Historical background and pedagogical analysis of piano works by selected Taiwanese women

Western art music has been in development in Taiwan for nearly four hundred years, since it was first introduced by the Dutch in the first half of the seventeenth century. During this time, western art music was influenced by dramatic changes in Taiwan's political system, which affected the role it played in the lives of Taiwanese people, as well as the role Taiwanese people played in the evolution of this new music. During the 1980s, growing interest in the study of western art music development in Taiwan led to the discovery of significant works by Taiwanese male composers. As a result, there have been several studies which analyze works by major Taiwanese male composers and their contributions to the development of western art music. However, the works and achievements of Taiwanese women composers have been largely neglected.

This dissertation is the first complete historical examination of the various roles played by Taiwanese women in the development of western art music in Taiwan, combined with a pedagogical study of piano solo works by selected Taiwanese women composers. This study includes a thorough investigation of political, economical, educational, social, and cultural changes over the last four hundred years in Taiwan, and recognizes the contributions and achievements of Taiwanese women in the history of western art music to explain how these women emerged as prominent composers in the 1980s. A detailed study of the selected solo piano music composed by two prominent Taiwanese female composers was completed in order to illustrate their ability to integrate western compositional techniques with Taiwanese stylistic elements. The purpose of examining the combination of western and eastern components is to assist piano players in learning and understanding Taiwanese piano music. This dissertation also provides new historical background information on the relationship of specific folk materials to selected compositions. Complete lists of interview questions and works for the two composers of interest are included.