The HK Phil's 50th Anniversary Tour Comes to Singapore and Europe

The Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra (HK Phil) is celebrating its 50th anniversary this season with a major tour to Singapore and eight cultural capitals across six European countries in February and March 2024. Led by its Music Director Jaap van Zweden, the tour presents an exquisite programme featuring the First Symphonies by Brahms and Mahler, as well as the Ninth Symphony by Shostakovich. Pianist Alexandre Kantorow, winner of the International Tchaikovsky Competition, will perform Rachmaninov’s Paganini Rhapsody and Beethoven’s Fourth Piano Concerto. The concerts will open with Hong Kong composer Daniel Lo’s new work, Asterismal Dance, commissioned to celebrate the HK Phil’s 50th anniversary.

The orchestra’s forthcoming international performances will be held in Singapore (Esplanade) on 20 Feb, Dresden, Germany(Kulturpalast) on 24 Feb,  Zürich, Switzerland (Tonhalle) on 26 Feb, Toulouse, France (Halle aux Grains) on 28 Feb, Aix-En-Provence, France (Grand Théâtre de Provence) on 29 Feb, Rotterdam, The Netherlands (De Doelen) on 2 Mar, Basel, Switzerland (Stadtcasino) on 3 Mar, Rome, Italy (Sala Santa Cecilia) on 5 Mar, and Brussels, Belgium (Bozar) at the opening concert of the Klara Festival on 8 Mar. The tour is supported by the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Offices in Singapore, Berlin, and Brussels of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. PARKROYAL on Beach Road is the Hotel Partner in Singapore, and Kerry Logistics is the Official Logistics Partner in Europe.

Alexandre Kantorow, winner of the 2024 Gilmore Artist Award, has made history as the youngest pianist and the first French artist to receive this prestigious accolade. In 2019, at the age of 22, he was the first French pianist to claim the gold medal at the International Tchaikovsky Competition, where he also claimed the Grand Prix, an award bestowed three times only in the competition’s history. He has been invited to perform worldwide at the highest level, and is applauded for his innate poetic charm, luminous clarity, and stunning virtuosity.

Daniel Lo is one of the most active composers in Hong Kong, showcasing versatility across a wide range of genres, encompassing orchestral compositions and sound installations. Asterismal Dance, commissioned by the HK Phil to celebrate its 50th anniversary, will be given its Singapore and Europe premieres during the tour. It is a scherzo fantastique brimming with eager and energetic rhythm. The composition departs from the common forms of classical music, and unfolds a series of distinct, nonlinear musical characteristics. These materials traverse different instrumental sections of the orchestra, resembling scattered stars in the sky. As the music progresses, the musical materials constantly conjure up different forms, varying, expanding and overlapping in numerous ways, intertwining into a dance as complex as the galaxy.

As one of Asia’s foremost classical orchestras, the HK Phil celebrates its 50th anniversary during the 2023/24 Season, embarking on an exhilarating journey to over 18 cities in Mainland China, Asia, and Europe, on a mission to share the beauty of music and forge connections with audiences worldwide.

Prior to the Singapore and Europe tour, Hong Kong audiences can experience all programmes in the “Swire Maestro Series: Jaap & Alexandre Kantorow I & II” concerts on 16 & 17 Feb (Fri & Sat) at 8pm in the Hong Kong Cultural Centre Concert Hall. Kantorow will make his HK Phil debut on 16 Feb, while Asterismal Dancewill receive its world premiere on 17 Feb. Tickets priced at HK$680, $540, $400, $260, and $50 (Friday only) are available at URBTIX. For enquiries, please call +852 2721 2332 or visit hkphil.org.

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