A Tale of Two Cities II: HK Phil & NCPAO Woodwind Quintets (18 June)
17 JUN 2019
Hong Kong
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
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[17 June 2019, Hong Kong] The Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra (HK Phil) and the China NCPA Orchestra (NCPAO) embark on their second musical journey. This year, two woodwind quintets from the two orchestras join hands to present two performances of the same fabulous programme in two cities – 13 June (last Thursday) at the National Centre for the Performing Arts Multi-Functional Theatre in Beijing and 18 June (tomorrow) at the Tai Kwun JC Cube in Hong Kong. Once again the Office of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China in Beijing supports this collaboration with the aim of strengthening cultural links between Hong Kong and Mainland China and between the two cities.
Woodwind quintets are relatively uncommon, but composers who write them relish the opportunities for varied music layers and graceful colours. Audiences in both cities will also have the opportunity to experience this unique musical sound through this programme presented by the two woodwind quintets – the HK Phil Quintet (Megan Sterling, Principal Flute; Michael Wilson, Principal Oboe; John Schertle, Co-Principal Clarinet; Benjamin Moermond, Principal Bassoon; and Lin Jiang, Principal Horn) and the NCPAO Quintet (Yeh I-jeng, Principal Flute; Zhou Yang, Principal Oboe; Jaume Sanchis, Principal Clarinet; Ji Jingjing, Principal Bassoon; and Liu Xiaoxin, Principal Horn).
The HK Phil Quintet will open the programme with the lyric warmth of Wind Quintet no. 3, written by David Maslanka, who died in 2017. Each of its three movements is Inspired by, and incorporates several Bach chorale melodies.
The NCPAO Quintet will then transport the audience to France with the Wind Quintet in G minor written in 1876 by the noted French flautist and composer, Paul Taffanel, who dedicated the work to his teacher. The music is subtle, graceful and elegant, but with moments of brilliant virtuosity.
19th century composer Joachim Raff was a prolific composer who was better known in his lifetime than he is today, but he had a gift for creating charming and colourful chamber music, and one of his chamber masterpieces closes the concert. The Sinfonietta is scored for 10 wind players and will be performed jointly by the HK Phil Quintet and the NCPAO Quintet to round off the musical evening.
A Tale of Two Cities II: HK Phil & NCPAO Woodwind Quintets will be held on 18 June (Tue), 7:30PM in the Hong Kong Cultural Centre Concert Hall. Tickets priced: HK$200 / $150 (concessionary discount) are available at URBTIX. For enquiries, please call +852 2721 2332 or visit hkphil.org.
Artists
HK Phil Quintet [full biography]
Megan Sterling, flute
Since taking up the position of Principal Flute of the HK Phil in 2002, Megan Sterling has enjoyed working with some of the world's top conductors and soloists. She has appeared several times as soloist with the HK Phil, as well as in recitals, radio broadcasts, Canto-pop recordings and chamber ensembles in Hong Kong and the region.
Michael Wilson, oboe
Michael Wilson was appointed Principal Oboe of the HK Phil in 2009. Prior to this he was Co-Principal Oboe from 2005. Before moving to Hong Kong, he was working regularly with London-based orchestras including the London Philharmonic Orchestra with which he toured extensively in Germany under the direction of then Chief Conductor, Kurt Masur.
John Schertle, clarinet
Performing with the HK Phil for over two decades, Co-Principal Clarinettist John Schertle appears regularly as Guest Principal Clarinet with orchestras in the region. A graduate of the Eastman School of Music and the Juilliard School, the National Arts Club Competition prize winner gives masterclasses in Asia and serves on the faculties of the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts and the Hong Kong Baptist University.
Benjamin Moermond, bassoon
Benjamin Moermond has been Principal Bassoon with the HK Phil since joining in 2010 and is active teaching and performing in Hong Kong and throughout the region. As an educator he has been on faculty for the Chinese University of Hong Kong and Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts.
Lin Jiang, horn
Principal Horn of the HK Phil, Lin Jiang is considered an extraordinarily gifted horn player of his generation. He continued his studies at Scotch College Melbourne, the Victorian College of the Arts and graduated from the University of Melbourne with a Bachelor of Music degree with honours. Being one of Australia's most sought-after horn soloists, he has performed solos with the Melbourne and Sydney Symphony orchestras.
NCPAO Quintet [full biography]
I-jeng Yeh, flute
I-jeng has been appointed as principal flute in China National Centre for the Performing Arts, Beijing, China. During her time in NCPA, she has worked under baton of Christoph Eschenbach, Valery Gergiev, Fabio Luisi, etc. In addition, she has collaborated with Philadelphia Orchestra and Mariinsky Theatre Orchestra.
Yang Zhou, oboe
He got his bachelor’s degree in China Central Conservatory of Music. Then he continued his study of oboe performance in Ecole normale de musique de Paris, Conservatoire National de Région de Paris and Conservatoire National de Région de Versailles. He is now the oboe principal of China NCPA Orchestra.
Jaume Sanchis, clarinet
He studied at the Music Conservatory of his city and later he moved to Vienna awarded with a scholarship by the "Valencia Conselleria d'Educació i Ciència", where he studied at the Vienna Music University with Professor Horst Hajek. He holds a chamber music and recitalist activity that has led him to perform in Spain, Austria, Italy, United Kingdom, and China.
Jingjing Ji, bassoon
Jingjing Ji, bassoon player who has travelled in Germany for years. In 2007, Jingjing started working in Rheinischen Philharmonie Koblenz as bassoon associate principal, during which he has cooperated with famous musicians for a large number of chamber works. He has been working in China NCPA Orchestra as bassoon principal from 2010.
Xiaoxin Liu, horn
He got master’s degree and highest performer's diploma under the tuition of Prof. Bruno Schneider. He was an intern in Opernhaus Zuerich during his studying in Germany and was the guest horn player of Verbier Festival. He is now the horn principal of China NCPA Orchestra.
A TALE OF TWO CITIES II: HK PHIL & NCPAO WOODWIND QUINTETS
18 | 6 | 2019
TUE 7:30PM
JC Cube, Tai Kwun
HK$200 / $150 (concessionary discount)
Tickets are now available at URBTIX.
For ages 6 and above
Supporting Organisation: the Office of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China in Beijing
Artists
woodwind quintet | |
woodwind quintet |
Click the thumbnails to download press photos
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| HK Phil Quintet Photo Credit: Cheung Wai-lok/HK Phil | NCPAO Quintet |
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Programme
MASLANKA | Wind Quintet no. 3 (HK Phil Quintet) |
| TAFFANEL | Wind Quintet in G minor (NCPAO Quintet) |
| RAFF | Sinfonietta (HK Phil & NCPAO Quintets) |
Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra
Music Director: Jaap van Zweden
Principal Guest Conductor: Yu Long
The Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra (HK Phil) is recognised as Asia’s foremost classical orchestra. Presenting more than 150 concerts over a 44-week season, the HK Phil attracts more than 200,000 music lovers annually.
Jaap van Zweden, one of today’s most sought-after conductors, has been the orchestra’s Music Director since the 2012/13 concert season, a position he will continue to hold until at least 2022. Maestro van Zweden is the 26th Music Director of the New York Philharmonic from the 2018/19 season.
Yu Long has been Principal Guest Conductor since the 2015/16 season.
Under the dynamic leadership of Music Director Jaap van Zweden, the HK Phil has attained new heights of artistic excellence, garnering international critical acclaim.
Following on from the success of the European tour which included a filmed concert from Vienna’s Musikverein, the HK Phil has toured extensively within the mainland China. In 2017, in celebration of the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the HKSAR, and with support of the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Offices, the orchestra performed in Seoul, Osaka, Singapore, Melbourne and at the Sydney Opera House.
Jaap, the HK Phil, a superb cast of soloists and a chorus successfully completed an epic four-year journey through Wagner’s “Ring Cycle” in January 2018. The concert performances and live Naxos recordings have been enthusiastically received by audiences and praised by critics at home and abroad. The recording of Götterdämmerung was released in November 2018.
Conductors and soloists who have recently performed with the orchestra include Vladimir Ashkenazy, Joshua Bell, Charles Dutoit, Christoph Eschenbach, Matthias Goerne, Stephen Hough, Evgeny Kissin, Lang Lang, Yo-Yo Ma, Ning Feng and Yuja Wang.
The HK Phil promotes the work of Hong Kong and Chinese composers through an active commissioning programme, and has released recordings on the Naxos label featuring Tan Dun and Bright Sheng, each conducting their own compositions. Its acclaimed education and community engagement programmes in schools, hospital and outdoor space, bring music into the hearts of tens of thousands of children and families every year.
The Swire Group has been the Principal Patron of the HK Phil since 2006. Through this sponsorship, which is the largest in the orchestra’s history, Swire endeavours to promote artistic excellence, foster access to classical music and stimulate cultural participation in Hong Kong, and to enhance Hong Kong’s reputation as one of the great cities in the world.
Thanks to a significant subsidy from the Hong Kong Government and long-term funding from Principal Patron Swire, the Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust and other supporters, the HK Phil now boasts a full-time annual schedule of core classical repertoire and innovative popular programming, extensive education and community programmes, and collaborations with, among others, Opera Hong Kong, the Hong Kong Arts Festival and the Hong Kong Ballet.
Originally called the Sino-British Orchestra, it was renamed the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra in 1957 and became fully professional in 1974. The HK Phil is a charitable organisation.
The Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra is financially supported by the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and is Venue Partner of the Hong Kong Cultural Centre.
SWIRE is the Principal Patron of the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra.