Taipei Times
Date: Aug 01, 2015
By: Chen Wei-han / Staff reporter
From her musical virtuosity and exuberant performance at the star-studded award ceremony
A poster promotes Taiwanese-American musician Maki Hsieh’s scheduled performances for the 2015 Special Olympics World Games in Los Angeles. Photo Courtesy of Maki Hsieh
of the Special Olympics in Los Angeles on Thursday one might not guess that Taiwanese-American musician Maki Hsieh (謝明錦) was born with a hearing impairment and lives largely in a world of vibration.
Hsieh showcased her diverse artistry as she alternated between playing an orchestral piece with an electric LED violin; singing a gospel rendition of Lean On by Major Lazer; performing a piano piece and soloing an electronic opera song for a choreographed dance troupe and artists who did portraits of her during the performance.
“My shows are not just about me playing music but integrating visual and dance elements to create a unifying synergistic immersible soundscape for the audience,” Hsieh said in an e-mail interview with the Taipei Times.
She was one of 30 performers chosen from 17,000 applicants to perform at the ceremony officiated by the US’ first lady, Michelle Obama.
Hsieh’s ambition to unify different art forms is a message about overcoming obstacles and boundaries that resounded through much of the Special Olympics — the world’s largest sports event for athletes with disabilities and an occasion where all athletes come together to work as a team. [FULL STORY]
