Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra –
Maestro Jaap van Zweden makes his conducting debut with the HK Phil in Mainland China from 6 to 12 March 2014

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[19 February 2014, Hong Kong] The Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra (HK Phil) is proud to announce the HK Phil Mainland China Tour 2014. Music Director Jaap van Zweden will make his conducting debut leading the HK Phil and violinist Simone Lamsma in an all-Beethoven programme in Beijing, Shanghai, Xiamen and Guangzhou from 6 to 12 March 2014.

Maestro van Zweden says, “This is my first Mainland China tour as a conductor and I look forward to meeting the classical music lovers from the various cities who have developed into one of the most important audiences on the international art scene.” Recent highlights of the maestro include debuts with the Berlin Philharmonic, London Symphony, New York Philharmonic, Boston Symphony, San Francisco Symphony and the Orchestre de Paris.

“The level of the HK Phil’s performance was like a first class orchestra… like magic… the music making & the level of refinement was really extraordinary…”

- Oliver Chou, Radio Television Hong Kong - Radio 4

The all-Beethoven programme includes Egmont Overture, Violin Concerto and Symphony no. 5, featuring violinist Simone Lamsma, winner of the China International Violin Competition in 2005.

HK Phil’s last performance in Mainland China dates back four years ago to August 2010, and last December the orchestra played in Taipei as part of the Hong Kong Week 2013. The orchestra was founded in 1895 and is celebrating its first forty years as a professional orchestra this season. It has 90 full-time players of international standard, and presents over 150 concerts for over 200,000 music lovers each year, featuring an enviable roster of international artists.

HK Phil would like to thank the Office of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region in Beijing, and Hong Kong Economic and Trade Offices in Shanghai and Guangdong, for their kind support for the tour. The Swire Group Charitable Trust has been the Principal Patron of the HK Phil since 2006.

Artists
Jaap van Zweden, conductor [full biography]
Amsterdam-born Jaap van Zweden is one of today’s most sought-after conductors. Appointed at age nineteen as the youngest Concertmaster ever of the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, he was named Musical America’s Conductor of the Year for 2012.

Maestro van Zweden has been Music Director of the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra since the 2012/13 season. He is also Music Director of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, Honorary Chief Conductor of the Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra and Honorary Conductor of the Radio Chamber Philharmonic.

Simone Lamsma, violin [full biography]
Hailed by critics and audiences around the world for her distinct voice, maturity, technical brilliance and heartfelt musicianship, Simone Lamsma is one of classical music’s most thrilling rising stars. She performed at the Queen’s Day Concert in the presence of HRH Queen Beatrix of The Netherlands in 2011 – a concert that was broadcast nationally on Dutch television. Her 2013/14 season highlights include debuts with the Chicago Symphony and the San Francisco Symphony Orchestras, Finnish Radio Symphony, Orchestre National de Belgique, Warsaw Philharmonic, City of Birmingham Symphony, as well as appearances with the St Louis Symphony and New Zealand Symphony.

HK Phil Mainland China Tour 2014

Beijing
6 | 3 | 2014
THU 7:30PM
National Centre for the Performing Arts Concert Hall
RMB¥500, 400, 350, 300, 200, 120, 80
Booking Hotline: 400-620-6006 / +86-10-6655-0000

Shanghai
8 | 3 | 2014
SAT 7:30PM
Shanghai Oriental Art Center Concert Hall
RMB¥380, 280, 220, 160, 80
Booking Hotline: +86-21-6854-1234

Xiamen
10 | 3 | 2014
MON 7:30PM
Banlam Grand Theater
RMB¥580, 380, 280, 180, 80
Banlam Grand Theater Booking Hotline: 400-880-2281

Guangzhou
12 | 3 | 2014
WED 8PM
Guangzhou Opera House Opera Hall
RMB¥680, 480, 380, 280, 180, 80
Guangzhou Opera House Booking Hotline: 400-880-8922 / +86-20-3839-2888

Click the thumbnail to download photos
Jaap van Zweden Photo Credit: Hans van der Woerd	Simone Lamsma Photo Credit: Otto van den Toorn	Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra Photo credit:Cheung Chi Wai / HK Phil

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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