Akiko's Mozart Concerto

Richard Strauss’s dazzling and extravagant music has become a feature in recent seasons of the Hong Kong Philharmonic. His best-loved tone-poem A Hero’s Life is an outrageous piece of self-promotion, its hero being the composer himself, who, having grabbed the public’s attention, doesn’t waste this opportunity to take a shot at his critics. Japanese violinist Akiko Suwanai was the youngest ever winner of the Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow, and has quickly established herself as a major force among solo violinists with an exquisite tone quality, enhanced by the 1714 Stradivarius violin she plays which used to belong to the legendary Jascha Heifetz.

In 2007/08 the Hong Kong Philharmonic continues to present a series of free talks from 7:15pm to 7:45pm prior to every concert in the Swire Maestro Series. A great way to get to know more about the musical masterworks in each concert, “Classic Insights” will involve leading experts and musicians offering fascinating insights into the composers’ lives, eras and creations. These events will take place in the level 4 foyer of the Hong Kong Cultural Centre Auditoria Building. Talks on Friday evenings will be conducted in English and those on Saturday evenings will be in Cantonese.