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The Leisure and Cultural Services Department will present "A Tribute to Dizi Maestro Zhao Songting", to be performed by the accomplished dizi musicians of the Windpipe Chinese Ensemble, in September.
Mr Zhao Songting was a rare talent. One of China's foremost dizi players, he was also a composer, teacher and scientific researcher. This year marks the 10th anniversary of Mr Zhao's death and is a fitting occasion for this tribute concert. Through the interpretations of conductor Mr Ho Man-chuen and three of Mr Zhao's musical disciples, Mr Zhan Yongming, Mr Du Rusong and Mr Sun Yongzhi, the audience will be able to experience the distinguished style of the Zhao school of dizi playing, and discover why he was considered a leading light in the development of this genre of music in modern China.
This enlightening programme includes Mr Zhao's "Morning", Mr Zhao and Mr Cao Xing's "The Secluded Orchid in Spring"; and Mr Zhao's arrangements "Three-Five-Seven" and "Flying Partridges". In addition, three Hong Kong premiere works will be included: Mr Zhan's "As Spring Fades"; Mr Xu Shufu, Mr Zhang Quanfu and Mr Zhan's "A Joyful Song of Wujiang"; and Mr Du's "Zhu Yuan".
The Windpipe Chinese Ensemble was founded with the mission of promoting the musical culture of China and Hong Kong. In addition to researching and studying traditional Chinese folk music, the ensemble dedicates itself to exploring the unique charms and styles of Chinese ensemble music, which has been described as "small but elegant, simple but refined". The ensemble holds regular music activities including concerts, workshops, music camps, master classes, talks and cultural gatherings. The group also hosts musical exhibitions featuring various instruments performed by Chinese virtuosi and young musicians from Hong Kong, in a bid to introduce Chinese music's traditional and modern repertoire to the public, covering dizi music, Guangdong music culture and original compositions by local composers.
The concert "A Tribute to Dizi Maestro Zhao Songting" by the Windpipe Chinese Ensemble will be staged at 4pm on September 25 (Sunday) at the Auditorium, Tsuen Wan Town Hall. Tickets priced at $140, $110 and $80 are now available at all URBTIX outlets, on the Internet and by credit card telephone booking. Half-price tickets are available for senior citizens aged 60 or above, people with disabilities including their minders, full-time students and Comprehensive Social Security Assistance (CSSA) recipients (limited tickets for full-time students and CSSA recipients on a first-come, first-served basis).
For programme enquiries, please call 2268 7321, or visit www.lcsd.gov.hk/CE/CulturalService/Programme/en/music/000002e5.html. For ticketing enquiries, please call 2734 9009. For credit card telephone bookings, please call 2111 5999. For Internet bookings, please visit www.urbtix.hk.
Ends/Thursday, August 25, 2011
Issued at HKT 14:10
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