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Liu Shen-Hsien is one of the most important Taiwanese composers of choral music. His professional training in music includes piano performance and music technology while attending graduate school. Most of his musical composition relies on self-study. The accumulation of his own habits and interests gradually allows him to gain the attention of the industry, which later provides him with opportunities to compose. His works received the support of friends and the appreciation of the public, which became his motivation and a sense of accomplishment in his dedication to music production. His choral songs integrate state-of-arts techniques with local and popular songs without losing the original style. Many performers and audiences have found such integration to be resonant and surprising.
Liu Shen-Hsien’s works are mainly commissioned by industry, which includes choral works, TV, game soundtracks, etc. This thesis focuses on his choral work entitled "The Moon Is Falling Slowly." This study is divided into five chapters: the first chapter is about research motivation and objectives; the second one is the literature review, which provides an overview of the development of the chorus and the origins of lyrics after the lift of Martial Law in the Taiwanese context; the third chapter discusses different phases of Liu Shen-Hsien’s music production, his creation styles, and choral works; the fourth chapter is framed around music analysis and command interpretation of Liu Shen-Hsien’s six chorus works; in the last chapter, I elaborate and summarize the main points of each chapter, which is followed by my personal reflections and suggestions, with a hope to help of promoting Taiwan's local choral compositions.
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