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The Leisure and Cultural Services Department will present a "Great Music" series in May and June, with world-class orchestras and musicians performing in six not-to-be-missed classical music concerts.
Hong Kong born cellist Trey Lee will collaborate with Finnish versatile ensemble The Avanti! Chamber Orchestra to kick off the "Great Music" series. Under the direction of Dmitri Slobodeniouk, the ensemble and Lee will perform Lintinen's "Concerto for Cello and Orchestra" (Hong Kong premiere). Avanti! and Lee will also bring east and west together by performing Lindberg's "Corrente-China Version", Rautavaara's "A Finnish Myth", Sibelius' "The Lover Suite, Op. 14" and Wang Liping and Tung Chao-ming's symphonic poem "In Memory of the Red Chamber" (Hong Kong premiere of the chamber orchestra version specially written for Lee). The concert is also a celebration programme to mark the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Finland and China. Details of the concert are:
Trey Lee and The Avanti! Chamber Orchestra
May 30 (Sunday) 8pm
Concert Hall, Hong Kong City Hall
Tickets: $100, $180, $240 and $300
With brilliant artistry and insightful performances, the Emerson String Quartet stands alone in the history of string quartets with an unparalleled list of achievements over three decades: nine Grammy awards (two for Best Classical Album, an unprecedented honour for a chamber music group) and three Gramophone awards. They will bring a programme of three major works from the quartet repertoire, including Mozart's "String Quartet No. 19, 'Dissonance'", Dvorak's "String Quartet No. 12, 'American'" and Shostakovich's "String Quartet No. 9". Details of the concert are:
Emerson String Quartet
June 4 (Friday) 8pm
Concert Hall, Hong Kong City Hall
Tickets: $120, $200, $260 and $320
The Academy of St Martin in the Fields will meet American violinist Joshua Bell in a concert, playing Beethoven's "Overture to 'Coriolan'" and "Symphony No. 7 in A" and Mendelssohn's "Violin Concerto in E Minor". The Academy of St Martin in the Fields is firmly established as one of the world's leading chamber orchestras. The London-based ensemble is the most recorded chamber orchestra in the world with over 500 recordings to its credit.
Joshua Bell has enchanted audiences worldwide with his breathtaking virtuosity and tone of rare beauty. He came to international attention at the age of 14 in a highly acclaimed orchestral debut with Riccardo Muti and the Philadelphia Orchestra. His restless curiosity and multifaceted musical interests have taken him in exciting new directions that have earned him the rare title of "classical music superstar". Details of the concert are:
Joshua Bell & The Academy of St Martin in the Fields
June 16 (Wednesday) 8pm
Concert Hall, Hong Kong Cultural Centre
Tickets: $200, $300, $400 and $520
The celebrated Polish pianist Krystian Zimerman made his long-awaited Hong Kong debut in 2006 in a highly anticipated recital that was widely acclaimed. Now in 2010, with the world celebrating the 200th anniversary of the birth of the Romantic composer Frederic Chopin, the Polish master pianist is touring the world with an all-Chopin recital programme, paying tribute to his compatriot by including two of Chopin's large-scale solo works, "Sonata No. 2 in B-flat Minor" and "Sonata No.3 in B Minor", masterpieces of this genre. Details of the concert are:
Piano Recital by Krystian Zimerman
June 22 and 23 (Tuesday and Wednesday) 8pm
Concert Hall, Hong Kong Cultural Centre
Tickets: $200, $360, $480 and $600
Regarded as one of today's most inspired musicians, Piotr Anderszewski is widely recognised for the intensity and originality of his interpretations and has been singled out for several high profile awards. He has also developed a special reputation for playing and directing, collaborating with many ensembles and conductors. He will play works by Bach, Szymanowski, Schumann and Beethoven in his recital. Details of the concert are:
Piano Recital by Piotr Anderszewski
June 27 (Sunday) 8pm
Concert Hall, Hong Kong City Hall
Tickets: $120, $180, $240 and $300
Tickets for these programmes will be available from April 20 onwards at URBTIX outlets. Senior citizens aged 60 or above, 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; no student quota for "Trey Lee and The Avanti! Chamber Orchestra" and "Piano Recital by Piotr Anderszewski".). A maximum discount of 20% is offered for group booking and the "Great Music" package. Please refer to the programme leaflet for details.
For details of individual programmes, please check the respective promotional leaflets, call 2268 7321 or visit www.lcsd.gov.hk/cp . Ticketing enquiries and reservations can be made on 2734 9009 and credit card telephone bookings on 2111 5999. Tickets can also be booked online at www.urbtix.hk .
Ends/Monday, April 19, 2010
Issued at HKT 15:25
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