustav Mahler performance during the tour's Japan leg. Van Zweden expressed confidence that an orchestra does not need tradition or a long history to become excellent.

Creating Opportunities for Taiwanese Musicians at Home

ESO was established in 2002 by the Chang Yung-Fa Charity Foundation, set up by Chang Yung-Fa, founder of Taiwan's Evergreen Group, which includes the major shipping company Evergreen Marine and Eva Air.

Jim Chang, a director of the foundation and ESO's chief executive, explained that the group's founder loved classical music and the foundation had long funded scholarships for students studying music abroad.

The problem, he said, was that these musicians had nowhere to work once they returned home, which was the impetus for founding the orchestra. To raise ESO's standard and establish its international reputation, Chang said, the foundation needed to bring in a top-tier conductor—which is how it approached Van Zweden.

Van Zweden was born in Amsterdam in 1960. He studied violin at New York's Juilliard School and served as concertmaster of the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra in Amsterdam before turning to conducting.

He has held posts including chief conductor of the Netherlands Radio Philharmonic, music director of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, and music director of the Hong Kong Philharmonic, followed by a tenure with the New York Philharmonic from 2018 to 2024.

This season he takes up the post of music director of the Radio France Philharmonic Orchestra.

*Jaap van Zweden, appointed artist-in-residence last year, at The Okura Tokyo on July 21. (©Sankei/Kazuo Ehara)*

Effort and Perseverance

Having also served as music director of the Seoul Philharmonic, Van Zweden is well acquainted with the classical music scene across Asia.

He observed that the strength of Asian orchestras has traditionally been rooted in their string sections, noting that Juilliard was home to large numbers of Asian students in the 1970s, particularly from Japan and South Korea, who stood out among their peers.

Since then, he said, other Asian countries including Taiwan have caught up, with more Asian musicians winning major competitions and wind sections steadily rising to the same standard as strings.

He pointed to orchestras such as the NHK Symphony Orchestra and ensembles in Hong Kong, Seoul, Beijing, and Shanghai as examples where strings and winds are now at comparable levels across Asia.

Describing his own role as bringing ESO up to that top tier, he said that a year and a half into his tenure, the orchestra is steadily approaching the standard he envisions for it.

Van Zweden also spoke about the character he associates with Asian musicians, recalling that his own father was a pianist.

During practice sessions as a child, he would keep playing for another 30 minutes even after his father said they had done enough for the day—a trait, he said, he inherited from his father: a dedication to study and effort.

He linked this same drive and perseverance among Asian musicians to the orchestra's growth, noting that ESO's own members keep telling him they want to practice more.

This reporter attended ESO's July 21 concert at the Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre. The first half featured baritone Thomas Hampson performing selections from Mahler's song cycle Des Knaben Wunderhorn, followed in the second half by Mahler's Symphony No. 1, "Titan." In "Titan," the orchestra matched Van Zweden's direction precisely, capturing even Mahler's boldest dynamic shifts—and the musicians' evident dedication on stage was striking to witness.

The July 21 ESO concert at the Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre featured baritone Thomas Hampson performing selections from Mahler's song cycle Des Knaben Wunderhorn in the first half, followed by Mahler's Symphony No. 1, "Titan," in the second.

In "Titan," the orchestra responded precisely to Van Zweden’s direction, capturing even Mahler's most dramatic dynamic shifts. The musicians' evident dedication and commitment on stage made a particularly strong impression.

Aiming to Become 'The Jewel in the Crown'

ESO has been taking steady steps to raise its profile, including recruiting William Wei—a laureate of the Queen Elisabeth Competition now active as a soloist across Europe and the United States—as concertmaster in May.

This latest tour includes stops in Tokyo and Niigata, following a performance in Singapore the previous week. The orchestra will return to Japan in October to perform in Kyoto and Osaka, with a European tour planned for next

Calling Mahler an essential composer for the orchestra, Van Zweden explained that he invited American baritone Thomas Hampson—widely regarded as one of the leading interpreters of Mahler's vocal repertoire—as a guest artist because collaborating on music with a world-class performer is a valuable experience for the ensemble.

He pushed back on the notion that time alone builds a great orchestra, noting that an orchestra celebrated today will not necessarily still be great in a century. What matters, he said, is the quality of an orchestra's education. He stated plainly that ESO is on track to become the jewel in the crown.

Chang, ESO's chief executive, noted that Van Zweden became concertmaster of the Concertgebouw at just 19, went on to elevate the standard of the Dallas Symphony, and earned acclaim for his Ring cycle with the Hong Kong Philharmonic—comparing him, in business terms, to a turnaround specialist. He said the foundation is committed to backing ESO fully as it builds its international reputation.

Support for Children With Autism

ESO's work extends beyond music. It has also supported education initiatives, aid for low-income families, and relief efforts following the Great East Japan Earthquake—including concerts and other support programs for children with autism.

One of Van Zweden's own children is autistic. In 1997, he and his wife Aaltje established the Papageno Foundation—named for the character in Mozart's opera The Magic Flute—to support families raising children with autism.

The foundation built Papageno House, a residence where young people with autism can live, work, and take part in their communities. Around 45 musicians are now involved in the foundation's music therapy programs.

Van Zweden said his affinity for the foundation's mission was itself part of why he took up the ESO post, adding that giving back to society is one of the most important things a person can do in life.