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More than 50 outstanding trainees and members of the Music Office of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department will perform at the "Music Office Chamber Concert" at 7.30pm on October 14 (Sunday) at the Theatre of Hong Kong City Hall. A diverse repertoire of solo, quartet, sextet, ensemble and chamber choral works, from golden classics to contemporary pieces, will be featured to showcase the performers' artistry and passion for music.
The Woodwind Quartet will perform Mozart's sonata "Sinfonia Concertante in E-flat, K297b". The Woodwind Quartet members Cheung Yan-yuet (clarinet), Timothy Chan (oboe), Liu Tung-bo (bassoon) and Lee Kam-hin (horn) became acquainted as members of the Hong Kong Youth Symphony Orchestra and formed the quartet to share the fun of playing chamber music. They have travelled on a concert tour to Shanghai in 2010 and performed in the opening ceremony of Shanghai Expo – Hong Kong Week.
The Trombone Sextet, formed by trainees Li Nap-ki, Ng Ka-chi, Kum Hoi-chong, Kwan Ho-yeung, Lam Ho-wang and brass music instructor Chan Wing-sze of the Music Office, will present Wagner's "Elsa's Procession to the Cathedral" from the romantic opera "Lohengrin", which employs exquisite melody to describe the scene of Elsa entering the cathedral for the wedding with the Knight. Brahms' "String Sextet No. 1 in B-flat major", which is full of contrasting colours and a rich setting of harmonisation, will be performed by the String Sextet members, Alvin Leung (first violin), Ashley To (second violin), Calab Wong (second viola), Chor Kai-hei (first cello), Tang Chor-yin (second cello) and Dr Joseph Kam (first viola). They have recently performed in "Saturday Arts Delights", organised by the Hong Kong Cultural Centre.
Cellist Hung Ka-yeung will perform Karl Davidov's "Ballade in G major". Hung won many prizes in the Hong Kong Schools Music Festival and obtained Grade 8 in cello from the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music. In April, he came second with a remarkable performance in the Davidov International Cello Competition for Youth in Latvia. Harpist Justin Lo will perform Pescetti's "Sonata in C minor". Lo started learning the harp at the age of 10 and has actively participated in different performances. He has performed as a soloist in the First Hong Kong Harp Festival and in the Pao Galleries for Le French May 2009.
Saxophone player Yip Tsz-chung will perform "Diversion", a piece composed by Bernhard Heiden during World War II. Yip has achieved excellent results in various Hong Kong Schools Music Festival and overseas competitions. In 2011, he participated in a master class given by the highly acclaimed saxophonist Fabrice Moretti. French romantic composer César Franck's "Sonata in A major", dedicated to the famous Belgian violinist Eugene Ysaye as a wedding present, will be performed by Chor Kai-hei on the cello in the concert. Chor is a holder of an Associate Diploma and a Licentiate Diploma in Cello performance from Trinity College London, and has received numerous prizes in the Hong Kong School Music Festival.
The concert also features Chinese music repertoire performed by outstanding trainees and members of the Music Office. The Chinese Music Ensemble will perform the traditional Chinese music work "Sorrow of the Two Stars", a piece on the lovesickness between a cowherd and a girl weaver, with a Cantonese instrumental ensemble of wujiatou (five instruments). The ensemble consists of five senior trainees, Wong Tsz-kei (gaohu), Yeung Ka-wai (yehu), Wong Hei-lok (yangqin), Lau Gee-kiu (qinqin) and Wai Ching-ngo (dongxiao), of the Music Office.
Li Minxiong's "Great Harvest" is short and compact, featuring the joyous celebration of a bumper harvest. It will be performed by experienced members of the Chinese Percussion Ensemble including Chung Kuen-ming, Ng Man-wai, Man Ying-yat, Tam Sze-yuen, Lam Man-hin and Liu King-yin, who have been assigned to play as a percussion ensemble in various concerts.
Pipa player Lui Tsz-yan will perform Liu Dehai's "Swan", which portrays different leisurely swimming styles of swans in a lake. Lui started learning the pipa in the Music Office at an early age. She was a frequent prize winner in the Hong Kong Schools Music Festival and obtained Grade 8 and Grade 9 in pipa with outstanding results from the Central Conservatory of Music (Overseas Grade Examination). Lui was awarded the third prize in the "Home Town of Chinese Pipa – Liaoyuan International Pipa Competition – Pipa Solo (Amateur) Category" in 2012.
The Sichuan folk melody "The Soundscape of Chuan River" will be performed by yangqin player Chan Mei-yan. The piece employs rich tones and diverse playing techniques to describe the people of the Chuan River area and their customs. Chan has won various awards in yangqin competitions. She has participated in the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddford in Wales and came first in its folk instrumental solo competition. Chan has just been chosen as a "2012 Young Music Maker" by RTHK Radio 4.
Not to be missed are three chamber choral works in different styles, namely Brahms' "Der Gärtner (The Gardener)", which is expression of a cheerful gardener's secret admirations for a noble lady; Beethoven's "Elegischer Gesang (Elegiac Song)", a piece the composer dedicated to a good friend who lost his wife; and Stephen Sondheim's popular work "Send in the Clowns", from the musical "A Little Night Music". The three songs will be performed by the Music Office Youth Choir Chamber Ensemble. The ensemble was awarded a Gold Diploma in the Festival's Chamber Choir Competition when it first attended the "A Voyage of Songs" International Choral Festival in 2009.
The Music Office runs three training programmes: the Instrumental Music Training Scheme, Ensemble Training, and Outreach Music Interest Courses. The programmes together provide music training to more than 8,000 trainees each year. Performers in the chamber concert are some of the outstanding trainees under the Instrumental Music Training Scheme or members of the ensembles.
Tickets priced at $100 and $80 for the "Music Office Chamber Concert" are now available at all URBTIX outlets. Half-price concessions are available for full-time students, senior citizens, people with disabilities and Comprehensive Social Security Assistance recipients.
For programme enquiries, please call 2796 1003 or 2582 5311, or visit the website www.lcsd.gov.hk/CE/CulturalService/MusicOffice/en/events_2012_08_30.php. Internet bookings can be made at www.urbtix.hk and credit card telephone bookings on 2111 5999.
Ends/Thursday, October 4, 2012
Issued at HKT 11:35
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