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Finland's Kuhmo Chamber Music Festival to collaborate in Hong Kong concert
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     The Artistic Director of the Kuhmo Chamber Music Festival, violist Vladimir Mendelssohn, as well as violinist Petri Aarnio and pianist Paavali Jumppanen will collaborate with internationally renowned Chinese cellist Trey Lee in a concert performance next month.

     The Kuhmo Chamber Music Festival has been held for over 40 years and has long been Finland's biggest chamber music festival, attracting tens of thousands of visitors annually. The theme of Kuhmo Festival, "A Carnival of Music in the Global Village", is featured in this concert. The programme includes Haydn's "Piano Trio in G", Bartok's "Duos for two Violins", De Falla's "Suite Populaire Espagnole" (arranged by Maurice Marechal), Mononen's "Satumaa" and Brahms' "Piano Quartet No.1 in G Minor".

     Vladimir Mendelssohn, the son of a Romanian family of musicians, studied the viola and composition at the Music Academy in his hometown, Bucharest. He has appeared throughout the world as a soloist, chamber musician, composer and arranger, and is in great demand at countless international festivals, performing with the world's finest musicians. Mendelssohn's engagements have taken him to the United States, almost every country in Europe and to Russia, Israel, Tunisia, Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong and South America. He has served as Artistic Director of the Kuhmo Chamber Music Festival since 2005.

     Finnish violinist Petri Aarnio is the first violinist of the award-winning New Helsinki Quartet (NHQ), which appeared in the Hong Kong International Chamber Music Festival 2010. Petri is also the concertmaster of the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra (FRSO). His versatile repertoire ranges from the classical to the avant-garde. As a member of the NHQ and the FRSO, Petri has played around the world in the most prestigious venues and at the most important music festivals.

     Born in Finland, pianist Paavali Jumppanen won first prize in the country's national Maj Lind Competition in Helsinki at age 19, and has played with every orchestra in Finland. He has served as Artistic Director of Finland's Lemi-Lappeenranta Music Festival since 2004.

     Trey Lee's success in music began at the age of nine at the Juilliard School, studying cello under Ardyth Alton. Since winning First Prize at the International Antonio Janigro Cello Competition, the Hong Kong-born cellist has been celebrated across several continents. In his collaboration with the Netherlands Philharmonic at the Concertgebouw, Trey received a standing ovation, with critics praising him as a "star musician".

     Presented by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department, in collaboration with the Consulate General of Finland, Hong Kong and Premiere Performances Hong Kong, and sponsored by Bank of America Merrill Lynch (the sole sponsor of this concert), the "Kuhmo Festival (Finland) with Trey Lee" concert will be held at 8pm on June 30 (Thursday) at the Theatre, Hong Kong City Hall. Tickets priced at $240 and $150 are now available at all URBTIX outlets, on the Internet and by telephone credit card booking. Half-price tickets are available for senior citizens aged 60 or above, people with disabilities, full-time students and Comprehensive Social Security Assistance recipients (limited tickets for CSSA recipients available on a first-come, first-served basis). Please refer to the programme leaflet for details.

     For programme enquiries, call 2268 7321; for ticketing enquiries, 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 .

     There is also an Afternoon Concert to be held at the Foyer, Hong Kong Museum of Art, at 3.30pm on June 29 (Wednesday). The four musicians will perform Haydn's "Piano Trio in G", Beethoven's "Variations on Die Zauberflote", and Brahms' "Piano Quartet in G minor (3rd and 4th Movements)". Admission will be free.

Ends/Thursday, May 19, 2011
Issued at HKT 10:01

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