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Formed by Ayako Ichimaru, Laurent Perrin and Ma Cong, the Marco Polo Trio will stage two stunning performances at the Tuen Mun Town Hall Cultural Activities Hall and the Sha Tin Town Hall Cultural Activities Hall at 8pm on June 17 (Saturday) and June 18 (Sunday) respectively.

The tiro will perform Mozart's "Piano Trio in G, KV. 564", Piazzola's "Verano Porteno (Tango)", Schubert's "Nocturne, Op. 148" and Schumann's "Piano Trio in G minor, Op. 110".

Japanese born Ayako Ichimaru was already winning prizes at the All Japan Music Competition for Young Musicians in Tokyo just a few years after she started playing violin. In 1996, Ayako furthered her violin studies in London with David Takeon, and then later with Yuval Yaron at the Indiana University in Bloomington, the United States. In the summers of 1994, 1995 and 1997, Ayako toured with Asian Youth Orchestra as concertmaster under Maestro Sergiu Commissiona. As a soloist, Ayako has appeared in Japan and Europe with various orchestras, among them the Romanian National Radio Orchestra. Her performances have frequently been broadcast by the National Radio and Television in Romania.

Laurent Perrin, of French origin was born in Luxembourg and began his musical education at the age of eight. He studied cello and chamber music as well as piano, harmony and conducting at the Conservatoire de la Ville de Luxembourg with George Mallach. In 1989, he continued his studies at the Escola de Musica in Barcelona and was a laureate of the European Music for Youth Prize Cello Competition. In 1992, he moved to London and studied at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, where he obtained his Performer's Diploma. He was a first prize winner of the Dorothy Adams Quartet Competition in London in 1993. In 1996, Perrin moved to Hong Kong where he currently teaches cello and chamber music at The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts and founded the Hong Kong International String Studio. He is also a member of the Hong Kong Sinfonietta.

Andrew Ma Cong received his formal musical training at The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, graduating with high distinction in 1990. He furthered his studies at the University of Toronto and the Royal Conservatory of Music, Toronto, where he was awarded a Bachelor of Music Degree and an Artist Diploma, with First Class Honours. Ma has received numerous awards and was placed third in the Mozart Bicentenary Piano Competition of Asia and was the first runner-up in the Hong Kong Selection Competition for the China International Piano Competition in 1994. He has premiered Kuan Nai-chung's "Piano Concerto No.5" at the concert in celebration of the 50th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China in October 1999 and a recording of this performance has been made and released. Ma now teaches at The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts and The Hong Kong Baptist University.

Presented by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department, tickets priced at $90 are now available at all URBTIX outlets, with half price concessions for senior citizens, people with disabilities and full time students.

Programme enquiries can be made on 2734 2935 while ticketing enquiries and reservation on 2734 9009.

End/Friday, May 26, 2000

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