Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra to Tour Australia

The Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra (HK Phil) today announced an ambitious international tour in 2017 to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR). This will be the first ever tour to Australia by the orchestra. A coup for Australia is that internationally acclaimed Jaap van Zweden, will conduct the orchestra with renowned violinist Ning Feng as soloist.

The five-concert tour will include programmes showcasing Hong Kong's creativity and musical culture including a commissioned work by a leading Hong Kong composer as well as masterpieces by Mahler, Mozart, Bartók and Brahms. The tour begins in Seoul (16 April) followed by Osaka (18 April) and Singapore (1 May) before heading to Melbourne (4 May) and Sydney (5 May).

Jaap van Zweden, who has been Music Director of the HK Phil since 2012/13, will also be the new Music Director of the New York Phil starting with the 2018-19 season. Van Zweden will continue to hold his position with the HK Phil at least until the summer of 2022.

HK Phil Chief Executive Michael MacLeod says the tour is an historic move for the orchestra.

"For the first time, Australian audiences will be able to enjoy our internationally recognised musicians when they perform at The Arts Centre, Melbourne and the Sydney Opera House. It's a great opportunity to showcase the brilliance of our orchestra to an entirely new audience," Mr. MacLeod said.

"The 2017 tour gives audiences in Singapore, Japan and Korea a rare opportunity to experience one of Asia's leading orchestras together with our internationally renowned conductor Jaap van Zweden and showcases the artistic talents of violinist Ning Feng. It's been 13 years since the HK Phil performed in Seoul, 17 years since we visited Singapore, and we last performed in Osaka in 1988, so this is a great way to renew our friendship with these audiences," HK Phil Chairman Y.S. Liu said.

More recently, the HK Phil undertook an extensive European and UK tour (2015) and will shortly perform in three cities in Mainland China (October 26-29, 2016). Locally, the orchestra presents more than 150 performances annually.

The orchestra will present two programmes during the tour. The first, for audiences in Seoul and Osaka, includes the Bartók Violin Concerto and Brahms' Symphony no. 1. The second programme for Singapore, Melbourne and Sydney will feature Mozart's Violin Concerto no. 4 and Mahler's Symphony no. 1.

HK Phil Music Director Jaap van Zweden says he's looking forward to sharing the 2017 tour programmes with concert-goers.

"Mahler's music is full of emotion and his Symphony no. 1 is ideal for touring being relatively short and extremely accessible. You can't beat the majesty of Brahms' first symphony with its glorious final movement. Ning Feng is a great violinist and in his hands, the Bartók and Mozart violin concertos will sparkle," he said.

Audiences in Hong Kong will have a chance to savour the first tour programme when it is performed as part of the orchestra's 2016/17 season on 14 April, 2017.

The 2017 international tour is presented by the HK Phil in association with, and supported by, the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office (Tokyo, Singapore, and Sydney).

"This tour highlights the orchestra's importance as ambassadors for Hong Kong's cultural heritage and showcases our flagship arts organisation internationally. I'm sure international audiences will appreciate our wonderful cultural icon as much as we do in Hong Kong," Mr. MacLeod said.

Jaap van Zweden, conductor [full biography]

Amsterdam-born Jaap van Zweden is one of today's most sought-after conductors. He has been Music Director of the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra since 2012, a position he will continue to hold until at least 2022. In addition, he will become the Music Director of the New York Philharmonic in the 2018-19 season.

Maestro van Zweden is currently Music Director of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, Honorary Chief Conductor of the Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra and Honorary Conductor of the Radio Chamber Philharmonic. At just 19, he became the youngest Concertmaster appointed by the Netherland based Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra. He began his conducting career in 1995, becoming Chief Conductor at the Netherlands Symphony Orchestra (1996-2000), Chief Conductor of the Residentie Orchestra of The Hague (2000-2005) and Chief Conductor of the Royal Flemish Philharmonic Orchestra (2008-2011). He was named as Musical America's Conductor of the Year in 2012.

Ning Feng, violin [full biography]

Born in Chengdu, China, Ning Feng studied at the Sichuan Conservatory of Music and the Royal Academy of Music, London. He performs regularly in China and has an international reputation as an artist of great lyricism and technical accomplishment. He is a regular guest performer with the HK Phil.

His numerous awards include first prize at the International Paganini Competition (2006) as well as the 2005 Michael Hill International Violin Competition (New Zealand).

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