‘Tainan May Jam’ Opens at Hu-Tou-Pei

Source: Shu-Ling Wu, United Daily News, Sinhua           March 6, 2014, 04:26 

Organizing music festival ‘Tainan May Jam’ for 14 years, German artist Axel Schunn hopes to be treated as a local. Photo by Shu-Ling Wu

German artist Axel Schunn initiated and organized the music festival ‘Tainan May Jam’ for fourteen consecutive years, unable to assure a fixed venue. Thanks to assistance from the City Government Tourism Bureau and Sinhua District Office, it is expected that the event will take place regularly in Hu-Tou-Pei from this May, and will be named the ‘Tainan May Jam Hu-Tou-Pei Concert’.

‘Do not treat me like a foreigner!’ said Axel Schunn, who moved to Tainan 24 years ago and settled in Sinhua. He likes the leisure and peaceful lifestyle here, hoping to be treated by locals as one of them. He also hopes that people will not see this music event as one organized by a foreigner but a concert that represents local characteristics.
 

Chief Secretary of Sinhua District Office, Dao-Li Jheng, was moved by Schunn and has enthusiastically helped him to organize the event, looking for local stores to sell tickets that have so far got Sinhua Old Street Cafe to join, and recruiting vendors with priority given to local and innovative businesses. The 3-day event also welcomes junior and senior high school students as volunteers, and will be held on May 2, 3, and 4. Advance tickets are already on sale. Details are available online at http://www.mayjam.com/.

Axel Schunn graduated from the German College of Arts and Painting. Coming from the art capital, West Berlin, where operas, concerts and art exhibitions are held every day and daily life is full of art events, he liked Taiwan's living environment but noticed that there were usually very few music and art activities. He therefore created the music festival, the ‘Tainan May Jam’, 14 years ago.
 

The festival did not have a fixed location for more than ten years, moving from Anping, Sicao to Hu-Tou-Pei Scenic Area last year. Since many music bands and fans are not locals, many people get lost during the festival every year; over the years Schunn has been trying to assure a fixed location.
 

The event finally drew attention from the Tourism Bureau and received enthusiastic assistance from Sinhua District Office. It is estimated that there will be thirty domestic and foreign bands participating this year. To facilitate visiting, free shuttles are provided from Tainan Bing-Pei-Chang. The Sinhua District Office also arranged music exchange between Axel Schunn and the Sinhua Mandolin Orchestra.
 

【2014/03/06 United Daily News】@ http://udn.com/