Midori Goto, one of the most admired violinists of her generation, will return to Hong Kong for a performance with the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra's musicians in April.

     Midori will join Daniel Froschauer (violin), Innokenti Grabko (viola), Gerhard Marschner (viola), Bernhard Hedenborg (cello) and Raphael Flieder (cello) to play Schubert's "String Quintet in C, Op. 163, D. 956" and Brahms' "String Sextet No. 2 in G, Op. 36".

     Midori was born in Osaka, Japan, in 1971 and began studying violin with her mother, Setsu Goto, at an early age. At age of 11, Zubin Mehta invited Midori to make her début at the New York Philharmonic's traditional New Year's Eve concert, on which occasion she received a standing ovation and the impetus to begin a major career.

     In addition to performing at the highest levels internationally, giving master classes and participating in prominent artistic residencies, Midori has made a sustained commitment to the violin repertoire of the future, commissioning new concerto and recital works over a period of many years. She also won a Grammy for Best Classical Compendium for a recording with the NDR Symphony Orchestra and conductor Christoph Eschenbach in 2014. Beyond her performing and recording career, Midori has been recognised as a dedicated and gifted educator and an innovative community engagement activist throughout the United States, Europe, Asia and the developing world.

     "Concert by Midori and Philharmonic String Ensemble Vienna" is one of the programmes of "Great Music 2017" presented by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department. It will be held at 8pm on April 4 (Tuesday) at the Concert Hall of the Hong Kong City Hall. Tickets priced at $200, $280, $350 and $420 are now available at URBTIX (www.urbtix.hk). For credit card telephone bookings, please call 2111 5999. For programme enquiries and concessionary schemes, please call 2268 7321 or visit www.lcsd.gov.hk/CE/CulturalService/Programme/en/music/programs_175.html.

     A pre-concert talk titled "String Quartet +1 & String Trio x 2" (to be conducted in Cantonese) will be held at 6.45pm at the North Committee Room, 7/F, High Block, Hong Kong City Hall. The speaker will be Dr Gilbert Sak. Admission is free with limited seats available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Ends/Thursday, March 9, 2017
Issued at HKT 11:01

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