The “National Taipei Normal University Alumni Art Festival” was held at the Taiwan Center in Flushing, New York on September 27th, featuring children’s opera, Chopin’s famous pieces, Taiwanese folk songs, as well as artworks in ink wash painting, gouache, and oil painting. National Taipei Normal University alumni and several Taiwanese artists living in the United States took the stage, presenting a fusion of music, visual arts, and cross-cultural creativity to the overseas Taiwanese community in New York, showcasing the integration of art, education, and Taiwanese culture.
The event was organized by the National Taipei Normal University East Coast Alumni Association and co-organized by the Association of Chinese Schools in the East Coast (ACS). The organizers aimed to combine music, visual arts, children’s education, and cultural heritage through the “National Taipei Normal University Alumni Art Festival,” providing a platform for Taiwanese artists and the younger generation in the United States to showcase their talents and engage in cultural exchange.
Welcoming the attendees were Deputy Director Huang Weiren of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in New York, Director Wang Yiru of the Overseas Community Services Center, Chairman Su Chunhuai of the Taiwan Center, and President Ji Qinghua of the National Taipei Normal University East Coast Alumni Association.
One of the highlights of the musical program that day was the English children’s opera “Tiny Finds the Mighties” composed and conducted by National Taipei Normal University alum Li Yu. This production, adapted from Li Yu’s 2025 children’s book “The Strong, the Fast, and the Tiny,” received support from the New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA) in 2026.
The performance lineup included Japanese soprano Manami Hattori, National Taipei Normal University alumni Yi-Chun Sarah Tsai, Yanzi Ding, Johan Hartman, Ting-Yi Chen, along with a small ensemble of violin, viola, cello, and double bass. The children of National Taipei Normal University alumni and the Edison Chinese School Children’s Chorus also participated in the performance.
Another poignant segment of the art festival paid tribute through music to Patsy Fang Chen, the former chairman of the New York Taiwan Center and artistic director of the Little Lions Youth Orchestra, who passed away earlier this year.
Tenor Dr. Fan Zengchang specially wrote Hakka poems for Chopin’s “Tristesse,” and performed in collaboration with pianist You Xiuzhen and cellist Zhong Qiren, dedicating the music to commemorate Patsy Fang Chen’s long-standing contributions to the New York Taiwanese community and music education.
The grand finale of the art festival featured the world premiere of “Island of Freedom,” composed by Taiwanese composer Zhang Yucheng, as a concluding piece of the musical concert.
In addition to the stage performances, the Taiwan Center transformed into an art exhibition venue that day. Curated by American-based artist and Vice President of the National Taipei Normal University East Coast Alumni Association Li Liting, the art exhibition showcased diverse works in watercolor, gouache, oil painting, ink wash painting, calligraphy, and other mediums, presenting the multifaceted creative expressions of Taiwanese artists in the United States.
Featured artists in the exhibition included Zeng Fumei, Hou Zhongying, Huang Zhizhang, Lin Rongfeng, Lin Shibao, Guo Xuehua, Ji Qinghua, Li Liting, Li Chunxiang, and Huang Manyu, among others.
Established in 1973, the National Taipei Normal University East Coast Alumni Association is the first alumni association of National Taipei Normal University founded in the United States. It has been bringing alumni together through education, culture, community service, and alumni exchanges for over fifty years. The current president is Ji Qinghua, with Li Liting serving as the first vice president and Su Yongchun as the second vice president. The co-organizing body, the Association of Chinese Schools in the East Coast, was founded in 1974 and is one of the longest-standing Chinese school organizations in the United States, dedicated to promoting overseas Chinese language education and the inheritance of Chinese culture.