The Gleam Ensemble - Germany
A defining voice and pioneering presence in Taiwan’s Early Music landscape, The Gleam is widely regarded as one of the country’s most significant Early Music ensembles.
Regularly performing in Europe, particularly in Germany and Switzerland, the ensemble shapes the development of historically informed performance through its interpretations of Seicento repertoire, the works of J. S. Bach, and the Berliner Schule, bringing artistic depth and cultural vision to audiences across Asia and Europe.
Founded in Taipei in 2019 by Martin Chiang (General Director & Historical Bassoonist) and Shio Ohshita (Artistic Director & Baroque Violinist), both alumni of the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis, the ensemble is further led by I-Chun Chen (Executive Director & Violinist) and Yu Ma (European Manager & Historical Flutist). Together, they have established The Gleam as Taiwan’s most influential platform for the Early Music revival and a rising artistic voice internationally.
As the curator of Taiwan’s largest Early Music festival, the three-month Gleam Taiwan International Early Music Festival, the ensemble collaborates with leading cultural partners including the Embassy of Spain and maintains an active dialogue with the global Early Music community.
The Gleam brings together a new generation of Early Music specialists trained at major European conservatories, with international distinction at Bruges, the Telemann Competition, and the Biagio Marini Competition. The ensemble collaborates with prominent artists such as Fabio Bonizzoni, Ryo Terakado, Pieter-Jan Belder, Sigiswald Kuijken, and European partners including Ensemble InAlto and Capella de Ministrers, strengthening its position as a key artistic bridge between Asia and Europe.
Its international engagements include performances at Schlosskonzerte Bad Krozingen (Germany), Musica Sacra Festival (South Korea), and the Philippine International Bamboo Organ Festival with Ensemble InAlto (Belgium).
Within Taiwan, Gleam’s artistic leadership has been recognized through major national invitations, including consecutive appearances at the Tainan International Music Festival (2021 and 2022) and its 2025 performance at the National Kaohsiung Center for the Arts (Weiwuying) “Bach 24 Hours” festival in the main concert hall, featuring Bach’s Coffee Cantata and Triple Concerto.
Gleam also plays a major role in early modern Asian musical research, notably through its collaboration with director Wei Te-Sheng for the historical film trilogy Taiwan 400 Years, reconstructing the sound world of 17th-century Dutch and Spanish Taiwan.
In 2026, Gleam will present the landmark festival Spain 400 Years, commemorating the 1626 Spanish arrival in Keelung (Northern Taiwan) and tracing four centuries of cultural encounter through historically informed performance and international collaboration.
Regularly performing in Europe, particularly in Germany and Switzerland, the ensemble shapes the development of historically informed performance through its interpretations of Seicento repertoire, the works of J. S. Bach, and the Berliner Schule, bringing artistic depth and cultural vision to audiences across Asia and Europe.
Founded in Taipei in 2019 by Martin Chiang (General Director & Historical Bassoonist) and Shio Ohshita (Artistic Director & Baroque Violinist), both alumni of the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis, the ensemble is further led by I-Chun Chen (Executive Director & Violinist) and Yu Ma (European Manager & Historical Flutist). Together, they have established The Gleam as Taiwan’s most influential platform for the Early Music revival and a rising artistic voice internationally.
As the curator of Taiwan’s largest Early Music festival, the three-month Gleam Taiwan International Early Music Festival, the ensemble collaborates with leading cultural partners including the Embassy of Spain and maintains an active dialogue with the global Early Music community.
The Gleam brings together a new generation of Early Music specialists trained at major European conservatories, with international distinction at Bruges, the Telemann Competition, and the Biagio Marini Competition. The ensemble collaborates with prominent artists such as Fabio Bonizzoni, Ryo Terakado, Pieter-Jan Belder, Sigiswald Kuijken, and European partners including Ensemble InAlto and Capella de Ministrers, strengthening its position as a key artistic bridge between Asia and Europe.
Its international engagements include performances at Schlosskonzerte Bad Krozingen (Germany), Musica Sacra Festival (South Korea), and the Philippine International Bamboo Organ Festival with Ensemble InAlto (Belgium).
Within Taiwan, Gleam’s artistic leadership has been recognized through major national invitations, including consecutive appearances at the Tainan International Music Festival (2021 and 2022) and its 2025 performance at the National Kaohsiung Center for the Arts (Weiwuying) “Bach 24 Hours” festival in the main concert hall, featuring Bach’s Coffee Cantata and Triple Concerto.
Gleam also plays a major role in early modern Asian musical research, notably through its collaboration with director Wei Te-Sheng for the historical film trilogy Taiwan 400 Years, reconstructing the sound world of 17th-century Dutch and Spanish Taiwan.
In 2026, Gleam will present the landmark festival Spain 400 Years, commemorating the 1626 Spanish arrival in Keelung (Northern Taiwan) and tracing four centuries of cultural encounter through historically informed performance and international collaboration.
The Gleam Ensemble
Helene-Jacobs-Str. 14, Berlin, Germany
/ +4917671052556
/ gleambaroque@gmail.com