Twincussion - EPK
Percussion Duo / Ensemble
““ MESMERIZING!””
““GRACEFUL MOVEMENTS AND LIGHT TOUCHES ””
““TWINCUSSION DUO - WHOSE PRECISION AND ENERGY WERE NOTHING SHORT OF AMAZING ””
““HEARING DOUBLE: TWINCUSSION’S DYNAMIC, CLASSICALLY INFUSED PERCUSSION SPANS EAST AND WEST ””
Double Charisma:
Twincussion’s Dynamic, Classically Infused Percussion Spans East and West
A Taiwanese duo of identical twin brothers, Twincussion pulses with charisma, dancing through complex, engaging percussion pieces with mallets and sticks flying in perfect synch. Whether playing a marimba arrangement of Orff or Handel, commissioning contemporary classical pieces for drums and electronics, or revealing facets of Taiwan’s sometimes haunting, sometimes humorous, folk songs, Twincussion’s Jen-yu and Jen-ting Chien welcome audiences in with musical eloquence and showmanship.“We have a special sense of one another and it’s magical, when we play on stage,” explains Jen-ting. Yet their similar looks and “twinstincts” belie two distinct and highly skilled artists, each with their own perspective and strengths. “We see from the audience’s faces that they are curious about the two identical people, but we’re more than that. We’re not just twins in the end; we’re both artists with different stories to tell.”
From Cacophony to Composition
Jen-yu and Jen-ting Chien grew up in Yilan, a small city in northern Taiwan known for its constant rain and industrial sounds. Their father owned a metal factory, and the daily mix of raindrops and metalwork became part of their sonic memory.As kids, they were “double trouble” — always making noise, drumming on furniture and breaking things. To protect their home, their parents enrolled them in a percussion class. That was the beginning of their musical journey.The brothers studied music in Taiwan, then moved to Denmark to attend the Royal Danish Academy of Music. There, they met Morten Friis (Safri Duo), who encouraged them to find their own voice and write music that reflects their roots.They embraced the duo format and began exploring both classical works like Chopin and Bach, and new, rhythmically complex repertoire. Their twin connection became a strength on stage — almost like a superpower.Their first international tour featured an arrangement of a Taiwanese folk song. It received great feedback — and inspired them to continue sharing the sound of Taiwan with global audiences.Celebrating Taiwanese Identity and Idioms
Twincussion gradually began incorporating their roots into their repertoire — arranging Taiwanese folk songs for marimbas and drums, often with help from composer friends.
Their folk-inspired pieces tell vivid stories. “Cloudy Sky,” arranged by Yi-Chih Lu, portrays a humorous argument between an old couple, while “Grasshopper Playing Tricks on a Rooster” brings an animal fable to life, performed on a single shared marimba.
“These songs often reflect rural life — hard, but filled with humor,” says Jen-yu. “No matter where we perform, people relate to them. Music shows how similar we all are.”
Sharing this connection is core to Twincussion’s mission. “If someone walks away remembering we’re from Taiwan — if they learn something about our culture — we’ve done our job,” Jen-yu adds. “We’re not here to represent everything, but we can open a door.”Highlights
The world premiere of the double concerto “Flamboyer” with the Danish National Symphony Orchestra (2023)
Performed at the Kennedy Center, Millennium Stage, presented by Center Stage US and the Department of State (2023)
Winning the “Best Arrangement” on the 34th Golden Melody Awards of Traditional Arts in Taiwan (2023)
Showcase concerts (2018, 2023) in Percussive Art Society International Convention (the largest percussion festival on the earth )
“First Prize” of the Italy Percussion Competition (Ensemble category)
Grand Prize, 2018 New York Golden Classical Music Awards (Carnegie Hall debut)
2025 Performance
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A three-day residency as featured guest artists at Concordia College’s Percussion Day, including masterclasses, workshops, and a concert at Memorial Auditorium.
https://www.concordiacollege.edu/events/details/twincussion/2025-04-12/ -
Selected as an official showcase artist at Classical:NEXT, the global industry platform for contemporary classical music, performing at Holzmarkt for international presenters and curators.
https://classicalnext.com/event/twincussion-duo/ -
Twincussion hosted the second edition of their international academy with guest artists Anders Elten (Denmark) and Garrett Mendelow (USA). The program featured coaching, ensemble training, and a final “Rising Stars” concert.
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1BmSwVTRQp/ -
Presenting Double Percussion × Double Piano, Twincussion joined pianists Lu Yi-Chih and Evan Wong to perform Bartók’s Sonata for Two Pianos and Percussion and the world premiere of La Cuna by New Zealand composer John Psathas.
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Planned fall tour in partnership with U.S. institutions, expected to include concerts and education outreach. Details forthcoming.
2023/ 2024 Selected Performances
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John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts | U.S. debut concert on the Millennium Stage as part of the State Department’s Center Stage program, introducing Taiwanese percussion to American audiences through dynamic cross-cultural performance.’s Center Stage program, showcasing percussion as a cultural bridge between Taiwan and the United States.
https://centerstageus.org/artists/twincussion -
Through the Center Stage program, Twincussion led community and school outreach activities, and performed concerts at the Capitol Theatre and Numerica Performing Arts Center. Their programs introduced Taiwanese instruments, improvisation, and rhythm games, and brought energetic performances to local audiences.
https://capitoltheatre.org/site/files/file_manager/page/shared/Twincussion_Program_Digital.pdf -
World premiere of Flamboyer, a double concerto by Taiwanese-Danish composer Li-Ying Wu, performed with the Danish National Symphony Orchestra to a sold-out crowd.
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1KajM1k4Mi/ -
Feature concert at the World Percussion Festival (PASIC), highlighting Twincussion’s signature blend of East-West percussion aesthetics.
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Featured as the opening act for the Travelling Film Festival in Rennes. Twincussion presented a program that merged Taiwanese folk tunes with contemporary percussion, introducing a fresh sonic narrative to European audiences.
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Kicking off Taipei’s signature traditional arts celebration with a performance that bridged classical percussion and festive heritage themes.
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1BK2pwjdxa/ -
Twincussion Duo joined forces with Japanese marimba twin duo Marimba Twins in a six-city tour titled Percussion Dialogues – Taiwan × Japan.
The concert featured solo works from each ensemble: Twincussion performed original arrangements including Chopin’s Étude Op.10 No.3 and the Taiwanese folk song Longing for the Spring Breeze; Marimba Twins presented intricate duets such as Udacrep Akubrad and Jealousy Tango.
The finale brought all four musicians together in new quartet arrangements, including José / José beFORe and Shostakovich’s Mini Concerto, along with reimagined folk tunes from both cultures — a powerful blend of rhythm, identity, and collaboration.
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1HuQaVaZK2/
Education
&
Community Engagement
In addition to years of international teaching and masterclass engagements, Twincussion has, since 2022, actively led the Music Seeding Project, bringing music beyond the stage to students across Taiwan—from the remote islands of Penghu to indigenous communities in Nantou and underserved regions in Yilan, Kaohsiung, New Taipei, and beyond. Using percussion as a tool for connection, creativity, and emotional growth, they have offered rhythm workshops, close-up concerts, and storytelling sessions to learners of all ages.
Their outreach expanded internationally during their 2023 U.S. tour as part of the State Department’s Center Stage program, where they engaged Native American and underrepresented communities across Washington state. In 2024, the project continued with expanded partnerships and school visits across northern, central, and southern Taiwan—further affirming their commitment to connecting with students through rhythm, storytelling, and cultural dialogue. Rather than aiming to train future musicians, Twincussion hopes to plant seeds—small but powerful encounters that may grow into confidence, creativity, or change.
press review links
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Twin brothers Jen-Ting and Jen-Yu Chien of Taiwan bring their vibrant percussion artistry to the U.S. for the first time. Known for blending Eastern and Western music through romantic transcriptions, contemporary works, and Taiwanese folk-inspired compositions, Twincussion has gained international acclaim for their dynamic performances.
This performance marked the kickoff of their U.S. tour as featured artists of Center Stage Season 6, a cultural diplomacy program by the U.S. State Department.
https://www.roc-taiwan.org/us_en/post/12010.html -
Twincussion was selected as one of six international ensembles for the sixth season of the U.S. State Department’s Center Stage program. Their artist profile presents their musical background, touring schedule, and artistic focus on combining Taiwanese folk traditions with modern percussion, connecting audiences across cultures through performance and community exchange.
https://centerstageus.org/artists/twincussion -
Taiwan Today reports Twincussion’s participation in the Center Stage program and their month-long U.S. tour. It introduces their international competition background and describes their performances at the Kennedy Center, Heritage University, and venues across Washington state. The article emphasizes their blending of Taiwanese folk and Western classical music.
https://pse.is/7eq2r7 -
KIMA TV introduces Twincussion as twin percussionists from Taiwan performing at Capitol Theatre. The video segment notes their use of instruments such as marimbas, toms, wind chimes, electronics, and Chinese gongs. In interviews, one brother shares his excitement for energetic drumming pieces, while the other emphasizes the joy of engaging the audience through interactive moments.
https://kimatv.com/news/local/twincussions-showing-this-weekend-at-the-capitol-theatre -
The article previews Twincussion’s performance at Capitol Theatre, describing them as rising stars and noting their ability to fuse East Asian and Western styles. It highlights their program featuring a range of percussion instruments and mentions their outreach events in the local community during the tour.
https://reurl.cc/7KMe85
🎼 Twincussion Program Materials
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