Hong Kong Sinfonietta announces 2016/2017 New Season: “Good Music to Share”
Today Hong Kong Sinfonietta announces its 2016/2017 new season line-up, with the theme “Good Music to Share”. This season will see Hong Kong Sinfonietta collaborate with over 40 brilliant conductors, soloists, composers and artists including Michel Dalberto (piano), Fazıl Say (composer/piano), Radovan Vlatković (horn), Daniel Müller-Schott (cello), Cédric Tiberghien (piano), rising stars Vilde Frang (violin) and Joseph Moog (piano), among others.
In addition to our standard concerts, audience and music students will have a chance to learn from renowned artists in UpClose Encounters: Masterclasses, co-presented by The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts. On tour, the orchestra will have their début performance at the Marvão International Music Festival in Portugal in July, and in Taiwan in November. The orchestra would like to welcome composer Chan Hing-yan, as our 2016/2017 HKS Artist Associate.
HKS Artist Associate – Chan Hing-yan
Currently Professor & Chairperson of the Department of Music at The University of Hong Kong, composer Chan Hing-yan is no stranger to Hong Kong Sinfonietta audience as the orchestra has commissioned and performed his works at home and abroad in Europe, South America, Canada, New York, Beijing and Shanghai. Lauded for their unique incorporation of Chinese elements, Chan’s works have been heard around the world at festivals in Hong Kong, Edinburgh, Singapore, Melbourne, Germany, Budapest and Amsterdam. This season, Chan’s new work Ethereal Is the Moon, written for Huqin and orchestra, will be premiered in the orchestra’s Taiwan tour.
Débuts in Portugal and Taiwan
In 2016, Hong Kong Sinfonietta will make its Portuguese début at the Marvão International Music Festival (28-31 July). Under the baton of Music Director Yip Wing-sie and Principal Guest Conductor Christoph Poppen, the orchestra will collaborate with virtuosic musicians in three concerts in this magnificent ancient city on the mountain top. In November, the orchestra will perform in Taipei and Kaohsiung for the first time. Conducted by Yip Wing-sie, the programme will include Chan Hing-yan’s new work Ethereal Is the Moon (featuring Taiwanese Huqin player Wang Ying-chieh), Ravel’s Piano Concerto in G (featuring Hong Kong pianist Colleen Lee) and Shostakovich’s Symphony No 9.
Beyond the Concert Hall
Off the concert hall stage, our musicians will continue to feature in the ever popular chamber concert series Good Music This Lunch and Good Music @ The Fringe with James C. More cutting-edge programmes will be presented in Beyond Good Music @ The Fringe, brought to you by guest artists/curators including Michael Schiefel, Ng Cheuk-yin, Anna Lo and Charles Kwong.
As for UpClose Encounters: Chamber Music & Dialogue, this season will include concerts by Radovan Vlatković, Fazıl Say, Matthias Rácz and Daniel Müller-Schott. Audience will be arranged to be seated either on stage or in the front stall of the auditorium. A rare chance to see the great masters performing at a close distance!
The Passage Beyond in Concert
Hong Kong Sinfonietta will collaborate with Actors’ Family again in bringing the most touching and award-winning local musical – The Passage Beyond into the concert hall! (2-4 June) Music Director Yip Wing-sie will conduct the orchestra with the music by Leon Ko and libretto by Chris Shum. The Passage Beyond was awarded Best Performance, Best Original Score, The Most Touching Drama of the Year, Best Original Song in the 19th, 20th and 21st Hong Kong Drama Awards.
Igudesman & Joo with Hong Kong Sinfonietta – Upbeat
Aleksey Igudesman and Hyung-ki Joo are two classical musicians who have taken the world by storm with their unique and hilarious theatrical shows, which combine comedy with classical music and popular culture. This July, they will return and join Hong Kong Sinfonietta in two performances of Upbeat. Beware, and don’t laugh your head off! (4-5 July)
Le French May: Michel Dalberto & David Greilsammer
A disciple of Vlado Perlemuter and Jean Hubeau, renowned French pianist Michel Dalberto is a great heir of French piano music. He will return and perform Mozart’s Piano Concerto No 14 and Richard Strauss’ Burleske under the baton on Music Director Yip Wing-sie. The concert also features Haydn’s “Le Matin” and Richard Strauss’ Death and Transfiguration (7 May). The maestro will also give a recital featuring French piano repertoire by Debussy, Fauré, Ravel and Franck. (6 May)
A unique interpreter of both baroque and contemporary music, known for his eclectic and fascinating programmes, conductor-pianist David Greilsammer is recognised as one of today’s most audacious classical artists. In his orchestral début in Hong Kong, Greilsammer will bring Le French May audience an exquisite programme beginning from the French baroque, through Haydn and Mozart to Ligeti, one of 20th-century’s most innovative and influential composers. (25 June)
Inspired by Brahms
Principal Guest Conductor Christoph Poppen will continue the music journey in Brahms’ works this season. He will conduct the orchestra in Brahms’ Symphony No 1 (23 April), Piano Concerto No 2 (Piano: Joseph Moog)(15 October) and Symphony No 3. (21 January 2017)
An exciting line-up of overseas soloists:
Saleem Ashkar plays Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No 5, “Emperor” (9 April)
Radovan Vlatković plays Richard Strauss’ Horn Concerto No 1 (23 April)
Michel Dalberto plays Mozart’s Piano Concerto No 14 and Richard Strauss’ Burleske in D minor for Piano & Orchestra (7 May)
Vilde Frang plays Britten’s Violin Concerto (14 May)
David Greilsammer plays Mozart’s Piano Concerto No 17 (25 June)
Sunwook Kim plays Brahms’ Piano Concerto No 1 (9 July)
Fazıl Say plays his own work Silk Road for Piano & String Orchestra and Mozart’s Piano Concerto No 21 (23 July)
Matthias Rácz plays Mozart’s Bassoon Concerto in B-flat (20 August)
Daniel Müller-Schott plays Elgar’s Cello Concerto in E minor (10 September)
Joseph Moog plays Brahms’ Piano Concerto No 2 (15 October)
Wang Ying-chieh plays Chan Hing-yan’s Ethereal Is the Moon – for Huqin & Orchestra (19-20 November and 12 March 2017)
Cédric Tiberghien plays Saint-Saëns’ Piano Concerto No 5, “Egyptian” (26 November)
Alina Pogostkina plays Beethoven’s Violin Concerto in D (21 January 2017)
Valeriy Sokolov plays Prokofiev’s Violin Concerto No 2 (31 March 2017)
Warren Mok & Friends．30 Years of Music Making!
Hugely respected as one of the most distinguished Chinese tenors of today, Warren Mok made his European début at Deutsche Oper Berlin in 1987. In this very special gala evening, he will join hands with Hong Kong Sinfonietta and Music Director Yip Wing-sie, presenting the divine vocal music from the opera repertoire, ranging from Puccini’s arias to Torna a Surriento, Santa Lucia and Chinese folk songs.
Know Your Classical Music & Short-cut to Classical Music
Classical music is never too early or too late to get closer to it – and it is enjoyable at different levels. Learn with Music Director Yip Wing-sie in Know Your Haydn (29-30 April) and Short-cut to Classical Music (24-25 September). Then join choreographer Yuri Ng and Yip Wing-sie in Know Your Ballet Music (28-29 October) for a special concert of great ballet music that accompanies famous death scenes, a special treat in the Halloween!
Hong Kong conductor Teresa Cheung in Good Music for Babies & Good Music for Kids
Currently Music Director & Conductor of Altoona Symphony Orchestra in the USA, Teresa Cheung will make her début with Hong Kong Sinfonietta in two best-selling concerts: Good Music for Babies (10-12 February 2017) & Good Music for Kids (3-6 years old)(30 September – 2 October).
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For more programme information, please download the season brochure or view the concerts section
Tickets are typically available 2 months prior to the concerts. There are concessionary tickets for full-time students, senior citizens, people with disabilities and CSSA recipients for most of the concerts. Please refer to individual concert leaflets for ticketing outlets and details.
Programme Enquiries：2836 3336│info@hksinfonietta.org
Hong Kong Sinfonietta is financially supported by the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
Hong Kong Sinfonietta is the Venue Partner of the Hong Kong City Hall
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NOTES FOR EDITORS:
Chan Hing-yan HKS Artist Associate
Chan Hing-yan is currently Professor and Chairperson of the Department of Music at The University of Hong Kong. His compositions, lauded for their subtle incorporation of Chinese elements, have been heard around the world at festivals such as Hong Kong Week, Taipei (2014), the Second Spring of the Chinese Symphony, Beijing (2010), Edinburgh Festival (2009), Chinese Musicians Residency, Cornell (2009), Hommage a Bartók, Budapest (2006), International Gaudeamus Music Week, Amsterdam (2003), Melbourne Festival (2002), and Singapore Arts Festival (2002 & 2006). Recent works include two three-act chamber operas, Datong – the Chinese Utopia (2015), and Heart of Coral – after the life of Xiao Hong (2013), both commissioned by the Hong Kong Arts Festival; and ‘Twas the Thawing Wind – for sheng and orchestra (2012), commissioned by the Hong Kong Sinfonietta for its North American tour. For Heart of Coral and ‘Twas the Thawing Wind, Chan was conferred the Best Artist Award (Music) at the Hong Kong Arts Development Award 2013 by the Hong Kong Arts Development Council. In addition, Chan’s three collaborations with the City Contemporary Dance Company (The Conqueror, 2005; Warrior Lanling, 2007; Dao Extraordinaire, 2009) have won him much acclaim as well as a Hong Kong Dance Award in 2008, when he also received commendation for “Persons with Outstanding Contributions to the Development of Arts and Culture” in the Secretary for Home Affairs’ Commendation Scheme of that year.
HKS Artist Associate Scheme
Launched in 2006, the HKS Artist Associate scheme provides a platform for intensive collaboration with local artists from different arts disciplines to expand the horizon of classical music. Former Artist Associates of Hong Kong Sinfonietta include Ng Cheuk-yin (composer), Samson Young (multi-media artist), Jason Lai (conductor), Colleen Lee (pianist), Loo Sze-wang (sheng player), Yuri Ng (choreographer), Wendy Law (cellist), Chu Pak-him (theatrical actor/musician), Mak Su-yin (musicologist) and Wilson Shieh (visual artist).
Hong Kong Sinfonietta
Hong Kong Sinfonietta is one of Hong Kong’s flagship orchestras. With conductor Yip Wing-sie as Music Director, the orchestra has brought music closer to the community, and has achieved significant recognition locally and internationally for its passionate performances and innovative programming.
Venue Partner of the Hong Kong City Hall, Hong Kong Sinfonietta performs year-round with over 100 performances a season and has been a regular participant at all the major festivals in Hong Kong including the Hong Kong Arts Festival, Le French May, and festivals presented by the Hong Kong Government. Apart from standard orchestral repertoire, Hong Kong Sinfonietta, as an avid believer of keeping music alive and contemporary, commissions and performs new works every year, ventures into crossover concerts and pioneers innovative audience development concerts both at the City Hall and at the residency at ArtisTree. Since 2010, Hong Kong Sinfonietta’s chamber music concerts have continued to break down barriers between music and audience as we perform at unconventional spaces. Launched in 2006, the HKS Artist Associate scheme provides a platform for intensive collaboration with local artists from different arts disciplines to expand the horizon of classical music. The orchestra’s discography includes CDs of works by Chinese composers on HUGO, and three double-CD albums This is Classical Music on DECCA which have been awarded Platinum and Gold Records.
On tour, Hong Kong Sinfonietta has been invited to perform in North America in Canada and New York City; in Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay in South America; in Switzerland, France, Italy, Poland and Lithuania in Europe; in China at the festivals held in Shanghai and Beijing; in Korea at Tongyeong International Music Festival and in Japan in Nagano and at La Folle Journée in Tokyo and Niigata.
For media enquiries, please contact:
Amanda Mok, PR & Marketing Manager, Hong Kong Sinfonietta Ltd.
Email : amanda.mok@hksinfonietta.org Tel: 3607 2328 / 9727 1808
For photos, please download from this site, the link above, or contact Ms Amanda Mok.