************************************************************
A concert by the Hong Kong YWCA Chinese Orchestra will be staged in November. Guest conductor Zhang Lie will perform with young musicians including Lin Yu-hsien (dizi), Cheung On-kai (dizi), Chan Lut-ting (percussion), Kwan Lok-tin (suona) and Fung Siu-hong (suona). Two pieces, namely "Stomp Dance" composed by Wang Jianmin and "Blue Fantasy" composed by Gu Guanren, will make their Hong Kong premieres. Other pieces include "The Family Legend - The Moon at Dawn over Lugou Bridge", "Parade of Gods - a Masked Ritual", "Local Customs along Huanghe" (2nd, 4th Movement), "Oasis" and "Guanshan Capriccio".
Zhang is a national class one conductor known for his musical sensitivity and insightful interpretation, and he has been on performing tours of Europe, Asia and America. As a composer his oeuvre includes symphonies, dance dramas, and concertos, for which he has won many awards. His well-known percussion concerto, "Guanshan Capriccio", has joined the stock repertoire of Chinese orchestras in Singapore, Mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan. Some of his notable works in recent years are the symphonic dance drama "Song of Eternal Sorrow", and film scores for "The Mute Girl" and "The Lady Generals of the Yang Family". His "Xiao Balang Fantasia" and "Boat Trackers on the Yellow River" won a National Class One Award and a Gold Award respectively.
The Hong Kong YWCA Chinese Orchestra was founded in 1962, making it one of Hong Kong's oldest Chinese orchestras. The orchestra provides training and performance opportunities for local young musicians and regularly organises performances to introduce a variety of Chinese folk music to the public. The orchestra also participates actively in social services and performs for voluntary groups. In 2012, the orchestra was invited to perform at the Cultural Show of the 63rd Anniversary of the Founding of the People's Republic of China. Its performances have received great acclaim from audiences and critics alike.
The concert by the Hong Kong YWCA Chinese Orchestra is presented by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department and will be staged at 8pm on November 23 (Saturday) at the Auditorium, Tsuen Wan Town Hall. Tickets priced at $140, $120 and $100 are now available at all URBTIX outlets, on the Internet and by credit card telephone bookings. 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 CSSA recipients available on a first-come, first-served basis). A maximum discount of 20 per cent is offered for group booking packages. Please refer to the programme leaflet for details.
For programme enquiries, please call 2268 7321 or visit www.lcsd.gov.hk/ce/CulturalService/Programme/en/music/program_378.html . For ticketing enquiries, call 2734 9009; for credit card telephone booking, call 2111 5999. Internet bookings are available at www.urbtix.hk .
Ends/Wednesday, October 23, 2013
Issued at HKT 12:37
NNNN
