The Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra Concludes its Singapore and Europe Tour

The Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra concluded a three-week international tour to Singapore and Europe, as part of the orchestra’s 50th anniversary season. Led by Music Director Jaap van Zweden, the tour concerts featured renowned French pianist Alexandre Kantorow and Hong Kong composer Daniel Lo, whose Asterismal Dance was given its Singaporean and European premieres. Performances took place in nine cities across seven countries, enthralling audiences at prestigious venues including Singapore’s Esplanade, Dresden’s Kulturpalast, Zurich’s Tonhalle, Toulouse’s Halle aux Grains, Aix-En-Provence’s Grand Théâtre de Provence, Rotterdam’s De Doelen, Basels’ Stadtcasino, Rome’s Sala Santa Cecilia and Brussels’s Bozar from 20 February to 8 March 2024.

The tour programmes featured the First Symphonies by Brahms and Mahler, as well as Shostakovich’s Symphony no. 9. Pianist Alexandre Kantorow, winner of the 2019 International Tchaikovsky Competition and 2024 Gilmore Artist Award, performed Rachmaninov’s Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini and Beethoven’s Fourth Piano Concerto. Each concert opened with Daniel Lo’s new work, Asterismal Dance, commissioned to celebrate the HK Phil’s 50th anniversary.

The grand finale of the tour in Bozar, Brussels opened the prestigious Klarafestival, Belgium’s biggest classical music festival. The concert was broadcast live by the Belgium public radio VRT, one of the founding members of European Broadcasting Union (EBU). Jaap van Zweden, Alexandre Kantorow and Daniel Lo gave pre-concert talks in Rotterdam, Aix-En-Provence, and Brussels, respectively.

All of the concerts were well received, with nearly full or sold-out houses at the majority of the venues. Jaap van Zweden, Music Director of the HK Phil said, “I was happy to embark on an extensive tour to Singapore and Europe with the HK Phil. Due to the pandemic, this was the first opportunity I have had to tour overseas with the orchestra after it received the Gramophone Orchestra of the Year Award in 2019. The tour commemorated the orchestra's achievements over the past five decades and showcased its musical excellence on the world stage. I am glad that the high quality playing of the orchestra was appreciated by passionate audiences at every hall and uniformly praised in the reviews of the concerts.”

The HK Phil would like to extend its sincere gratitude to the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Offices of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region in Singapore, Berlin and Brussels for their generosity, as well as PARKROYAL on Beach Road for its support as the Hotel Partner in Singapore, and Kerry Logistics for their contribution as the Official Logistics Partner in Europe.

As a cultural ambassador of Hong Kong, the HK Phil is dedicated to fostering cultural exchange and showcasing the artistic excellence of Hong Kong locally, nationally, and internationally. In May 2024, HK Phil Principal Guest Conductor Long Yu will lead the orchestra on a journey across Mainland China, presenting an enticing East-meets-West programme.