HK Phil Music Director Jaap van Zweden and Luminaries in Town to Celebrate the HK Phil 40th Anniversary Gala
Performance and Gala Dinner on 14 June Sponsored by Prince Jewellery & Watch and Vacheron Constantin

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[16 June 2014, Hong Kong] The Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra (HK Phil), Music Director Jaap van Zweden and other luminaries celebrated the HK Phil’s 40th Anniversary Gala on 14 June, with a stunning performance from the HK Phil, and a glamourous exhibition and dinner event sponsored by Prince Jewellery & Watch and Vacheron Constantin.

The Hon C Y Leung, Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and HK Phil’s Honorary Patron, officiated at the ceremony before the concert. Other officiating guests included Mr Y S Liu, Chairman of the Board of Governors for the HK Philharmonic Society, Maestro Jaap van Zweden, Music Director of the HK Phil, Dr Jimmy Tang, MH, Chairman and CEO of Prince Jewellery & Watch, and Mr Julien Tornare, Managing Director of Vacheron Constantin Asia Pacific.

The concert began with Quintessence, a HK Phil new commission by Mr Fung Lam, the Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation Composer-in-Residence. Gold Medal winner of the 1990 International Tchaikovsky Competition, Boris Berezovsky, then joined the celebrations with Rachmaninov’s Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini. The concert concluded with Berlioz’s great masterpiece Symphonie Fantastique greeted with prolonged applause from the audience.

During the concert interval, Vacheron Constantin showcased the art of watchmaking excellence through a presentation of their latest Métiers d’Art Mécaniques Ajourées collection, alongside with the Maison’s other high complication novelties such as the Patrimony Traditionnelle Calibre 2755 which houses minute repeater, tourbillon, perpetual calendar and power reserve all in one caliber.

Apart from the concert, a glamorous Gala Dinner, presented by title sponsors Prince Jewellery & Watch and Vacheron Constantin, was held in the Ballroom of the InterContinental Hotel with a magnificent watch and jewellery model presentation featuring Vacheron Constantin’s Métiers d’Art Fabuleux Ornements ladies watches and spectacular jewellery creations from Prince Jewellery & Watch. There was also a live auction of Vacheron Constantin’s Patrimony Traditionnelle Lady watch and a silent auction of luxury items. The proceeds will be used to support the development of the HK Phil.

Distinguished guests who joined the celebrations (in alphabetical order of family name) included Mr Anson Chan, Dr Darwin Chen, Ms Ning Ning Chen, Mr Hilton Cheong-Leen, Tan Sri Dato' David Chiu & Puan Sri Datin Nancy Chiu, Mrs Margaret Choi, Ms Candy Chuang, Ms Christine Chuang, Ms Jojo Fok, Mr Gordon Fok, Mr Klaus Heymann and Ms Takako Nishizaki, Ms Daisy Ho, Ms Maisy Ho, Mr Eddie Kwan, Ms Alice Lai, Ms Laura Lau, Mr & Mrs Wayman & Mary Ann Li, Mr Pui Kwan Kay, Mr John and Mrs Joy Slosar, Mr Ambrose and Mrs Christine So, Ms Linda Switzer, Mr Ronald and Mrs Rina Tham, Mr and Mrs David Wong, Ms Corina Wong, Mr Andrew Yuen and Ms Yvette Yung.

Board and Committee members who joined the celebrations included Mr YS Liu (Chair of Board of Governors), Board members Mr David Fried, Mr Peter and Mrs Mary Kilgour, Mr Benedict Sin and Mrs Harriet Tung and Fundraising Committee members Mr Edward Ng and Mr Peter Siembab.

HK Phil would like to give special thanks to the HK Phil 40th Anniversary Gala Dinner Committee:
Chair: Ms Pansy Ho

Members (in alphabetical order of family name): Mrs Janice Choi, MH, Mrs Irene Chu, Mr Edward Ho, Ms Jane Ho, Ms Lavonne Lee, Ms Jennifer Liu, Ms Sally Tsang and Dr Amy Wong.

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Media Photos (please click on the thumbnail to download the images)

01.	Group photo at the reception (from left to right): Ms Pansy Ho, Maestro Jaap van Zweden, Hon C Y Leung, Mr Y S Liu, Ms Leanne Dzau, Mrs Janice Choi, MH, Mr Michael MacLeod
02.	Mr Y S Liu, Chairman, Hong Kong Philharmonic Society Board of Governors, delivers the Welcoming Speech
03.	The Hon C Y Leung, Chief Executive, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, delivers his speech
04.	Mr Y S Liu presents souvenir to Dr Jimmy Tang, MH, Chairman & CEO of Prince Jewellery & Watch
05.	Mr Y S Liu presents souvenir to Mr Julien Tornare, Managing Director, Vacheron Constantin Asia Pacific
06.	Group photo (from left to right): Mr Michael MacLeod, Dr Jimmy Tang, MH, Mr Y S Liu, Hon C Y Leung, Ms Pansy Ho, Mrs Janice Choi, MH, Mr Julien Tornare
07.	The Robert H. N. Ho family Foundation Composer-in-Residence Mr Fung Lam on the stage with Maestro Jaap van Zweden and the HK Phil in world première of Quintessence (Photo: Cheung Wai Lok)
08.	Boris Berezovsky joined the celebration with Rachmaninov’s Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini (Photo: Cheung Chi Wai)
09.	Guests enjoying an exhibition sponsored by Prince Jewellery & Watch and Vacheron Constantin during the interval
10.	Berlioz’s Symphonie Fantastique by Maestro Jaap van Zweden and the HK Phil (Photo: Cheung Wai Lok)
11.	Ms Pansy Ho, Chair, The Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra 40th Anniversary Gala Dinner Committee, gives the welcome speech at the gala dinner
12.	Mr YS Liu presents souvenir to Ms Pansy Ho
13.	Speech by Maestro Jaap van Zweden
14.	Group photo with models of the catwalk show sponsored by Prince Jewellery & Watch and Vacheron Constantin
15.	Group photo with HK Phil 40th Anniversary Gala Dinner Committee Members (from left to right): Ms Jennifer Liu, Mr Edward Ho, Mrs Janice Choi, MH, Mr Michael MacLeod, Maestro Jaap van Zweden, Mr Y S Liu, Ms Sally Tsang, Dr Amy Wong, Ms Pansy Ho
16.	Group Photo with Sponsors and Committee Members (from left to right): Mr Michael MacLeod, Mr Edward Ho (former Chairman of Board of Governors), Mrs Janice Choi, MH, Mr Julien Tornare, Dr Jimmy Tang, MH, Mr Y S Liu, Ms Pansy Ho, Maestro Jaap van Zweden
17.	Group Photo with Board Members (from left to right): Mr Benedict Sin, Mr Y S Liu, Mr Lam Woon Kwong, Mrs Harriet Tung, Mr Peter Kilgour, Mrs Janice Choi, MH, Mr David Fried, Mr Michael MacLeod
18.	Thank you speech by Mr Michael MacLeod, Chief Executive, Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra
19.	Cake cutting ceremony
20.	Ms Pansy Ho, Chair, Organizing Committee of the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra 40th Anniversary Gala Dinner

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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