Teen Prodigy Recorder Player Lucie Horsch to Play With HK Phil

The Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra (HK Phil) will welcome recorder virtuoso - the first recorder player to be signed to the Decca Classics label and the prestigious Concertgebouw Young Talent Award winner - Lucie Horsch, still in her teens but already in demand internationally. She will be sharing the stage with conductor Benjamin Bayl and the HK Phil to reveal the full range of the recorder in a delightful evening of 18th century music. The magic begins at 8pm on 9 & 10 November 2018 in the Sha Tin Town Hall Auditorium.

Most of us learnt to play the recorder in the regular music curriculum at school. From the Netherlands, however, one young player has taken this instrument to an altogether higher level in a bid to change perceptions of the recorder. In an interview with The Guardian, Lucie said, "I fell in love with the sound... My parents are both professional cellists. They thought the recorder would be a step-up instrument to a 'real' one, probably a string instrument. But in the end, it turned out that the recorder is a real instrument, and you can continue with it."

The recorder was in common use in the time of Vivaldi and Bach, and a number of concertos were written for it which are seldom heard in concerts today. In this all-18th century concert, Lucie will show the audiences the beauty of music from composers including Bach, Rebel, Sammartini, Telemann and Vivaldi (Lucie's debut CD featured works by Vivaldi and won the prestigious Edison Klassiek Award in 2018). Her fluid playing and sweet sound will show that a recorder can be a professional instrument.

On the podium is Australian conductor Benjamin Bayl, who is noted for his mature understanding of both early and modern repertoire, After the successful "Swire Classic Insights: Purcell's Dido and Aeneas" concert with the orchestra back in 2017, Bayl returns for a stunning Baroque programme again with the orchestra.

Discover Series: Discover Baroque will be held on 9 & 10 November 2018 (Fri & Sat), 8PM in the Sha Tin Town Hall Auditorium. Tickets priced: HK$320, $280, $180, $120 are now available at URBTIX. For enquiries, please call +852 2721 2332 or visit hkphil.org.

As requested by the soloist, the previously advertised Blavet Concerto (in C minor) will be replaced by Sammartini Recorder Concerto in F, while the rest of the programme remains unchanged.

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