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The Leisure and Cultural Services Department has invited the Shanghai Chinese Orchestra to give two concerts in January 2012. The first Mainland orchestra to adopt a modern, full-scale musical arrangement, the Shanghai Chinese Orchestra is also acclaimed for its beautiful, interwoven melodies.
Founded in 1952, the orchestra has become known for its lyrical timbre, distinguished style and virtuosity. It has also, arguably, become an instrumental force in the development of Chinese music. Its members include many famous artists and recitalists who have helped the orchestra build a wide audience base. Its versatility is reflected in its wide-ranging repertoire, ranging from the winds and strings of Jiangnan sizhu to the plucked-strings and drum music associated with small to medium-sized ensembles. At the same time, the orchestra is keen to encourage original compositions, thereby enriching its repertoire. Many of them have won awards in the Shanghai Spring International Music Festival and the Shanghai Arts Festival, and are often heard in concerts at home and overseas.
Members of the orchestra have performed around the world, achieving critical and popular acclaim. The orchestra has given two highly successful Chinese New Year Concerts in the Golden Hall at Vienna's Wiener Musikverein. At home, it has often been invited to perform for visiting heads of state and dignitaries.
Under the baton of artistic director and conductor Wang Fujian, the orchestra will perform a variety of ethnic works for the Hong Kong concerts. On January 6, under the theme "Happy Chinese New Year!", the concert will feature festive, rousing music to help ring in the Year of the Dragon. The programme will include the traditional Chinese orchestral pieces "Spring Festival Overture" and "Song of Joy", the pipa and orchestral "Moonlight on the Spring River", the double dizi and orchestral "Double Happiness at Your Door", the double suona and orchestral "Wishing You a Happy New Year" and others.
On January 7, under the theme "A Musical Brocade", the concert will feature guest artists from various ethnic groups, who will join the orchestra in creating a wonderful tapestry of music, symbolising the harmony and unity of the Chinese race. The programme will include the Mongolian morin khurr and orchestral "Pastoral Song"; the rawapu, bao and orchestral "Tianshan"; the Korean suona, percussion and orchestral "Arirang"; the erhu and orchestral "Erhu Rhapsody No.1" and others.
The concerts by the Shanghai Chinese Orchestra will be staged at 8pm, January 6, 2012 (Friday) at the Auditorium, Sha Tin Town Hall; and at 3pm, January 7 (Saturday) at the Auditorium, Tsuen Wan Town Hall. Tickets priced at $320, $250, $180 and $100 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 and their minders, full-time students and Comprehensive Social Security Assistance (CSSA) recipients (limited tickets for full-time students and CSSA recipients available on a first-come, first-served basis). Please refer to programme leaflets for detail of group booking and package booking discounts.
For programme enquiries, please call 2268 7321, or visit www.lcsd.gov.hk/CE/CulturalService/Programme/en/music/00000337.html. For ticketing enquiries, please call 2734 9009. For credit card telephone bookings, please call 2111 5999. For Internet bookings, please visit www.urbtix.hk.
A pre-concert talk will be held at 6.45pm on January 6 at the Exhibition Gallery, Sha Tin Town Hall. The topic is "Development Trends and the Way Forward for Chinese Music on the Mainland" (conducted in Putonghua and Cantonese). Speakers include Artistic Director of the Shanghai Chinese Orchestra, Wang Fujian, and the Head of Department of Music, the University of Hong Kong, Dr Chan Hing-yan. Admission is free on a first-come, first-served basis.
Ends/Friday, November 25, 2011
Issued at HKT 13:02
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