Renowned Conductor Shao-Chia Lu Releases Debut Book on Music and Life

Lü Shao-chia, a conductor highly revered in Taiwan's music scene and on the international stage, has officially released his first book, Between Beats: Lü Shao-chia’s Musical Journey. This publication serves not only as a milestone summary of the musician's personal artistic career, but also as a profound record blending professional techniques from the podium with life philosophy off the stage. From his early days of triumph in winning first prizes at three major international conducting competitions, to later reaching the pinnacle of serving as music director of a major European national opera house, and ultimately making the resolute decision to return to Taiwan to cultivate and pass on his expertise, Lü uses warm and introspective prose to sort out his delicate insights into the true meaning of life across more than four decades between silent and sounding notes.

Reviewing Lü's musical upbringing and professional career, it can be described as a thorny yet blossoming, arduous path. It is not easy for locally trained musical talent from Taiwan to stand out in the fiercely competitive international classical music scene, but Lü achieved it. His emergence to win first prizes in three major international conducting competitions was not only a personal glory, but also raised the international profile of Taiwan's classical music community. Subsequently, he stepped further into the position of music director at a European national opera house—an exceptionally high artistic affirmation and trust granted to a non-native conductor in the Western-dominated European music world. Through day-after-day rehearsals and performances, he accumulated deep practical experience, coming to deeply understand that music is not merely black-and-white notes on a page, but the ultimate crystallization of human emotion, history, and culture.

However, after achieving enviable success on the international stage, Lü did not choose to remain in Europe to pursue further fame and fortune; instead, he made a moving decision: to return to Taiwan. After returning, he focused his efforts on local cultivation and mentoring the younger generation. Having served as the music director of the National Symphony Orchestra, he led the ensemble to repeated peaks in artistic standards and ventured into campuses and communities to promote and educate the public in classical music. For him, passing on music is not merely the teaching of techniques, but the nourishment of aesthetic viewpoints and life attitudes. On Taiwan's soil, he has witnessed the abundant potential of local musical talent and shouldered the heavy responsibility of localizing international-level experience and rooting it in Taiwan, injecting long-term and stable momentum into the local classical music ecosystem.

The newly published book, Between Beats: Lü Shao-chia’s Musical Journey, is an important crystallization of his transformation of more than 40 years of experience wielding the beat on the podium into written wisdom. The phrase "between beats" in the title refers both to the professional space where a conductor commands tempo and rhythm between the score and the orchestra, and serves as a metaphor for the philosophy of life's ups and downs, alternating between motion and stillness. In the book, Lü meticulously depicts how he uses his hands and baton to shape moving musical landscapes together with symphony orchestras; simultaneously, he candidly shares his inner struggles and frustrations in the pursuit of artistic perfection, as well as the redemption and peace found within music. Free of abstruse musicological theories, these writings use sincere strokes to offer readers a glimpse into the mysterious and fascinating inner world of a conductor.

In contemporary society, fast-paced living often causes people to overlook delicate sensory awareness, and the publication of Lü's book provides a timely opportunity for mental reflection. Through his words, readers come to understand that classical music is not an unreachable, high-brow art form, but rather spiritual nourishment that can resonate deeply with everyone's life experiences. Whether for classical music enthusiasts or readers feeling lost on their life paths, this book offers inspiration and comfort. With music and words, Lü proves that a true artistic journey is never merely an external display of skill, but a profound spiritual practice of inward exploration, self-understanding, and embracing life, reflecting eternal artistic value in the rise and fall of every beat.

(Source: Central News Agency)