*******************************************************
Two "Spirit Music Concerts" will be staged in February to share with music lovers the charm of Guangdong music infused with jazz elements - a form of music that became popular in the 1940s. The concerts are part of the Guangdong Music Series presented by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department.
"Spirit music" is a unique genre of Guangdong music. In the 1940s, Cantonese musicians introduced various Western instruments like the violin, the xylophone, the saxophone and the guitar into their performances. This Westernised music, with an infusion of jazz elements, excited people with its powerful and lively form. The type of music was hence called "spirit music" and became popular in teahouses, dance halls and nightclubs at the time. Performers included the so-called "Four Kings of Spirit Music", namely Wan Chi-chung (violin), Lui Man-shing (yuehu), Ho Tai-so (electric guitar) and Ching Ngok-wai (jazz drums).
The enriching programme will include the ensemble pieces "The Evening Primrose", "Penang Beauties", "The Little Red Peach", "The Beauty Yonder" and more, as well as the vocal works "Pacing Horses", "Beautiful Water Lily on a Silver Lake", "Love's Yearning" and "Song of the Red Bean".
The performers at the concerts will be Tse Tsz-ming (violin), Szeto Siu (xylophone), To Wing (violin), Wong Kam-sing (jazz drums), Yu Mau (xiao and houguan), Chow Chung-nga (percussion and vocals), Ho Kang-ming (pipa), Kan Sui-ling (saxophone), Wan Kai-ho (guitar), Hon Hung (banjo), Kwok Ka-ying (yangqin) and Chiu Hing-wan (electric guitar).
"Spirit Music Concerts" will be staged at 4.30pm on February 27 (Friday) and at 8pm on February 28 (Saturday) at the Theatre of the Yau Ma Tei Theatre. Tickets priced from $120 to $180 are now available at URBTIX. 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 are available on a first-come, first-served basis). Group booking and Guangdong Music Series package booking discounts are also available. 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_716.html. For credit card telephone booking, please call 2111 5999. For Internet booking, please visit www.urbtix.hk.
Ends/Friday, January 30, 2015
Issued at HKT 13:06
NNNN
