Professor Wei-Chun Wang of the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences at Taiwan Tech has received widespread acclaim for teaching general education courses such as “Vibrant Chorus” and “Music and Culture” over the years. In the 112th academic year, in collaboration with the General Education Center, she organized the event “Under the Same Moonlight — Soundscape Choral Theater”. In addition to guiding students from the general education course “Vibrant Chorus” to perform on stage, the event also featured a performance by the Yun-Chung Chamber Choir, sponsored by the Bao-Sheng Cultural and Educational Foundation, bringing a heart-warming artistic feast to the hearts of students, faculty, and the surrounding community in the southern part of the city.

A group photo from the event “Under the Same Moonlight — Soundscape Choral Theater”.

Students from the general education course “Vibrant Chorus” express themselves on stage.

Professor Wei-Chun Wang, who has been teaching at Taiwan Tech for 14 years, has received recognition for her teaching excellence, including two consecutive years of the Ministry of Education's Teaching Practice Research Excellence Project and the Outstanding General Education Teacher Award. To provide students with different learning experiences, she took the opportunity to organize this concert to cultivate interdisciplinary talents. The concert, centered around the theme of “moon”, not only presented choral art completely, but also incorporated digital technology, sound collection, soundscapes, dance, drama, and other elements in a cross-disciplinary choral theater format to showcase students' learning outcomes.

Careful consideration was given to the selection of pieces, including choral works related to the moon and soundscapes, as well as renowned domestic and international compositions such as “Diu Diu Deng”, “Moonlight in the City”, “Why is it raining again today”, “La La Land”, “Baba Yetu” and more. The performance design conveyed feelings of the city and the country about looking at the moon and homesickness. In addition to exploring the gap between urban and rural areas, it aims to construct a sense of urban-rural sustainability in both performers and the audience through the production.

A performance snapshot of the Yun-Chung Chamber Choir.

Professor Wei-Chun Wang, serving as both the artistic director and conductor of the choir, expressed that choral singing can train musical abilities, cultivate character, and enhance aesthetics. It is considered the best teaching activity for constructing positive personality development and interpersonal relationships. In her courses this semester, she integrated “soundscapes” into course materials and theatrical performances. In the form of a choral theater, she combined collected soundscapes and images, reinterpreting the historical positioning and contemporary meaning of the repertoire, practicing music advocacy, and enhancing students' “musical IQ”.

The participating students come from diverse backgrounds, and through composition and choir participation, they have developed cohesion and a sense of belonging. Additionally, Professor Wei-Chun Wang specially invited dancer En-Ru Lin to design dance movements for “La La Land” and invited both the Yun-Chung Chamber Choir and students from “Vibrant Chorus” to perform together. This provided an opportunity for university youth and experienced adults to engage in dialogue and collaboration, thoroughly enjoying the pleasure of stage performance.

Yun-Chung Chamber Choir and students from “Vibrant Chorus” performed “Baba Yetu” together.

Director Sy-Ying Lee of the General Education Center mentioned that this performance is the first event in the series “Art in the Southern City” organized by the General Education Center's art and cultural exhibition activities. The goal is to enhance humanistic literacy within the campus and create more opportunities for students, faculty, and residents in the surrounding area to participate in artistic feasts. This aligns with the General Education Center's philosophy of “Professionalization of General Education”, incorporating professional knowledge and skills into course design, showcasing the depth and breadth of Taiwan Tech's general education courses.

A group photo featuring Artistic Director and Conductor Professor Wei-Chun Wang (second from the left) with honored guests. From left to right: Professor Wei-Hwa Chiang from the Department of Architecture, Professor Wei-Chun Wang, Director Sy-Ying Lee of the Taiwan Tech General Education Center, and teacher Tai-Chung Chiang.

The performance pieces “Tong Flower Waltz” and “Why is it raining again today” were composed by Golden Melody Award winner Wei-Nin Chen. The photo features the composer Wei-Bin Chen and his spouse taking a photo with Professor Wei-Chun Wang (on the right).