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Three young guest musicians will join the Hong Kong Children's Symphony Orchestra for two concerts in April.
Under the batons of Dr Yip Wai-hong and Grace Yu, the talented musicians Yu Zhengyang, Lam Che-ho (both violin solo) and Wong Wai-yin (piano solo) will play Beethoven's Overture to "Egmont"; Vieuxtemps' "Violin Concerto in A Minor, Op. 37"; Sarasate's "Introduction & Tarantella, Op. 43"; Tchaikovsky's "Melody, Op. 42" and popular concertos "Yellow River" and "Butterfly Lovers" with the orchestra.
The performances will be held at 8pm on Saturday, April 22, at the Auditorium, Tsuen Wan Town Hall (tickets: $100, $80, $60) and at 3pm on Sunday, April 23, at the Concert Hall, Hong Kong City Hall (tickets: $130, $100, $80).
The Hong Kong Children's Symphony Orchestra was established by Dr Yip in 1996. Members, aged from seven to 16, are recruited through highly competitive open auditions.
In 1997, the orchestra successfully held its inaugural concert and has organised an annual concert since then with critical acclaim. Talented young musicians invited from the Mainland have included Lu Wei, Yang Tianwa, Yang Xiaoyu, Shun Wenyu, Zhang Haochen, Zuo Zhang and Tang Yun.
In 2001 and 2005, the orchestra was invited to perform concerts in Bangkok as part of the birthday celebrations for King Bhumibol Adulyadej and for the 2nd International Children's Choral Festival 2005 (Asia Region).
Born in 1991 in Mainland China, Yu Zhengyang is currently a second year student at the secondary school affiliated to the Central Conservatory of Music, studying under violin teacher, Professor Lin Yaoji. He started learning violin at six and represented his home province four years later, winning prizes in various competitions, including first prize at the 5th National Violin Competition, first prize in the category of Chinese works and first prize for the total marks for five categories, as well as the gold medal of Hubei Province and silver medal in the "Dandelion" Instrumental Competition. His many performances have been highly acclaimed. Last year he appeared as a soloist at a concert in Taiwan and also went to Canada to perform and record at the "Music Bridge" summer camp for cultural exchange.
Lam Che-ho started learning violin when he was six and a half and learnt under Professor Yang Baozhi and Professor Lin Yaoji. The 14-year-old gained the Grade Eight certificate with distinction from the Royal School of Music the first time he took the examination. Later he obtained the ATCL and the LTCL from London's Trinity College of Music in just a year. He has won numerous prizes in both solo and concerto divisions at the Hong Kong Schools Music Festival. He is one of the principal members of the Hong Kong Children's Symphony Orchestra and performed in Thailand with the orchestra last summer.
Wong Wai-yin, 12, learned piano at the age of four and was admitted as a piano student at the Junior School of the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts when she was five. She now studies with Gabriel Kwok, Head of the Keyboard Department at the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts. She has won numerous prizes at piano competitions over the past few years, including Gold Prize at the 6th International Chopin Piano Competition in Asia (Elementary School, 5th or 6th grade, Japan Final) and Winner of the Piano Solo - Tom Lee Music Scholarship of the 57th Hong Kong Schools Music Festival. In 2004, she won the top prize in five piano categories at the Hong Kong Schools Music Festival, namely Champion of the 8th Grade in Piano, winner of Junior Exhibitioner Award, Champion of Piano Solo - Composer of the Year, Champion of Piano Sonata and Champion of Piano Solo - Chinese Composer.
The Concert by the Hong Kong Children's Symphony Orchestra is part of the "Family Fiesta" series presented by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department.
Tickets are now available at URBTIX outlets, while senior citizens, people with disabilities, full-time students and Comprehensive Social Security Assistance recipients may have 50% off (limited quotas for CSSA recipients on a first-come, first-served basis). A 10% discount applies to Friends of LCSD performing venues. There will be a maximum of 20% off for a single purchase of different programmes in the series. Please see the programme leaflets for details.
For enquiries about the programmes, call 2268 7321 or visit www.lcsd.gov.hk/cp. Ticketing enquiries and reservations can be made on 2734 9009 and credit card telephone bookings on 2111 5999. Tickets can also be booked online at www.urbtix.hk.
Ends/Wednesday, March 8, 2006
Issued at HKT 10:04
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