Music arranger, late singer win Special Contribution Awards at 35th GMAs

Taipei, June 29 (CNA) Renowned Taiwanese music arranger Liu Ching-chih (劉清池) and late singer Cheng Hwa-jiuan (鄭華娟) were honored with Special Contribution Awards at the 35th Golden Melody Awards (GMA) at Taipei Arena on Saturday.

Liu was introduced by Taiwanese singer Xi Qing (西卿), who sang a number of the honoree's songs including the famous "Dragon Lady of Painful Ocean" (苦海女神龍).

"Through his arrangements, countless Taiwanese classics were created," Xi Qing said. "He gave Taiwanese music its unique sound."

In his acceptance speech, Liu said "I dedicate this award to all who have contributed to Taiwanese music. I am honored to accept this award on behalf of them all."

The 81-year-old arranger/music producer thanked the GMA, the Ministry of Culture, and his wife, who he said supported him through his long and illustrious career.

"I hope Taiwan will continue to embrace our own music and our own sound," he said.

As mentioned by Xi Qing, over the years, Liu has been most well-known for his ability as a music arranger specializing in music in Taiwanese.

His ability to use music and sounds to create a down-to-earth feeling and a sense of familiarity with Taiwan's working class left singing legends like Yeh Chi-tien (葉啟田), Jody Chiang (江蕙) and Chen Hsiao-yun (陳小雲) wanting to work with him. This led to the creation of memorable hits such as "Fight to Win" (愛拼才會贏), "You Must Endure" (你著忍耐), and "Cha Cha of Love" (愛情恰恰).

Xi Qing said Liu's grassroots appeal comes from his ability to make the audience feel comfortable and to breathe life into environments ranging from bustling night markets to a long solo drive. This helped create a definitive Taiwanese sound.

Meanwhile, the posthumous Special Contribution Award for the late singer Cheng Hwa-jiuan was collected by her older brother and German widower.

"I am very happy to be able to receive this award on behalf of Hwa-jiuan," Cheng's widow said. "Tonight, Hwa-jiuan is with us."

Singer Wan Fang (萬芳), a close friend of Cheng's, began the ceremony by paying tribute to the late artist with a medley of Cheng's works.

"We are here to honor a talented artist," said record label executive Kuei Ming-yu (桂鳴玉), who introduced Cheng's career.

"Cheng took to Taiwan's pop music scene as someone classically trained," Kuei added. "In 40 years, she wrote over 300 songs and was able to tailor to all the singers she wrote for by carefully studying them and discovering their forte."

Kuei went on to say that Cheng was pivotal to the advancement of Taiwanese dialect music, as she was the first person to incorporate literary artistry into her songs, which ushered in a new era of Taiwanese music and removed the genre's ghetto stigma.

Cheng made a splash in Taiwan's mando-pop scene when she debuted in the 1980s as a female singer-songwriter, a rarity in the industry at that time.

As well as for her singing, she won widespread attention for her ability as a composer/lyricist, with her talent as a wordsmith garnering her recognition as a writing prodigy.

Other than writing famous mando-pop songs like Stella Chang's (張清芳) "La California" (加州陽光), Sarah Chen's (陳淑樺) "Be Wise, Be Easy" (聰明糊塗心) and male singing duo Ukulele's (優客李林) "Journey of the Young" (少年遊), she was also commissioned to write ballads like "Dark Rainy Night" (落雨的暗暝) for Taiwanese songstress Jody Chiang.

Cheng also published a considerable number of books from 1988 to 2021. As a resident of Germany, her "Kiss of Heidelberg" published in 1998 won her Germany's Mark Twain Award for Travel Journalism in 2003.

In honor of the eponymous city that inspired her book and its theme, Cheng's award was donated and displayed in Heidelberg's historic Café Knösel, famous for making a sweet chocolate treat known romantically as the "Student Kiss" in the university town.