“When Tchaikovsky Meets Moser”
Fast-rising Cellist with “Rock Star Energy”,
Johannes Moser, in Rococo Variations (15 & 16 June)

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[1 June 2012 – Hong Kong] Acclaimed by Gramophone magazine as “one of the finest among the astonishing gallery of young virtuoso cellists”, Johannes Moser has made waves with playing which ranges from the elegant and graceful to the head-banging energy of a rock star. He will make his Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra (HKPO) début in Tchaikovsky’s classic Rococo Variations, a piece which earned him a Special Prize at the 2002 Tchaikovsky Competition and effectively launched his stellar career.

Conducted by Russian conductor Alexander Vedernikov, the repertoire will also feature Tchaikovsky’s Hamlet Overture and Prokofiev’s Romeo and Juliet(Vedernikov Suite). Splendour of Russia: “When Tchaikovsky Meets Moser” concerts will be held at 8pm, 15 & 16 June 2012 (Fri & Sat)in Hong Kong Cultural Centre Concert Hall. Free pre-concert Talks will be given at 7:15pm on both evenings, also at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre.

Tickets, priced at $320, $240, $180 and $120, are available at URBTIX. Programme Enquiries: 2721 2030.

Johannes Moser, cello

“one of the finest among the astonishing gallery of young virtuoso cellists.”

 --- Gramophone

German-Canadian cellist Johannes Moser has performed with many of the world’s leading orchestras such as the Chicago Symphony, New York Philharmonic, Cleveland Orchestra, Los Angeles Philharmonic, London Symphony, Concertgebouw Orchestra, Tonhalle Orchester Zurich, Bayerische Rundfunk Orchestra, Munich Philharmonic, Tokyo Symphony and Israel Philharmonic. He works regularly with conductors of the highest level including Riccardo Muti, Lorin Maazel, Mariss Jansons, Valery Gergiev, Zubin Mehta, Vladimir Jurowski, Franz Welser-Möst, Manfred Honeck, Christian Thielemann, Pierre Boulez, Neeme Järvi and Paavo Järvi.

Johannes also has a passion for the electric cello which he uses to explore new possibilities in sound as well as for improvisation. This has inspired a number of composers to write for this instrument, mainly in combination with electronics. He has received two ECHO Klassik awards for his recordings on Hänssler Classics. His concerto début disc, which features the complete works of Saint-Saëns for cello and orchestra with the Stuttgart Radio Symphony Orchestra, was honoured as one of Classics Today’s Top 10 CDs of 2008.

Moser was the top prize winner at the 2002 Tchaikovsky Competition, in addition to being awarded the Special Prize for his interpretation of the Rococo Variations.

Alexander Vedernikov, conductor
Alexander Vedernikov was Music Director and Chief Conductor of the Bolshoi Theatre from 2001 until 2009 and has been credited with rebuilding the Bolshoi Theatre’s historical reputation for artistic excellence.  He led many productions at the Bolshoi, including a new production of Boris Godunov in the original Mussorgsky orchestrations (2007), Tchaikovsky's Eugene Onegin (2006), and Leonid Desyatnikov’s The Children of Rosenthal (world première, commissioned by the Bolshoi Theatre). He was also responsible for developing the Bolshoi’s programme of symphonic concerts, and has featured very broad repertoire, including Prokofiev's Cinderella, Berlioz’s La Damnation de Faust, Verdi’s Requiem, scenes from the operas of Wagner, and music by Richard Strauss, Alban Berg, Dmitry Shostakovich, and Georgy Sviridov.

Aside from his immense success in Russia, Alexander performs extensively throughout Europe and further afield. Recent seasons have included engagements with the London Philharmonic Orchestra, Danish National Symphony Orchestra, Sydney Symphony, BBC Symphony Orchestra, China Philharmonic Orchestra, Orchestra Verdi, Milan, City of Birmingham Symphony and the National Symphony Orchestra in Washington DC, Bayerischer Rundfunk Symphony Orchestra (at Mariss Jansons’ personal request). He has also conducted the NHK Symphony Orchestra, Staatskapelle Dresden, Montreal Symphony, Sydney Symphony, Tokyo Philharmonic, and Royal Scottish National Orchestra.  His 2011/2012 highlights include his participation in the London Philharmonic Orchestra’s Prokofiev festival and débuts with the Hong Kong Philharmonic.
In September 2009 Alexander took up the role of Chief Conductor of the Odense Orchestra in Denmark.

Programme
According to Gramophone magazine he is “one of the finest among the astonishing gallery of young virtuoso cellists”, the Chicago Tribunedescribes him as “greatly gifted”, while the Los Angeles Times simply labels him “remarkable”. Johannes Moser has certainly made waves with playing which ranges from the elegant and graceful to the head-banging energy of a rock star. We get to hear him with the piece which earned him a Special Prize at the 2002 Tchaikovsky Competition and effectively launched his stellar career.

Framing Tchaikovsky’s gorgeous Rococo Variations for cello and orchestra are two Russian works inspired by the English playwright, William Shakespeare. Tchaikovsky’s overture inspired by Hamlet is as dramatic and stirring as the play itself, while Russian conductor Alexander Vedernikov has drawn up his own suite from Prokofiev’s great score to follow the drama, the passion and the pathos of those eternal lovers, Romeo and Juliet.

Splendour of Russia: When Tchaikovsky Meets Moser
15&16 | 6 | 2012
FRI & SAT 8PM
HK Cultural Centre Concert Hall
HK$320 $240 $180 $120
Available at URBTIX now

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Ticketing Information

Credit Card Booking
(852) 2111 5999
Online Booking
www.urbtix.hk

For programme enquiry, please call HKPO at
(852) 2721 2030

HONG KONG PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA

The Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra (HKPO) is one of Asia’s leading orchestras. Enriching Hong Kong’s cultural life for over a century, the Orchestra has grown into a formidable ensemble of Chinese and international talents, attracting world-class artists to collaborate on its stage. The HKPO annually touches the lives of over 200,000 music lovers through more than 150 performances. Under the leadership of Artistic Director and Chief Conductor Edo de Waart, the HKPO has scaled new heights of musical excellence, and will continue to do so under the artistic leadership of Jaap van Zweden, the Orchestra’s Music Director from the 2012/13 season.

The HKPO stays in tune with our city by presenting the Orchestra in unexpected venues and bringing the excitement of the concert experience to every home through radio and television broadcasts including the largest symphonic event of the year, Swire Symphony under the Stars, at Happy Valley. The Orchestra runs a comprehensive schools education programme, HSBC Insurance Creative Notes, bringing the joy of classical music to primary, secondary and special school kids. The Orchestra also collaborates regularly with other performing arts organisations such as Opera Hong Kong in addition to its crossover series with Western and Chinese pop artists.

The Orchestra also builds its reputation and raises its artistic standards by touring. In September 2010, de Waart and the HKPO returned to China, performing at the Expo 2010 Shanghai, Xi’an and Beijing to critical acclaim.

The Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra is financially supported by the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
SWIRE is the Principal Patron of the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra
The Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra is a Venue Partner of the Hong Kong Cultural Centre

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