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The Pan Asia Symphony Orchestra will perform music from animations and movies, featuring National First Class conductor Fan Tao and local harmonica soloist Edward Wai Hang-hay, next month.
The concert will present the music of "Mulan", "Lion King", "Spirited Away", "Castle in the Sky", "Kiki's Delivery Service", "The Princess Mononoke", "Howl's Moving Castle" and "Pirates of the Caribbean". Video excerpts will be broadcast during performances to give audiences an entertaining audio-visual experience.
Guest conductor Fan Tao studied composition and conducting under renowned conductors and pedagogues Huang Xiaotong and Philip Spurgeon. Fan was appointed Resident Conductor of the National Radio and Film Symphony Orchestra under the auspices of the China Broadcasting Performing-Arts Troupe in 1995. He was awarded a special prize at the International Sibelius Conductors' Competition held in Helsinki in 2000. The orchestras and ensembles that Fan has conducted include the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra, the Finnish National Broadcasting, the Sibelius Academy Symphony Orchestra, the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra and the National Ballet of China.
Harmonica soloist Edward Wai Hang-hay started learning the tremolo harmonica with Leung Yat-chiu and music theory under Lau Seung-man in the 1960s. Wai won the championship for tremolo solo at the Hong Kong Harmonica Competition in 1969 and 1970. Owing to the limitations of tremolo and following exposure to the musical virtuosity of the legendary chromatic harmonica players Larry Adler and Tommy Reilly, Wai turned to the chromatic harmonica. For four decades, Wai pursued his musical goals, convinced that most violin pieces could be played on the chromatic harmonica. He has performed with the Horns Chorus in recent years and also blended harmonica with singing.
The Pan Asia Symphony Orchestra is a highly organised orchestra that aims to promote music among the public, especially the younger generation in Hong Kong. The orchestra has invited a number of internationally famous conductors and soloists to perform with it. By using the idioms of popular music and organising concert talks, it has successfully introduced serious music and Chinese orchestral music to the public and brought about an awareness of the indigenous culture of the people.
Presented by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department, "Music from Moving Pictures" will be performed next year at 8pm on January 15 (Friday) at the Auditorium, Kwai Tsing Theatre; 8pm on January 16(Saturday) at the Auditorium, Tuen Mun Town Hall, and 3pm on January 17 (Sunday) at the Auditorium, Yuen Long Theatre. Tickets priced from $80 to $160 are now available at URBTIX outlets. Half-price tickets are available for senior citizens aged 60 or above, people with disabilities, full-time students and Comprehensive Social Security Assistance recipients (limited tickets for CSSA recipients available on a first come first served basis). A group booking discount is also available. Please refer to the programme leaflet for details.
For programme enquiries, call 2268 7321; for ticketing enquiries and reservations, call 2734 9009; for credit card telephone bookings, call 2111 5999; for Internet bookings, visit www.urbtix.hk; for more information, visit www.lcsd.gov.hk/cp.
Ends/Friday, December 4, 2009
Issued at HKT 11:04
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