Bian Zushan, a famous Chinese conductor, said “If we say Hong Kong is a bright pearl in the Orient, Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra must be the bright pearl of Hong Kong.” On November 27 and 28, Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra, an eminent player of traditional Chinese music, would remount the stage of the National Grand Theatre under the guide of Yan Huichang, the conductor, to put on two performances. The two concerts would be important components of the One Hundred Concerts of Chinese Folk Music, held at the National Grand Theatre. They would put a satisfactory end to the first block of the 100-concert show.
In the traditional Chinese music circle, Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra is widely acknowledged among the best for its pure tone and chamber music performance. Yan Huichang, the conductor, is a man of the day in the circle. On October 30, the orchestra made a successful debut at the Carnegie Hall, New York, conquering captious American audiences who gave a standing ovation. Yan returned to the stage to render thanks for four times, an honor for the traditional Chinese music. Such a scene would reappear in November at the National Grand Hotel.
Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra is known for its commissioned music creation mechanism and the quality of commissioned works. They are the gold-lettered signboards of the orchestra.
This time, Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra would present two newly created commissioned works at the National Grand Theatre. The music works of different regions and styles, permeated with classical and modern emotions, would fully manifest the strength of the orchestra accumulated all these years.
It would present the two modern works well received at the Carnegie Hall, the cello concerto of Zhao Jiping Dream of Zhuang Zhou and the instrumental ensemble of Guo Wenjing Local Customs of Western Yunnan. Meanwhile, the concert would be more splendid, as it was attended by world famous cellist Wang Jian, and “Chinese nightingale” Wu Bixia who integrated Chinese and western ways of singing.
Since the One Hundred Concerts of Chinese Folk Music activity was inaugurated on October 2, nine famous Chinese orchestras from the Chinese mainland, Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan, had showed up at the National Grand Theatre to present 10 concerts of traditional Chinese music of great elegance and diversified features. They included Chinese National Orchestra, Guangdong National Orchestra, Taipei Chinese Orchestra, and Macao Chinese Orchestra.
During the period, Li Xiangting, Song Fei and Dai Ya, who were the best performers of traditional Chinese music, appeared before the audiences, enabling them to appreciate so many masterpieces in a short span of three months. This time, Yan Huichang and Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra would surely add brilliance to the 100-concert activity. They would fully display the comprehensive and diversified nature of the grand event and showcase the high standards and tastes of contemporary Chinese folk music.
From:chinaculture Editor: Wen Yi