HK Phil Swire Denim Series: The Eight Seasons
Explore the Seasonal Differences between Vivaldi and Piazzolla
(16 & 17 May)

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[8 May 2014, Hong Kong] In The Eight Seasons concert by the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra (HK Phil), dazzling young violin virtuoso Henning Kraggerud and the HK Phil explore the four seasons of the Old and New Worlds through music by intertwining two masterpieces, on 16 & 17 May at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre.

Vivaldi’s Four Seasons evoke the seasons as they affected life in Italy 300 years ago. The music is matched by beautiful Italian sonnets which were possibly written by Vivaldi himself. Henning Kraggerud reads these verses (in English translation) before each of the four sections of the work.

Astor Piazzolla’s name is synonymous with tango. His Four Seasons of Buenos Aires quote Vivaldi but are inspired by the Argentine capital, its sultry weather and, of course, its tango rhythms. The Verano Porteño (“Summer”) was composed in 1965, and five years later Piazzolla composed the other three.

Director and violinist Henning Kraggerud is the artistic director of Tromsø Chamber Orchestra and Co-Artistic Director of Risør Festival of Chamber Music. He has received Norway’s prestigious Grieg Prize, Sibelius Prize and Ole Bull Prize. His recordings have won 5-star Editor’s Choice from Classical Music Magazine and Norway’s Spellemann CD award.  

Swire Denim Series: The Eight Seasons will be held on 16 & 17 May 2014 (Fri & Sat), 9PM in the Hong Kong Cultural Centre Concert Hall.Tickets priced: $280, $200, $160, $120 are now available at URBTIX. For enquiries, please call +852 2721 2332 or visit www.hkphil.org.

Free Pre-concert Talks given by musicologist Dr. Stefan Au will be held at 8:15pm on Friday, 16 May (in English) at AC2, Level 4, Administration Building, Hong Kong Cultural Centre; and on Saturday, 17 May (in Cantonese) at 4/F Foyer, Auditoria Building, Hong Kong Cultural Centre.

Post-Concert party exclusively for concert audiences and musicians will be held from 10:30pm to 11:30pm at HKCC Deli & Wine. Admission tickets (HK$80) available shortly before each concert at Hong Kong Cultural Centre foyer cash bar. First-come, first-served.

Special thanks to our partner Chevignon.

Artists
Henning Kraggerud, director & violin [full biography]
Norwegian violinist Henning Kraggerud is co-Artistic Director of the Risør Festival of Chamber Music, succeeding Leif Ove Andsnes in 2011. In 2012 Henning became Artistic Director of the Tromsø Chamber Orchestra. Henning’s début at Hollywood Bowl, with the Los Angeles Philharmonic in 2012, was hailed as “the high point of the night”. Other highlights have included his début at the 2010 BBC Proms, acclaimed performances with Philharmonia Orchestra in 2012 and at Carnegie Hall in 2009, as well as collaborations with renowned orchestras such as the London Philharmonic, Hallé, Oslo Philharmonic, and Toronto and Cincinnati Symphonies.

Swire Denim: The Eight Seasons
16 & 17 | 5 | 2014
FRI & SAT 9PM
HK Cultural Centre Concert Hall
HK$280 $200 $160 $120
Tickets Now Available at URBTIX
For ages 6 and above

Click the thumbnail to download photos
Henning Kraggerud Photo Credit: Observatoriet – Simax Classics	Hong Kong Philharmonic OrchestraPhoto Credit: Cheung Chi Wai / HK Phil

Ticketing Information
Credit Card Booking
+852 2111 5999
Online Booking
www.urbtix.hk

For programme enquiry, please call HK Phil at
+852 2721 2332
Or go on our website:
www.hkphil.org

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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