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The Hong Kong City Chinese Orchestra will present a concert next month with renowned conductor Hu Bingxu, pianist Shi Shucheng and erhu musician Ching Sau-wing.
"Soaring Notes from Glorious China – Hong Kong City Chinese Orchestra" will present many Chinese songs with cultural themes, including Piano Concerto "The Yellow River", Erhu Concerto "The Great Wall Capriccio", "Nocturne to the Victoria Harbour", "Hong Kong, the City that Never Sleeps" , "Ritual for a Bumper Harvest", "Celebration Overture", "Towards a Bright Future" and "Dragons".
Hu Bingxu is a National Class One Conductor who received the Outstanding Conductor Award from the Ministry of Culture and the "Golden Disc Conductor Special Award" by China Records. Hu led the Chinese National Orchestra on an 18-city tour to the United States in early 1997, which included the first concert performing "Spring Dream" with world-class cellist Yo Yo Ma.
Renowned pianist and conductor Shi Shucheng is a National Class One Performer. Shi was the Resident Conductor of China National Symphony Orchestra and the Assistant Artistic Director of the China Philharmonic Orchestra. His superb skills and excellent performance standards have been appreciated by the critics, who dubbed him the "gem of the Chinese music arena" and "a rare pianist maestro".
Ching Sau-wing is currently an Honorary Director of the China Nationalities Orchestra Society and the Erhu Society under the Chinese Musicians' Association, and Assistant Erhu Principal of the Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra. A critique describes his performance as "a demonstration of excellent artistry in techniques delivered with ease, control and the stage presence of a maestro".
The Hong Kong City Chinese Orchestra has made endeavours to promote Chinese culture and foster extensive activities between local and overseas music circles since 1994. It organised a series of concerts and seminars in the form of a chronicle under "A Retrospective Look at Chinese Music in the 20th Century" in 2000, which attracted great interest in music circles all over the world.
Presented by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD), "Soaring Notes from Glorious China – Hong Kong City Chinese Orchestra" will be staged at 8pm on November 25 (Sunday) at the Auditorium, Tsuen Wan Town Hall. Tickets priced at $90, $120 and $160, are now available at URBTIX outlets, while senior citizens, people with disabilities, full-time students and Comprehensive Social Security Assistance (CSSA) recipients may have 50% off (limited quotas for students and CSSA recipients on a first-come, first-served basis). A 10% discount applies to Friends of LCSD performing venues.
For programme enquiries, call 2268 7321; for ticketing enquiries and reservations, call 2734 9009; for credit card telephone bookings, call 2111 5999; for Internet bookings, visit www.urbtix.hk; for more information, visit www.lcsd.gov.hk/cp.
A free pre-concert talk "On the Yellow River and the Great Wall - Three Virtuosi on two capriccios in Chinese music" (conducted in Cantonese and Putonghua) will be held by speakers Hu Bingxu, Shi Shucheng, Ching Sau-wing at 7.30pm on November 23 (Friday) at AC2, 4/F, Administration Building, Hong Kong Cultural Centre. Limited seats are available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Ends/Thursday, October 25, 2007
Issued at HKT 15:05
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