Taoyuan Airport MRT expands arrival music to seven stations

Taipei, July 6 (CNA) Taoyuan Metro has expanded the number of stations on the Taoyuan Airport MRT line that play music when trains are about to arrive from two to seven, using newly arranged melodies inspired by Hakka, Indigenous and classic Taiwanese music.

Taoyuan Deputy Mayor Su Chun-pin (蘇俊賓) said the new program, supported by the Ministry of Culture, builds on a collaboration launched three years ago between the Taoyuan City government and the Long Tan Philharmonic Orchestra.

Through that partnership, the orchestra introduced an arrangement of the classic Taiwanese folk song "Longing for the Spring Breeze" (望春風) at the Airport Terminal 1 and Airport Terminal 2 stations that was played when trains arrived, Su said.

This year's project also involved the Long Tan Philharmonic Orchestra and local musicians, including composer Chang Yen-che (張雁喆).

Chang adapted well-known works into seven distinct 30-second station arrival melodies, giving each station its own unique "audio business card," Su said.

Yeh Yu-cheng (葉于正), director of the National Hsinchu Living Arts Center, said the project made use of classical music, jazz and local melodies in connecting seven metro stations while showcasing Indigenous and Hakka cultures, sports and the city's history.

Arrival music was added at four stations along the line in Taoyuan beyond the Taoyuan International Airport stops and at one station between the airport and Taipei. The arrival music at the two airport MRT stations was also changed.

The melodies for Huanbei Station and Laojie River Station were adapted from segments of "Climbing a Mountain" (攀一座山) and "Images of Longtan" (龍潭印象), respectively, reflecting Hakka culture in southern Taoyuan.

Taoyuan Sports Park Station features an adaptation of "Team Taiwan," highlighting the city's identity as a baseball hub, while Linghang Station's melody was adapted from a traditional Atayal tune, reflecting Taoyuan's Indigenous culture.

The arrival melodies at Airport Terminal 1 Station and Airport Terminal 2 Station were adapted from "Rainy Night Flower" (雨夜花) and "Moonlight Sorrow," respectively, both composed by Teng Yu-shien (鄧雨賢), highlighting the appeal of classic Taiwanese music.

Lastly, Xinzhuang Fuduxin Station's theme music was adapted from "Old Dreams, New Attire" (舊夢新粧), blending the cultural history of Xinzhuang Old Street with a vision of the area's modern development.