Programme

* Replacing Stockhausen’s Fünf Sternzeichen 

Since becoming the youngest ever and first Asian winner of the Leeds International Piano Competition in its 40 years of history in 2006 at the age of 18, Korean pianist Sunwook Kim has established a stellar international career marked by his perceptive interpretations and impeccable technique. He returns to Hong Kong to perform Brahms’ exquisite Piano Concerto No 2 with Hong Kong Sinfonietta and Music Director Christoph Poppen, concluding a concert where Maestro Poppen will first present the Hong Kong première of Luigi Dallapiccola’s atmospheric Piccola Musica Notturna, and bring to the audience an authoritative interpretation of Schumann’s Symphony No 1, “Spring”, depicting the awakening of life and jovial merriment of springtime.

Sunwook Kim (Piano)

“Great naturalness…infectious energy.”
Gramophone

“Playing with absorbing concentration and nuance.”
The Times

“His technique and the extensive range of his tone colours allowed him to grasp every single nuance in the score with poise and natural ease.”
The Guardian

“…everything is shaped with clarity and immediacy… near spine-tingling, so introspective.”
Musicweb International

• 1^st Prize, Leeds International Piano Competition in 2006 (at the age of 18)
• Has performed with the Berlin Philharmonic, London Symphony Orchestra, London Philharmonic, BBC Philharmonic, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Chicago Symphony, Los Angeles Philharmonic, and with conductors including Paavo Järvi, John Elliot Gardiner, Daniel Harding, Edward Gardner, Myung-Whun Chung, etc
• Festival appearances included BBC Proms, Beethovenfest Bonn, Festspiele Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, La Roque d’Anthéron, etc

Christoph Poppen (Music Director/Conductor)

“Christoph Poppen brought out a broad soundscape from the orchestra.” 
Süddeutsche Zeitung

• Principal Conductor, Cologne Chamber Orchestra
• Principal Guest Conductor, Israel Chamber Orchestra
• Artistic Director, Marvão International Music Festival, Portugal
• Music Director, Deutsche Radio Philharmonie (2007-2011)
• Artistic Director, Munich Chamber Orchestra (1995-2006)

Featured artists:

Christoph Poppen
(Music Director)

Sunwook Kim
(Piano)

Luigi DALLAPICCOLA
(Composer)