HK Youth Strings to visit Vienna and Prague for cultural and musical exchange
The Hong Kong Youth Strings (HKYS) of the Music Office of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department will visit Austria and Czechoslovakia from July 5 to July 13 to participate in a competition and workshop at the Summa Cum Laude International Youth Music Festival Vienna, and will also perform a concert in Prague.
Hosted by the Vienna International Association for Music and Culture Exchange, the Summa Cum Laude International Youth Music Festival Vienna aims to provide a unique platform for the world's talented youth choirs, bands and orchestras to perform and interact at an international level. Participating for the first time in this international music competition, the HKYS will take 40 members on the tour, which will be led by the Chief Music Officer, Dr Katherine Wong, together with conductors Ng Ka-ming and Simon Li.
The delegation will compete in the famous Musikverein Golden Hall on July 8, performing the work of Vienna's famous composer Mozart's "Divertimento in F, K.138, 1st Movement". To offer a sample of Chinese and Hong Kong music and to foster cultural exchange, the HKYS will perform pieces including Chinese composer Bao Yuen-kai's "Jasmine" and Hong Kong composer Ng Wah-hei's "Mirage".
In addition to participating in the competition, the HKYS will attend a workshop at the University of Music, Vienna to perform Johann Strauss II's "Die Fledermaus, Overture". The delegation will also perform in concerts at Schönbrunn and Minoritenkirche in Vienna and in Prague's Smetana Hall. Programme highlights will include Britten's "Simple Symphony, Op.4", Smetana's "Themes from The Moldau", Dvořák's "Three Slavonic Dances" and Brahms's "Hungarian Dance No.6".
Since its establishment in 1985, the HKYS has participated regularly at the annual Hong Kong Youth Music Interflows and the Music Office Annual Gala. The Orchestra also takes part regularly in international youth music exchange activities. They have toured and performed in California, the USA, Singapore, Malaysia and Japan.
Ends/Tuesday, July 3, 2012