Exclusive Performance for the Press
by
HK Phil Concertmaster Jing Wang
with the
Kreutzer Stradivarius Violin from the Clark Family Collection
Valued at US$7.5-10 million

Download HERE
 

[19 May 2014, Hong Kong] The Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra’s (HK Phil) Concertmaster, Jing Wang, is invited to give an exclusive performance demonstrating The Kreutzer Stradivarius Violin, at a press preview organised by Christie’s on 21 May 2014 at 3:00pm at Convention Hall, Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. Estimated at US$7.5-10 million, this exceptional violin leads Christie’s New York’s 18 June auction of An American Dynasty: The Clark Family Treasures.

Antonio Stradivari is recognized as one of the greatest makers of string instruments in history. He is believed to have produced close to a thousand instruments during his time, of which approximately 650 survive today.

The Kreutzer Stradivarius violin dates from circa 1731. It was named for Rodolphe Kreutzer (1766-1831), the great French violinist, who likely came into the possession of Kreutzer while he was conducting for the Theatre de Monsieur in Paris. He is also remembered as the dedicatee of Beethoven’s Violin Sonata no. 9, known as the KreutzerSonata.

“When I play on a great Strad, the instrument connects with my soul in such a manner that its range of sound colours will even dictate my music making. I do sometimes become a different artist.”
- Jing Wang, Concertmaster, Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra

Jing Wang will demonstrate the Kreutzer Stradivarius violin with the following repertoire:

J. S. BACH              Sonata no. 1 for Solo Violin in G minor: Adagio & Fugue

About Jing Wang, Concertmaster [full biography]
Jing Wang began playing violin at the age of three; he made his first public appearance three years later in Marseille, France and his concerto debut aged nine with the Quebec Symphony Orchestra, Canada.

Jing Wang studied at the Juilliard School as a Joseph Fuchs Scholar and completed post-graduate studies at the Shepherd School of Music (Rice University). He has been the recipient of numerous competition prizes including the Irving M. Klein International Competition (First Prize – 2007), Concertino Praga (First Prize – 2000), Montreal Symphony Competition (First Prize – 1998) and the Canadian Music Competition (First Prize – 1997). In addition he was awarded the "Young Soloist of the Year" (2003) by Les Radios Francophones Publiques, a broadcast network of four countries including France, Canada, Switzerland and Belgium. This award sponsored the release of his first CD album including works by Beethoven, Ravel and Gershwin.

He took up the position of Concertmaster with the HK Phil in September 2013 at the invitation of Maestro Jaap van Zweden.

Jing Wang		The Kreutzer Stradivarius violin Photo credit: Christie’s

Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra
Music Director: Jaap van Zweden

The Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra is the city’s largest and busiest musical organisation and is a vital part of Hong Kong’s cultural life. This season it celebrates its 40th professional season, but its roots stretch back well over a century. The HK Phil has now evolved into an orchestral powerhouse in the region, and an acclaimed cultural centrepiece of Asia’s World City.

The HK Phil is formed on the belief that a great city deserves a great orchestra. Annually it presents over 150 concerts attracting over 200,000 music lovers. Featuring an enviable roster of international conductors and soloists, the HK Phil performs a broad variety of music, with many concerts presented free; among them the annual Swire Symphony Under The Stars. Through its acclaimed education programme, over 40,000 young people learned about orchestral music in the last year.

The Swire Group Charitable Trust has been the Principal Patron of the HK Phil since 2006. Swire’s enlightened support, the most generous in the orchestra’s history, continues to enable the orchestra to reach towards high artistic goals.

The HK Phil’s members come from every corner of the globe, with a strong core of Hong Kong musicians. In September 2012 Jaap van Zweden became the orchestra’s Music Director. Future years will see an ambitious series of new projects, with major international tours, renewed local partnerships, and large-scale concert events. The HK Phil has commenced a multi-CD recording project for Naxos, featuring works by Chinese composers.

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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