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Renowned Chinese composer and zhongruan virtuoso Liu Xing together with Hong Kong cultural activist James Wong join hands to bring the unprecedented concert "The Lonely Crane is Flying...". Featuring Chinese music and dialogues between the two artists, the concert will be held tomorrow (November 3) and Sunday (November 4) at the Tsuen Wan Town Hall and Hong Kong City Hall respectively.

Apart from Liu Xing with his zhongruan, yueqin and digital music instrument, Tibetan singers Jinzongzhuoma and Xu Guangping will also perform Tibetan music and dance.

Creative artist and literary man-about-town James Wong will have impromptu dialogues with Liu Xing between the five sessions. He will also serve as the bridge between Liu Xing and the audience, presenting to them the creative idea and background of Liu's music composition.

The concert, divided into five chapters namely "Between the Earth and the Sky", "Still Clouds and a Solitary Crane", "Late Autumn Rain", "Tibetan Sentiments" and "The Realm of Unknowing" will reveal Liu Xing's perception of the world, his life experience and innermost thoughts.

Liu Xing, born in Heilongjiang in China, started learning Yuequin under Feng Shaoxian at the age of 12. In 1982, he graduated from the Theories of Composition in Folk Music of the Shanghai Music Conservatory. Since 1985, he has been composing on a freelance basis and has written many small-scale, orchestral works and plucked-string ensemble pieces. In 1987, he completed his first zhongruan concerto Reminiscences of Yunnan, it was later made into a record, soon to be followed by other releases such as To Do Nothing and My Way. In fact, Liu Xing introduced the elements and the concepts of western pop music into Chinese music, thus distinguishing his works with the ethos of New Age music and expanding the possibilities of the instrument.

"The Lonely Crane is Flying..." one of the programmes of the large-scale arts festival "Legends of China" will be staged at 8 pm at Tsuen Wan Town Hall Auditorium on November 3; and at Hong Kong City Hall Concert Hall on November 4 respectively.

Tickets priced between $120 and $250 are now available at all URBTIX outlets. Half-price tickets are offered to senior citizens, full-time students, people with disabilities and Comprehensive Social Security Assistance Recipients. Group booking and package booking discounts are up to 20 percent.

Telephone reservation can be made on 2734 9009. Programme enquiries can be made on 27418765.

End/Friday, November 2, 2001

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