24.6.2017 (Immediate Release)

The Hong Kong announces programming of the 40th Anniversary Season and New Appointments

The Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra was founded in 1977 and came under the management of the Council of the Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra Ltd., in 2001. It is armed with the mission of promoting Chinese music culture in Hong Kong and the world through performance, popularization of the genre, professional music training and education, academic research, professional competitions, as well as research and development of musical instruments.

With a history of forty years, the Orchestra has been growing in tandem with its home base of Hong Kong. To celebrate the monumental ‘forty years’ mark, the Orchestra has started organizing themed events and activities that straddle two orchestral seasons since last year. During 2016, it hosted the Chinese Music Without Bounds International Composers’ Summit and International Composition Competition, held an exhibition on music scores, and initiated a revival of valuable recordings made by the Orchestra in the past. They are followed by equally impressive programmes this year, such as the Third International Conducting Competition for Chinese Music, Hong Kong International Youth Chinese Music Festival, as well as several innovatively curated concerts. (See ‘Message from the Artistic Director’ in the Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra 40th Anniversary Season Brochure attached.)

Led by the music directors of the Orchestra over the years – Ng Tai-kong, Kuan Nai-chung, Henry Shek et al – the Orchestra has grown in leaps and bounds. Mr Ricky W. K. Li, Chairman of the Council, says this to say about the current Artistic Director and Principal Conductor, “Mr Yan Huichang joined the Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra in 1997. For twenty years, he has never ceased to work on improving the artistic standards of the Orchestra, fine-tune the orchestral voice, and launch it into the international arena for artistic exchange. By drawing up the omnidirectional vision of ‘radiating from Hong Kong and empowering Chinese music’, he has shaped the Orchestra into an institution deeply rooted in tradition and at the same time, committed to innovation and improvement in Chinese music. The Orchestra has made many milestones in the development of Chinese orchestral music, and the achievements are there for all to see. In appreciation of his contribution, the Council wishes to honour Mr Yan with the title of ‘Artistic Director and Principal Conductor for Life.’”

Concurrently, Chew Hee Chiat, conductor in residence with the Orchestra, and Zhang Chongxue, Huqin Principal have been appointed “Resident Conductor” and Concertmaster respectively. Chew joined the HKCO in 2001. Apart from conducting work, he has also demonstrated his musical versatility with the several compositions he wrote for the Orchestra. Zhang was selected Huqin Principal in a global open recruitment in 2013, and her virtuosity as a musician has long been recognized by colleagues in the field. In April 2017, she won critical acclaim with her virtuosity in interpreting Tan Dun’s Fire Ritual at the Tongyeong International Music Festival in South Korea by using three versions of the huqin - , and .

The concerted efforts of numerous artists and arts administrators over the last four decades have nurtured the Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra along the way. Now at the ripening age of forty, it will continue to contribute to the art form by striving to scale new heights in artistic excellence.

For the forthcoming season, as before, there will be special discounts for advance booking of subscription concerts. Become a member of Friends of HKCO before 31st July, and you can enjoy up to 40% discount when you book your tickets in advance. You will be able to reserve the best seats as well. For details please browse www.hkco.org

Programmes information and photos for download. Google Drive:

(https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/0Bx4QzfDMRWYwenhRSnBZNmtkOWc?usp=sharing)

Baidu Drive:

(http://pan.baidu.com/s/1jHS7xFS)

Media Enquiries: Ms Tracy Huang, Head of Marketing and Development Tel: (852) 3185 1608 Email: [email protected]

Mr Gary So, Assistant Manager of Marketing and Development Tel: (852) 3185 1679 Email: [email protected]

Fax: (852) 2815 5615 HKCO web site: www.hkco.org

Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra is supported financially by the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra is the Venue Partner of the Hong Kong Cultural Centre.