De Waart meets Wang Jian

Begin your new year of 2008 with a dazzling music showcase! In four consecutive weekends from from 11 Janunary, Maestro De Waart will conduct four of the most brilliant young Chinese musicians today. You will hear the soulful playing of Wang Jian in Dvořák’s cello concerto, the virtuosic performance of Bruch’s Scottish Fantasy by Paganini competition winner Huang Mengla, Prokovfiev’s 2nd Piano Concerto by Yundi Li, and Yang Xuefei’s interpretation of the beloved Rodrigo’s Concierto de Aranjuez, the same work with which she won great praises at the mere age of 14 from the legendary Spanish composer himself.

Wang Jian is one of the finest cellists on the international scene and a great favorite with Hong Kong audiences. Collaborating with Edo de Waart for the very first time, Wang brings his glorious tone and expressive musicianship to Dvorák’s expansive Cello Concerto. Inspired by the landscape of Germany’s Rhineland and especially by the overwhelming grandeur of Cologne’s gothic cathedral, Schumann’s Third Symphony bridges the worlds of Beethoven and Brahms.

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.