A newspaper photograph of a group known as the Taiwan Men’s Choir, who were scheduled to perform at the David United Church of Christ, Killinger, Upper Paxton Township, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, on May 11, 1969. An article accompanying the photo described the group as follows:
The Taiwan Men’s Choir, under the sponsorship of the Oriental Missionary Society (OMS) and Men for Missions International (MFMI), will appear in a sacred music production entitled “Free China Sings” on Sunday, May 11 [1969], at 10:30 a.m. at the facilities of David United Church of Christ, RD 1, Millersburg. Rev. Richard Solberg is minister of the church. Twelve outstanding young pastors from the island of Taiwan (Formosa) bring to the western world a unique musical presentation. Their performance mingles a delightful Oriental flavor with the ancient sounds of tribal Taiwanese mountain people to enhance the music of the Christian faith. Highly acclaimed across their homeland, the group was requested by visiting Americans to perform internationally. During the current year they are filling engagements in Hong Kong, Japan, Hawaii, Canada and the United States, appearing in more than 130 concerts.
The repertoire of the group includes secular folk songs, songs of the Church in Taiwan, gospel hymn arrangements, music of aboriginal tribes of Eastern Taiwan, all in colorful costumes with a dramatic touch. Additional features of the program include native musical instruments and a short real-to-life drama, which captivates both young and old.
Though all are natives of Taiwan, the choir members are not all Chinese. Two are from the aboriginal tribes, former headhunters of Eastern Taiwan. Through their musical presentation they express what has happened to them personally. These young men understand the meaning of freedom. Their families are refugees from Communist-dominated China. Some have fought at Quemoy. Coming from mountain villages and underprivileged situation, each young man can relate dramatic transformations in his life which have come as a result of Christian missions. All are graduates or students of the Central Taiwan Theological College, a four year school founded by the OMS in 1951.
The choir director, Mrs. Lowell Williamson, is professor of music and speech at the college. Accompanist is Miss Sylvia Knapp, professor of music at Morrison Academy, a school for children of missionary and U. S. military personnel. Rev. Lowell Williamson, Administrator at the Central Taiwan Theological College, is the choir’s manager.
The Taiwan Men’s Choir is the fifth in a series of international productions under the auspices of The Oriental Missionary Society and Men For Missions International, the laymen’s voice of the OMS. The OMS is an interdenominational faith mission that specializes in evangelism, the training of a national minority and the establishing of indigenous national churches.
Founded in 1901 by Charles Cowman, the OMS has work in Japan, Korea, India, Hong Kong, Greece, Formosa, Haiti, Columbia [sic], Ecuador, and Brazil.
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Photo and story from Newspapers.com.
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