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🇹🇼 Taiwan /Energy & Infrastructure

Airport MRT debuts unique entrance music at seven stations, A19 features Team Taiwan adaptation

From Liberty Times · () Chinese

Translated from Chinese, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Official statement New plan
  • Taoyuan Mass Transit Company has introduced unique 30-second entrance music for seven stations on its Airport MRT line.
  • The melodies, adapted by the Longtan Philharmonic Orchestra, draw inspiration from local culture, history, and music.
  • The initiative aims to enhance the passenger experience by adding emotional depth and cultural representation to the transit system.

The Taoyuan Mass Transit Company is enhancing the passenger experience on its Airport MRT line by introducing unique entrance music for seven stations. These 30-second melodies, composed and adapted by the Longtan Philharmonic Orchestra, aim to give each station its own distinct sonic identity.

The relationship between people on the carriage. This group of people takes the same train every day, so close in the carriage, their relationship even surpasses that of real neighbors.

— Su Chun-pinTaoyuan Deputy Mayor Su Chun-pin reflects on the sense of community among daily commuters.

The musical pieces are inspired by diverse local elements. For example, the A21 Huanbei and A22 Laojie Creek stations feature adaptations of "Climbing a Mountain" and "Longtan Impression," respectively, reflecting the Hakka culture of southern Taoyuan. The A19 Taoyuan Sports Park station's music is based on "Team Taiwan," celebrating the city's vibrant baseball scene, while the A17 Linghang station incorporates an "Atayal Indigenous Chant" to showcase the region's indigenous heritage.

The MRT serves a dual role, not only as a commuter function but also carrying the mission of showcasing national characteristics.

— Su Chun-pinTaoyuan Deputy Mayor Su Chun-pin discusses the broader purpose of the Airport MRT.

Further enriching the soundscape, the A12 Airport Terminal 1 and A13 Airport Terminal 2 stations feature adaptations of Deng Yu-hsien's classic Taiwanese melodies "Rainy Night Flower" and "Moonlit Sorrow," respectively, conveying a sense of traditional Taiwanese musical charm. The A4 Xinzhuang Fuduxin Station's music, adapted from "Old Dreams, New Makeup," blends the historical humanistic charm of Xinzhuang Old Street with the vision of a modern urban landscape.

This is also a beautiful form of 'energy saving and carbon reduction.'

— Su Chun-pinTaoyuan Deputy Mayor Su Chun-pin links the project to environmental benefits.

Taoyuan Deputy Mayor Su Chun-pin, a self-proclaimed railway enthusiast, highlighted the project's evolution from an earlier initiative at the airport terminals. He emphasized that the MRT should be more than just a cold transportation tool, aiming to infuse stations and carriages with emotion and warmth. By incorporating these culturally rich melodies, the transit system seeks to offer international travelers a welcoming introduction to Taiwan's diverse cultural tapestry right from their arrival.

Breaking the distance of art, integrating classical music, jazz, and local melodies.

— Yeh Yu-chengYeh Yu-cheng, Director of the National Hsinchu Living Arts Center, describes the musical approach.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Liberty Times in Chinese. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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