Press Release: Taiwanese American Cultural Festival

This came through today. Johnny Hi-Fi will be performing. I saw them last fall. They were fun!

Aborigine Performers Cross the Ocean for San Francisco Show
Taiwanese Aborigine Singers Come to Union Square

San Francisco, California, May 9—On May 9^th, San Francisco's Union Square will come alive with the sounds of traditional Taiwanese folk music when Taiwanese Aborigine music group O-Kai A Capella Singers performs in their American debut.

The O-Kai singers have performed at the National Concert Hall in Taipei, as well as in Shanghai, Vienna, Milan and Rome. However, this is their first West Coast performance. Their cultural festival appearance will be followed by a May 10^th performance at the Yerba Buena Gardens Festival.

The O-Kai A Capella Singers, who are from the Atayal tribe, one of Taiwan's 14 recognized aboriginal groups, will perform on Union Square as part of the 17^th Taiwanese American Cultural Festival. In 1999, Congress designated the second week in May as Taiwanese American Heritage Week to recognize the contributions of Taiwanese Americans. This year's theme, "Green Taiwan Touch Your Heart," celebrates Taiwan's natural resources and the island's advancements in green technology. Food, demonstrations and interactive displays will also be part of the celebration.

In addition to the O-Kai Singers, the main stage will feature another Taiwanese folk group, the Hsieh Yuwei Ensemble, which will also perform at the Yerba Buena Gardens Festival, as well as Taiwanese American performers such as the indie-rock group Johnny Hi-Fi, which was featured as an "Artist of the Month" in Billboard Magazine's Underground series.

The Taiwanese American Cultural Festival runs from 10 am to 6 pm, Saturday, May 9^th, 2009. Please see www.sftafest.org for more information.

If you would like to interview any of the performers or organizers for the festival, please contact Shawna Yang Ryan or Pam Tsai at the above emails.