********************************************************
Clarinetist Andrew Simon will collaborate with local pianist Warren Lee next month, showing their virtuoso techniques in a one-off concert.
They will perform David Gwilt﷿s new composition 䩕March and Dance for Clarinet and Piano蒅, Schumann﷿s 䩕Phantasiest䏳cke, Op. 73蒅, Poulenc﷿s 䩕Sonata for Clarinet and Piano蒅, Paul Jeanjean﷿s 䩕Carnival of Venice ﷿ Theme and Variations蒅, Brahms﷿s 䩕Sonata No. 2 for Clarinet and Piano in E-flat, Op. 120蒅 and Horovitz﷿s 䩕Sonatina for Clarinet and Piano蒅.
Andrew Simon, the first-prize winner of the International Clarinet Society Competition and the National Arts Club Competition, has been the principal clarinet of the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra for 21 years. After winning the Artists International Young Musicians Auditions Clarinet Award, Simon made his debut in the Carnegie Hall Recital Hall in l988. Since then he has appeared as soloist and taught masterclasses in the United States, Great Britain, Japan, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and became the first American-born artist to perform in North Korea in 1992. Renowned conductor Michael Tilson Thomas has noted his 䩕formidable technique, flair, and musicianship蒅 while The New York Times compared him favourably to Benny Goodman. Simon will have an article devoted to his career in Gianluca Campagnolo﷿s forthcoming book on the greatest clarinetists of the present day.
Warren Lee is the winner of the 1995 Stravinsky Awards International Piano Competition and the Grand Prix Ivo Pogorelich. Hailed by critics as a pianist 䩕with technique to burn, an extraordinary intellect, and a Horowitzian colour of romanticism蒅, Lee﷿s artistry has brought him to concert stages in Asia, Europe and North America. He has shared the stage with eminent musicians such as flutists Robert Aitken and Trevor Wye, violinists Dennis Kim and Jue Yao, and clarinetists Niclous Balderyou and Romain Guyot. Lee has made recordings for RTHK Radio 4 and was invited to be its Artist-in-Residence in 2004 and 2005.
䩕Duo Recital by Andrew Simon and Warren Lee蒅 is one of the attractions of the 䩕Our Music Talents Series蒅 presented by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department. It will be held at 8pm on September 21 (Monday) at Theatre, Hong Kong City Hall. Tickets priced at $100 and $150 are now available at URBTIX outlets. Half-price tickets are available for senior citizens aged 60 or above, people with disabilities, full-time students and Comprehensive Social Security Assistance recipients (limited tickets for full-time students and CSSA recipients available on a first-come, first-served basis).
For programme enquiries, call 2268 7321; for ticketing enquiries and reservations, call 2734 9009; for credit card telephone bookings, call 2111 5999; for Internet bookings, visit www.urbtix.hk; for more information, visit www.lcsd.gov.hk/cp.
Ends/Friday, August 21, 2009
Issued at HKT 11:13
NNNN