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Presented by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department, "Guitar Concert by Stephen Chau & Friends" will be staged on December 10 (Tuesday) at 8pm at the Theatre, Hong Kong City Hall. Stephen Chau will perform numerous music pieces in collaboration with his friends, Loo Sze-wang (sheng) and Wong Wai-ming (violin/viola). Presentation of two world premiere songs namely Three Petite Pieces by Mui Kong-chiu and Extension of Ripples by Hui Cheung-wai and the two pop songs The Moon tells my Heart and Smiling Dimples arranged by Stephen Chau are the highlights in the concert. Another Hong Kong premiere Homenaje a Astor Piazzolla by Pujol will be performed.

Other programme includes Introduction & Serenade pour Django by Lerich, Se Ela Perguntar by Reis, Tango en Skai by Dynes, L'Hymne a l'Amour by Monnot, Smoke Gets In Your Eyes by Kern, Windows by Schickele, Phoenix in the Sky by Wu Tienchuan & Dong Hungte and Saudade No.3 by Dynes.

Stephen Chau started playing classical guitar in 1980 and won the first prize in the classical section of Hong Kong Guitar Competition in 1982. In the same year, he was admitted to the Hong Kong Music Institute, majoring in classical guitar performance and completed his four-year diploma course in 1986. In 1987, Chau furthered his studies at the Real Conservatorio superior de Musica de Madrid in Spain under the tuition of famous guitarists and composers including Manuel Barrueco and Leo Brouwer. He was granted funding support twice for study tours at the Santiago Music Festival. Apart from being a regular soloist, Chau also engages in the performance of chamber music in European and Asian countries. Chau is always busy in composing and arranging guitar music and he is currently the guitar teacher in the Hong Kong Institute of Education and the Hong Kong Music Institute.

Loo Sze-wang, winner of the Ma Lin Performing Prize and Bernard van Zuiden Music Award, furthered his studies in flute at the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts upon graduation from the Music Department of The Chinese University of Hong Kong in 1992. He was the principal sheng performer of the Hong Kong Youth Chinese Orchestra from 1985 to 1990. He came first at the senior division for sheng at the Hong Kong Schools Music Festival. He had his debut recital at the Hong Kong City Hall in 1988. Loo is now a full-time tutor of the Music Office.

Wong Wai-ming started his violin lesson at age seven under Thomas Wang Yansam. Wong has performed in many concerts with acclaimed artists. Wong is devoted to the promotion of contemporary works by Hong Kong composers. He was one of the founders of the Hong Kong Sinfonietta in 1989, and has taken up the position of concertmaster for ten years.

Tickets priced at $110 and $70 are now available at all URBTIX outlets. Half-priced concessions will be granted to senior citizens, people with disabilities, full-time students and Comprehensive Social Security Assistance recipients. (Limited tickets for Comprehensive Social Security Assistance recipients available on a first-come-first-served basis). A 10% discount is also available for Friends of LCSD performing venues.

Programme enquiries can be made on 2268 7321 while ticketing enquiries and reservations on 2734 9009. For credit card telephone booking, please call 2111 5999. Please visit www.lcsd.gov.hk/cp for more information on the programme.

End/ Monday, November 11, 2002

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