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Lin Hsiao-feng Brings Taiwanese Flute Traditions And Free Improvisation To U.s. Stages
Courtesy Lin Hsiao-Feng
I’m interested in how Taiwanese flute traditions, including the Paiwan nose flute, can become living voices within contemporary improvisation.
—Lin Hsiao-Feng
Taiwanese improvising flutist Lin Hsiao-Feng has completed a 2026 U.S. tour spanning Washington, D.C. and Wisconsin, bringing Taiwanese flute traditions, the Indigenous Paiwan nose flute, and free improvisation into contemporary performance settings.
Performing with pianist and harpsichordist Hsuan Chang Kitano as Cadenza Duo, Lin appeared at Rhizome DC in Washington, D.C., where the duo collaborated with electronic musician Patrick Cain in a free improvisation performance.
At JF Books, Lin and Kitano presented a lecture exploring Taiwanese flute traditions, the Paiwan nose flute, and cross-cultural approaches to music and improvisation. The duo also performed at the Chinese American Museum DC in “The Resonant Island,” a program connecting Taiwanese musical traditions with contemporary performance. The program included American composer Wyatt Cannon’s “Facing the Current.”
The tour concluded at the World Flute Society Annual Convention at the University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire. Lin presented “Taiwan’s Paiwan Nose Flute Tradition,” introducing the cultural background, characteristics, and performance practice of the Indigenous Paiwan nose flute.
Cadenza Duo also appeared as Featured Evening Performers at the convention, bringing together dizi, xiao, Paiwan nose flute, piano, and free improvisation. The duo gave the world premiere of Forager’s Frolic, a new work by Colombian composer Laura Pacheco Nieto written for Cadenza Duo. Canadian flutist and two-time Grammy nominee Ron Korb also joined the duo for an improvised collaboration.
“I’m interested in how Taiwanese flute traditions, including the Paiwan nose flute, can become living voices within contemporary improvisation,” Lin says.
Lin’s artistic practice explores the meeting point between Taiwanese and multi-ethnic flute traditions, free improvisation, experimental sound, and cross-cultural contemporary performance. Rather than approaching traditional instruments solely as historical artifacts, his work places them within living musical dialogue through real-time composition and collaboration.
In 2024, Lin was named World Flutist of the Year by the World Flute Society for his album Cadenza21. He was also invited to perform in connection with the Paris Cultural Olympiad. In 2025, he was invited to Indiana University Bloomington for a residency involving performances, lectures, and cultural exchange.
Lin serves as Music Director of Lin’s Culture in Taipei, where he curates performances, international artist exchanges, and interdisciplinary projects focused on improvisation, experimental music, and cross-cultural collaboration.
Performing with pianist and harpsichordist Hsuan Chang Kitano as Cadenza Duo, Lin appeared at Rhizome DC in Washington, D.C., where the duo collaborated with electronic musician Patrick Cain in a free improvisation performance.
At JF Books, Lin and Kitano presented a lecture exploring Taiwanese flute traditions, the Paiwan nose flute, and cross-cultural approaches to music and improvisation. The duo also performed at the Chinese American Museum DC in “The Resonant Island,” a program connecting Taiwanese musical traditions with contemporary performance. The program included American composer Wyatt Cannon’s “Facing the Current.”
The tour concluded at the World Flute Society Annual Convention at the University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire. Lin presented “Taiwan’s Paiwan Nose Flute Tradition,” introducing the cultural background, characteristics, and performance practice of the Indigenous Paiwan nose flute.
Cadenza Duo also appeared as Featured Evening Performers at the convention, bringing together dizi, xiao, Paiwan nose flute, piano, and free improvisation. The duo gave the world premiere of Forager’s Frolic, a new work by Colombian composer Laura Pacheco Nieto written for Cadenza Duo. Canadian flutist and two-time Grammy nominee Ron Korb also joined the duo for an improvised collaboration.
“I’m interested in how Taiwanese flute traditions, including the Paiwan nose flute, can become living voices within contemporary improvisation,” Lin says.
Lin’s artistic practice explores the meeting point between Taiwanese and multi-ethnic flute traditions, free improvisation, experimental sound, and cross-cultural contemporary performance. Rather than approaching traditional instruments solely as historical artifacts, his work places them within living musical dialogue through real-time composition and collaboration.
In 2024, Lin was named World Flutist of the Year by the World Flute Society for his album Cadenza21. He was also invited to perform in connection with the Paris Cultural Olympiad. In 2025, he was invited to Indiana University Bloomington for a residency involving performances, lectures, and cultural exchange.
Lin serves as Music Director of Lin’s Culture in Taipei, where he curates performances, international artist exchanges, and interdisciplinary projects focused on improvisation, experimental music, and cross-cultural collaboration.
