Reviving the Spirit of European Early Music: Internationally Acclaimed Taiwanese Harpsichordist Hsiu-Tzu Ryan in Cross-Border Collaboration

The Merit Times
August 25, 2025

The Association Culturelle Sans Frontières de Taïwan and the Hsiu-Tzu Ryan Music Studio will jointly present “Ancient Echoes, New Resonance: A Baroque Trio” on Friday, September 12, 2025, at 8:00 PM at the Taipei Biotech Park Multi-Function Hall. This international concert will feature François Fernandez, Professor of Baroque Violin at the Paris Conservatory, distinguished Korean Baroque violinist Yun Kim, and Taiwanese harpsichordist Hsiu-Tzu Ryan, inviting audiences to journey across time and immerse themselves in the world of Baroque Europe.

Recognition on the International Stage

Ryan is currently the only Taiwanese musician to have received a Master’s degree in Harpsichord Performance from the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de Danse de Paris, and her performance career extends across Europe, the United States, and Asia. In July 2025, she was invited by the renowned European early music ensemble La Petite Bande to perform as a soloist in Belgium, where she also recorded Bach’s Harpsichord Concertos with the ensemble. She is among the very few Asian musicians to take on the role of soloist with this group. The recording will be released internationally by Accent Records in the first half of 2026.

Founded in 1972 by the world-renowned conductor and violinist Sigiswald Kuijken, La Petite Bande has been recognized as a pioneer and model of historically informed Baroque performance, with over half a century of acclaimed recordings. Ryan’s collaboration with this ensemble not only affirms her artistic excellence but also highlights Taiwan’s growing presence on the global stage of classical music.

A Mission to Promote Early Music in Taiwan

Since founding the Hsiu-Tzu Ryan Music Studio in 2019, Ryan has devoted herself to promoting the harpsichord and other early instruments in Taiwan. Her vision goes beyond enriching Taiwan’s cultural life — she is also committed to the preservation and revitalization of early music as a shared heritage of humankind. Through her work, Ryan seeks to ensure that the timeless sounds once heard in European courts and salons are experienced, studied, and reinterpreted by audiences across Asia and around the world. By championing historical instruments and performance practice, she helps connect contemporary listeners with the cultural roots of Western classical music.

In 2024, Ryan collaborated with internationally renowned musicians in Taiwan to present two concerts entitled “Bach Without Borders: An Evening of Double Harpsichord Concertos”, which received widespread acclaim. This year, she reunites with François Fernandez and his distinguished protégé, Yun Kim, for “Ancient Echoes, New Resonance: A Baroque Trio”. This cross-border collaboration not only showcases the richness and vitality of Baroque music, but also invites both long-time supporters and new audiences to share in an extraordinary musical celebration.

Concert Information
Tickets are available online: https://s.opentix.life/p/P3266cea4.

photo/The Association Culturelle Sans Frontières de Taïwan