Taiwan’s 2023 World Music Festival will feature local and international bands like Ukrainian Balaklava Blues band.(Photo: Wind Music)
Taiwan’s 2023 World Music Festival will take place from October 12 to 15 at the Taipei Music Center. The festival, organized by the Culture Ministry and independent Taiwanese record label Wind Music, will feature a diverse lineup of international artists from Europe, Asia, and the Americas.
This year the festival has been extended from three days to four. It will be free and open to the public the first two days of the festival, October 12 and 13. People can enjoy various performances, speed networking, a trade show, and a free Earth Market for the first time, giving visitors a chance to experience the diversity of world cultures.
The festival director Yu Su-ying (于蘇英 ) says that over 100 bands applied, and five international acts were selected, along with eight Taiwanese acts. One of the international performers includes Balaklava Blues, which combines Ukrainian polyphonic music with world folk music. The band uses music to explore personal experience, revolution, and the sound of war.
The festival’s closing two days will feature special cross-border collaborations. Japanese singer Yo Hitoto (一青窈), Taiwanese folk singer Sangpuy Katatepan Mavaliyw (桑布伊), and Taiwanese composer Hung Tzu-lung (洪子龍) will combine talents for a stunning performance. Taiwanese singer Leaf Yeh (葉穎) and Korean singer Ohelen will also collaborate for the first time.
