Kinmen Tunnels Music Festival: Soaring Melodies to Debut on the 12th

Travel Center / Comprehensive Report

A perfect blend of battlefield and music. Now in its fifth year, the “Kinmen Tunnels Music Festival” will kick off on October 12 at Zhaishan Tunnel. This year, renowned cellist Zhang Zhengjie serves as artistic director, leading musicians including National Symphony Orchestra’s principal violinist Wu Tingyu in performances. The event is completely free, allowing visitors to enjoy an elegant musical feast amid sparkling scenery inside granite tunnels.

▲ The Kinmen Tunnels Music Festival takes place at Zhaishan Tunnel. (Photo / FromKinmen National Park Facebook page)

Kinmen National Park Administration noted that this year’s tunnel music festival will be held over two days, October 12 and 13. The first day features soprano, harp, and string ensemble performances, while the second day presents a grand finale with a string quartet. This year, cellist Zhang Zhengjie serves as artistic director, inviting acclaimed soprano Lin Hui-chen, harpist Liang Chia-yuan, and renowned string musicians Liang Hsien-wen and Chang Li-wen to perform.

Since its inception in 2009, the Tunnels Music Festival has been held for five consecutive years. The Kinmen National Park Administration stated that Zhaishan Tunnel is 357 meters long and was originally used for military purposes, inaccessible to the general public. In recent years, after being opened for tourism, it has become one of the top attractions for visitors to Kinmen. The highlight of the Tunnels Music Festival is how music and vocals resonate more clearly and continuously within the granite tunnels, creating a uniquely pleasing auditory experience.

▲ The 357-meter-long Zhaishan Tunnel in Kinmen. (Photo / From Kinmen Tourism Website)

There will be three performances each day over the two-day event, scheduled from 10:30 AM to 11:10 AM, 11:30 AM to 12:10 PM, and 1:30 PM to 2:10 PM, totaling six performances. The administration also announced that in coordination with the festival, Zhaishan Tunnel will be closed to the public from 1:30 PM on the 11th until the end of the event.