Century-Old Munich Philharmonic Led by Shani to Perform 3 Concerts in Taipei and Kaohsiung
The historic Munich Philharmonic, led by chief conductor designate Lahav Shani and featuring Korean pianist Seong-Jin Cho, will hold a three-concert Asia tour in Taiwan.
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- 📰 Published: April 24, 2026 at 23:06
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Central News Agency
(CNA Reporter Zhao Jing-yu, Taipei, 24th) The century-old Munich Philharmonic will visit Taiwan again, led by chief conductor designate Lahav Shani and joining hands with Korean pianist Seong-Jin Cho for an Asia tour, bringing the orchestra's signature repertoires such as works by Johannes Brahms and Gustav Mahler.
The Münchner Philharmoniker was founded in 1893, initially composed of a group of outstanding soloists. Due to their excellent performances, great conductors like Mahler and Bruno Walter successively served as the orchestra's music directors. Taken over by the Munich city government during World War I, the orchestra has always maintained its traditions, particularly excelling in the interpretation of German and Austrian classical repertoires.
From 1979, Romanian conductor Sergiu Celibidache served as the orchestra's music director. The 17-year collaboration built a rich and profound sound for the Munich Philharmonic. Because Celibidache insisted on not making recordings, the Munich Philharmonic's live performances became highly sought after. Some audience members even hid tape recorders under their coats to secretly record in the concert hall, leaking out as "rustling trench coat versions." Despite the poor sound quality, music fans still flocked to them.
Starting from the new concert season in the second half of 2026, Shani will officially take over the Munich Philharmonic. He is currently also the music director of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra and the chief conductor of the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra. Shani won the first prize in the Mahler International Conducting Competition in 2013 and took over as the music director of the Israel Philharmonic from Zubin Mehta in 2020.
Regarding his upcoming visit to Taiwan, Shani expressed his great pleasure to visit Taiwan with the Munich Philharmonic, "Looking forward to reviving the warmth, openness, and curiosity of the Taiwanese audience with the Munich Philharmonic again."
For this visit to Taiwan, the Munich Philharmonic will perform a total of three concerts in Taipei and Kaohsiung. The first two concerts will be at the National Concert Hall in Taipei. On April 29, they will perform Beethoven's "Egmont" Overture, Prokofiev's "Piano Concerto No. 2 in G minor," and Brahms's "Symphony No. 4 in E minor." On May 1, they will perform Mozart's "Die Entführung aus dem Serail" Overture, Schubert's Symphony No. 8 in B minor "Unfinished," and Mahler's Symphony No. 1 in D major "Titan."
On May 2, they will appear at the concert hall of the National Kaohsiung Center for the Arts (Weiwuying), bringing Mozart's "Die Entführung aus dem Serail" Overture, Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 1 in C major, and Mahler's Symphony No. 1 in D major "Titan." The pianist role will be taken by Seong-Jin Cho.
(CNA Reporter Zhao Jing-yu, Taipei, 24th) The century-old Munich Philharmonic will visit Taiwan again, led by chief conductor designate Lahav Shani and joining hands with Korean pianist Seong-Jin Cho for an Asia tour, bringing the orchestra's signature repertoires such as works by Johannes Brahms and Gustav Mahler.
The Münchner Philharmoniker was founded in 1893, initially composed of a group of outstanding soloists. Due to their excellent performances, great conductors like Mahler and Bruno Walter successively served as the orchestra's music directors. Taken over by the Munich city government during World War I, the orchestra has always maintained its traditions, particularly excelling in the interpretation of German and Austrian classical repertoires.
From 1979, Romanian conductor Sergiu Celibidache served as the orchestra's music director. The 17-year collaboration built a rich and profound sound for the Munich Philharmonic. Because Celibidache insisted on not making recordings, the Munich Philharmonic's live performances became highly sought after. Some audience members even hid tape recorders under their coats to secretly record in the concert hall, leaking out as "rustling trench coat versions." Despite the poor sound quality, music fans still flocked to them.
Starting from the new concert season in the second half of 2026, Shani will officially take over the Munich Philharmonic. He is currently also the music director of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra and the chief conductor of the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra. Shani won the first prize in the Mahler International Conducting Competition in 2013 and took over as the music director of the Israel Philharmonic from Zubin Mehta in 2020.
Regarding his upcoming visit to Taiwan, Shani expressed his great pleasure to visit Taiwan with the Munich Philharmonic, "Looking forward to reviving the warmth, openness, and curiosity of the Taiwanese audience with the Munich Philharmonic again."
For this visit to Taiwan, the Munich Philharmonic will perform a total of three concerts in Taipei and Kaohsiung. The first two concerts will be at the National Concert Hall in Taipei. On April 29, they will perform Beethoven's "Egmont" Overture, Prokofiev's "Piano Concerto No. 2 in G minor," and Brahms's "Symphony No. 4 in E minor." On May 1, they will perform Mozart's "Die Entführung aus dem Serail" Overture, Schubert's Symphony No. 8 in B minor "Unfinished," and Mahler's Symphony No. 1 in D major "Titan."
On May 2, they will appear at the concert hall of the National Kaohsiung Center for the Arts (Weiwuying), bringing Mozart's "Die Entführung aus dem Serail" Overture, Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 1 in C major, and Mahler's Symphony No. 1 in D major "Titan." The pianist role will be taken by Seong-Jin Cho.