formosa

formosa quartet

Why are we called the Formosa Quartet? Formosa is the name the Portuguese

gave to the island of Taiwan and means "beautiful". The original formation of

the quartet with cellist Ru Pei Yeh was completely Taiwanese.

We came together in late December 2002 for a tour of our homeland with no

idea that we would stay together afterwards. It was an idyllic two weeks of

travelling and performing around Taiwan, with a girls-against-boys firecracker

match on New Year's Eve and a visit to the aboriginal tribes the next day. After a

New Year's concert for them under the newly-flowered plum trees, we

participated in their celebrations (grueling dances and dishes of rat meat) with

varying degrees of success.

The process of how we evolved into the quartet we are might be likened to

being in a drizzling rain. You get wetter and wetter by imperceptible degrees

and at some point-- though it's hard to say when -- you are drenched. After the

tour we simply took every opportunity of playing together that we could find

and three and a half years later found ourselves with the responsibilities and

challenges of a "real" quartet.

Perhaps the foremost trait required of a potential Formosan is a healthy

appetite. Taiwan is well-known for its deliciousness. In every alleyway into the

wee hours of the night can be found all manner of eateries selling hearty bowls

of beef noodles, dumplings, fried rice, and mouth-wateringly sauteed

vegetables, tropical fruits, cakes, and shaved ice desserts... the list is endless.

formosa

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