************************************************

Presented by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department, the Hong Kong Sinfonietta's Russian Spring will bring four Russian classical works to music lovers in coming March.

Together with the Hong Kong Sinfonietta, Conductor Li Xincao, piano soloist Kam Wing-chong and violin soloist Chen Xi will perform in the concert. The programme includes Stravinsky's Suite No.1 for Small Orchestra, Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto No.1 in B-flat Minor, Op.23, Prokofiev's Violin Concerto No.1 in D, Op.16 and Skostakovich's Symphony No.9 in E-flat, Op.70.

The Hong Kong Sinfonietta is founded in 1990 aiming to share music with the public. The orchestra has an extensive repertoire, from chamber music to symphonies, and from the baroque to the contemporary, including numerous commissioned works. Over the years, the orchestra has collaborated with an illustrious array of musicians and groups, including Luciano Pavarotti, Fou T'song, Robert King, the Bolshoi Ballet, etc. On the educational front, the Hong Kong Sinfonietta designed concerts for different age groups, like "Ann's World of Music" for children, "Orchestra on Campus" for university students, and "Short-cut to Classical Music" for adults.

Li Xincao, a young conductor born in Hebei Province in 1971, is the winner of the First China Conducting Competition in 1993 and second prize winner of the 45th Besancon International Conducting Competition in France. He has established himself as one of the most celebrated Chinese conductors of his generation. He is currently the Resident Conductor of the China National Symphony Orchestra and the Principal Conductor of the China National Ballet Orchestra.

Kam Wing-chong, born in Hong Kong in 1979, began his piano studies at the age of five. He has been invited to perform in the 16th Chopin Autumn Festival in Poland. He won the first prize of the Forth Junior Gina Bachauer International Piano Competition held in Salt Lake City in 1996 and the first prize in the 1997 Hong Kong International Piano Competition. Kam has also given concerts abroad frequently. In 2000, he has performed with the Queensland Philharmonic Orchestra in the Chopin Commemoration Concert Series in Australia and in the Carinthia Summer Festival, Austria.

Chen Xi is recognized for his well-practised performing techniques, free-flowing emotions and brilliantly varied tone of colours. He won numerous prizes including the first prize of the 2001 China National Violin Competition and the 2001 Royal Hill Conservatory of Music Competition in Canada and the fifth prize of 2000 International Wieniawski Youth Violin Competition. Chen began learning the violin under his father at the age of four, and formal training under Wang Guan at five. He has also been coached by and won the praise of many world-famous violinists, including Pinchas Zukerman, Maxim Vengerov, Augustin Dumay, Leila Josefowisz, Wolfgang, Xue Wei, etc.

"Russian Spring" will be held at 8pm on March 3 (Sunday) at Sha Tin Town Hall Auditorium. Tickets priced at $120, $90 and $60 are now available at all URBTIX outlets. Half-price concessions will be granted to full-time students, senior citizens, people with disabilities and Comprehensive Social Security Assistance (CSSA) recipients. Limited tickets for students and CSSA recipients are available on a first-come, first-served basis.

For programme details, please call 2268 7321; for reservations and ticketing enquiries, please call 2734 9009; for Credit Card booking, please call 2111 5999. To search more information on internet, please visit www.lcsd.gov.hk/cp

End/Tuesday, February 5, 2002

NNNN