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The Pan Asia Symphony Orchestra concert "When the Two World Champions Meet", featuring renowned violin soloist Frederieke Saeijs and award-winning local conductor Jimmy Chiang, will be staged early next month (February).
The two maestros, together with Pan Asia Symphony Orchestra, will perform works of Mozart "Adagio in E, K261" as well as Tchaikovsky "Romeo and Juliet Overture" and "Violin Concerto in D, Op.35".
Saeijs won five prizes at the International Jacques Thibaud-Marguerite Long Competition in Paris, France, in 2005. Apart from the first Grand Prix-Academie des Beaux Arts, she was awarded four extra prizes - Prix de SAS le prince Albert II de Monaco for the best interpretation of the contemporary work by Dupin, Prix Nicole Henriot-Schweitzer for the best interpretation of the violin concerto (Berg), Prize of the members of the Orchestre National de France and Prize of the students of the Conservatories. As a result Saeijs gives recitals and performs as a soloist in France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, Scotland, Switzerland and the United States. As a soloist Saeijs performed with the Netherlands Chamber Orchestra, New Japan Philharmonic Orchestra, Orchestre National de France, Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France, Flanders Symphonic Orchestra, Hagen Philharmonic Orchestra, Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra, Royal Scottish National Orchestra, St. Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra and The Hague Philharmonic.
She also collaborated with conductors Matthias Bamert, Jonathan Darlington, Antony Hermus, Neeme Jarvi, Ion Marin, Christoph Poppen, Vassily Sinaiski and Jaap van Zweden.
Jimmy Chiang, winner of the First prize of the Fourth International Competition of Young Conductors "Lovro von Matacic" in Croatia, 2007, is a Chinese-born conductor and pianist. He began his musical education at the age of 4 with piano studies under Choi Ching-yee in Hong Kong. Chiang recently appeared as the assistant conductor in operas Das Rheingold and Aida. In 2006, he was the chorus master of 300 voices for Mahler's Symphony No 8 at Macao International Music Festival. In 2004 and 2006, Chiang was appointed musical assistant and conductor of opera productions at the Schlosstheater Schonbrunn in Vienna. He has been the guest conductor of the Hong Kong Sinfonietta and the Hong Kong Pan Asia Symphony Orchestra.
Under the baton of Dr Yip Wai-hong, Pan Asia Symphony Orchestra is a highly organised orchestra which aims to promote music among the general public especially the young generation in Hong Kong. The orchestra has performed frequently over the past 30 years and renowned conductors and soloists have been invited to perform with it. The orchestra has successfully introduced serious music and Chinese orchestral music to the public, and at the same time, brought about an awareness of the indigenous culture of the people.
Presented by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department, Pan Asia Symphony Orchestra concert ¡§When the Two World Champions Meet¡¨ will be staged at 8pm on February 2 (Saturday) at the Auditorium, Tsuen Wan Town Hall; and at 3pm on February 3 (Sunday) at the Auditorium, Yuen Long Theatre. Tickets priced $100, $80 and $60 are now available at all URBTIX outlets. Half-price concessions will be granted to senior citizens, people with disabilities, full-time students and Comprehensive Social Security Assistance recipients. (Limited tickets for Comprehensive Social Security Assistance recipients are available on a first-come, first-served basis.)
For programme enquiries, call 2268 7321; for ticketing enquiries and reservations call 2734 9009. Internet bookings are available at www.urbtix.hk. For credit card telephone bookings, call 2111 5999. Visit www.lcsd.gov.hk/cp for more information on the programme.
Ends/Thursday, January 3, 2008
Issued at HKT 15:51
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