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The Pan Asia Symphony Orchestra will accompany three pianists - Gabriel Kwok and brothers Lio Kuok-man and Lio Kuok-wai - to perform Mozart's ¡§Concerto for Three Pianos in F, K242¡¨ in a September concert.
The Lio brothers studied at the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts under Kwok's guidance. This is a not-to-be-missed chance to enjoy their performance on the same stage. Kwok has not performed in a concert for a long time.
Apart from the Concerto for Three Pianos, the programme also includes Mozart's ¡§Overture: La Clemenza di Tito¡¨, Ravel's ¡§Pavane pour une Infante Dˆmfunte¡¨ and Stravinsky's ¡§Firebird Suite¡¨(1919). Dr Yip Wai-hong is the music director and conductor; Lio Kuok-man will also be guest conductor.
The Lio brothers were born in Macao. Both graduated from the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts and the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia. In 2004, they were awarded the Honorary Diploma by the Chief Executive of Macao in recognition of their achievements.
Praised by the Philadelphia Inquirer as ¡§a startling conducting talent¡¨, Lio Kuok-man has collaborated with many orchestras. As a concert pianist, he has performed as a soloist with many orchestras around the world such as the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra, Shanghai Symphony, Camerata Salzburg, and Bacau Philharmonic Orchestra (Romania). In the summer of 2008 Lio was invited by Pinchas Zukerman to the Ottawa Young Conductors Programme where he conducted the gala performance with the National Arts Centre Orchestra. In the same year, he was also awarded the Theodore Presser Foundation Award for Young Conductors.
Lio Kuok-wai has won numerous international piano contests, including the 2007 International Fulbright Concerto Competition for Pianists, the 2005 Gina Bachauer International Young Artists Competition in the United States, and the Sixth International Chopin Piano Competition of Asia in Tokyo. Lio has performed in Asia, Europe and the United States, including the Forbidden City Concert Hall in Beijing, the Kennedy Centre in Washington DC, the University of Kansas, and many more. He performed for the President Hu Jintao, at the fifth anniversary of Macau¡¦s handover to China. He has also collaborated with orchestras including the Hong Kong Philharmonic, China Philharmonic, Guangzhou Symphony Orchestra, Kansas City Symphony Orchestra, Curtis Chamber Orchestra, Camerata Salzburg and Russian Symphony Orchestra.
Local pianist Gabriel Kwok has collaborated with many distinguished artists in concerts, among whom were Pierre Amoyal, Alexander Ballie, Siegfried Behrend, Alan Civil, and Eugene Fodor. He is visiting professor of the Shenzhen Arts School, Xian Conservatory of Music, Xinghai Conservatory of Music and Wuhan Conservatory of Music; as well as Head of Keyboard Studies of The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts. Kwok has given many masterclasses all over the world, and been on the panel of judges of many international piano competitions.
Founded by Dr Yip Wai-hong, the Pan Asia Symphony Orchestra is a highly organised orchestra which aims to promote music among the general public, especially the younger generation in Hong Kong. The orchestra has performed frequently in Hong Kong City Hall, regional town halls and civic centres over the past 30 years. A number of internationally famous conductors and soloists have been invited to perform with it. By using the idioms of popular music and organising concert talks, the orchestra has successfully introduced serious music and Chinese orchestral music to the public, and, at the same time, raised awareness of indigenous culture.
Presented by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department, ¡§Pan Asia Symphony Orchestra ¡VConcerto for Three Pianos by Gabriel Kwok and The Lio Brothers¡¨ will be staged at 8pm on September 12 (Saturday) at the Auditorium, Sha Tin Town Hall; and 4pm on September 13 (Sunday) at the Auditorium, Tuen Mun Town Hall. Tickets priced from $80 to $160 are now available at URBTIX outlets. Half-price concessions will be granted to senior citizens aged 60 or above, 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.) Please refer to programme leaflets for details of the group booking discount.
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/Saturday, August 1, 2009
Issued at HKT 10:00
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