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To mark the 150th anniversary of Debussy's birth, renowned French pianist Monique Duphil and local radio broadcaster Jonathan Douglas are collaborating for three performances in November entitled "Reflection on the Water - Monique Duphil Plays Debussy".
At the Museum of Art, by the sparkling waters of Victoria Harbour, a world of water will be created through set and lighting design by Ricky Chan and Ivy Wong. Poems and reminiscences relating to Debussy will be read out alongside music related to the theme. Duphil will play a wide range of Debussy's music, including "Jardins sous la pluie", "Reflets dans l'eau", "Poissons d'or", "Voiles", "La cathédrale engloutie", "Ce qu'a vu le vent d'Ouest", "Ondine", "Des pas sur la neige", "Brouillards", "Les collines d'Anacapri", "Feux d'artifice", "Les tierces alternées", "Clair de lune" and "Les sons et les parfums tournent dans l'air du soir". Young violinist Andrew Ling will also perform in "Violin Sonata" with Duphil.
At the age of 10, Monique Duphil entered the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Paris. She made her formal debut at 15, performing Mendelssohn's "Piano Concerto in G minor" with Orchestre de la Société des Concerts (now Orchestre de Paris) and soon earned prizes in four international competitions, including the Chopin Competition in Warsaw. She has appeared onstage more than 2,000 times in recitals, chamber music performances and concerts with orchestras throughout the world.
Duphil was on the faculty of the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts and a senior lecturer at Hong Kong Baptist College before being appointed in 1994 as professor of pianoforte at the renowned Oberlin College Conservatory of Music in the US. She has also given masterclasses in many countries and has been a judge in many international piano contests.
Jonathan Douglas is known to Hong Kong radio listeners as the host of RTHK's Morning Call and Artbeat. He was invited by the British Council to perform speeches by William Shakespeare and Harold Pinter as part of the launch of BBC Prime, and also presented the poetry of Federico García Lorca as part of the 2006 New Vision Arts Festival. Douglas is also a self-taught pianist and a singer-songwriter. He performed with his sons, Cameron and Jamie, at the 2011 Edinburgh Fringe. In 2008 Douglas was awarded an MBE for services to the British arts in Hong Kong.
Performed in English with Chinese surtitles, "Reflection on the Water - Monique Duphil Plays Debussy" is presented by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department. It will be held at 8.30pm on November 23, 24 and 25 (Friday, Saturday and Sunday) at the Foyer, Hong Kong Museum of Art. Tickets priced at $250 (free seating) are now available at URBTIX outlets, on the Internet and by credit card telephone booking. 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 students and CSSA recipients available on a first-come, first-served basis).
For programme enquiries, please call 2268 7321 or visit www.lcsd.gov.hk/CE/CulturalService/Programme/en/music/00000401.html. Ticketing enquiries can be made on 2734 9009 and credit card telephone bookings can be made on 2111 5999. Tickets can also be booked online at www.urbtix.hk.
Ends/Thursday, September 20, 2012
Issued at HKT 11:29
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