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Four local pianists will perform "Piano Pals Singing Happy Birthday - A 4-piano Concert" to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Hong Kong Cultural Centre.
Twenty years ago, four pianists - Gabriel Kwok, Nancy Loo, Eva Lue and Tam Ka-kit - came together to give a concert as part of the opening programme of the Hong Kong Cultural Centre. Next month, November 2009, the piano friends come together again in a concert celebrating the centre¡¦s birthday.
They will play a repertoire for four pianos - Bach's "Sicilienne" and "Brandenburg Concerto No.3" (1st Movement), Dvorˆhk's "Five Slavonic Dances" (Op.72, Nos. 1, 2, 3, 6 &7), Saint-Sa?ns' "Danse Macabre", Julie Kuok's "Birthday Party" as well as Bach's "Concerto for Four Pianos" - in a joint performance with the Chamber Orchestra of The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts. Composer Law Wing-fai wrote a special piece for the four pianists 20 years ago. At the November concert, his new work, a birthday piece called "Song of Creation", will be premiˆored.
Local pianist Gabriel Kwok has collaborated with many distinguished artists, including Pierre Amoyal, Alexander Ballie, Siegfried Behrend, Alan Civil and Eugene Fodor. He is a visiting professor at the Shenzhen Arts School, Xian Conservatory of Music, Xinghai Conservatory of Music and Wuhan Conservatory of Music; as well as Head of Keyboard Studies at The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts. Kwok has given many master classes all over the world, and has been on the judging panel of many international piano competitions.
Apart from being a renowned pianist, Nancy Loo is also a radio programme host, theatre actress and writer. In 1978, she was elected one of the Ten Outstanding Young Persons. Since 1985, she has been a lecturer at The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, the University of Hong Kong, The Chinese University of Hong Kong and the Hong Kong Baptist University. She is often invited to give lectures and master classes, as well as to judge piano competitions.
Eva Lue is active on the local music scene. She has appeared as concerto soloist with the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra, Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra, Hong Kong Sinfonietta and other orchestras, and also performed in Europe. Her recitals and recordings both as recitalist and chamber musician have been critically acclaimed. Recent activities included performances in Beijing and Guangzhou and recording of complete Beethoven violin sonatas with Radio Television Hong Kong.
Tam Ka Kit is a former professor of piano at the Royal Northern College of Music, UK, now residing in Canada. Tam is no stranger to Hong Kong audiences. He has made various concerto appearances with the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra, the Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra, Hong Kong Sinfonietta and the Pan Asia Symphony Orchestra. Born in Hong Kong, Tam played extensively in many parts of the world as soloist, chamber musician and accompanist. Performances have taken him to many places including the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Hungary, the USA, Canada, the Mainland and Taiwan.
The Hong Kong Cultural Centre 20th anniversary concert, "Piano Pals Singing Happy Birthday - A 4-piano Concert", will be at 8pm on November 12 (Thursday) at the Concert Hall, Hong Kong Cultural Centre. Tickets priced at $250, $200, $150 and $100 are now available at all 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.)
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/Monday, October 12, 2009
Issued at HKT 12:07
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