bc magazine

Tallis Vocalis: Victoria’s Requiem @ All Saints’ Church – 28 June, 2015

Tomás Luis de Victoria’s Requiem is widely regarded as the greatest masterpiece of Renaissance polyphony. Tallis Vocalis will perform this great work in their second concert entitled ‘In Memoriam’, on 28 June 2015 at All Saints’ Cathedral, Hong Kong.

To commemorate the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II, the concert brings together music written in the Renaissance period and the present day on the theme of remembering those we have lost. Victoria’s Requiem was written for his patron the Holy Roman Empress Maria. This Spanish work sets itself apart from its English and Italian Renaissance contemporaries by its mystical intensity of expression achieved through the simplest musical means.

The Requiem will be interspersed with four contemporary works: Arvo Pärt’s Da pacem Domine (a tribute to those who died in the 2004 Madrid bombings) and The Woman With the Alabaster Box (which references Jesus’ burial); James MacMillan’s A Child’s Prayer (written after the Dunblane massacre in 1996) and John Tavener’s Song for Athene (a tribute to his friend Athene Hariades).

Christopher Watson, of The Tallis Scholars and Theatre of Voices will conduct the concert.

In Memoriam
Tallis Vocalis
Date: 8pm, 28 June, 2015
Venue: All Saints’ Cathedral, 11 Pak Po Street, Mongkok, Hong Kong
Tickets: $250, online reservation commences 1 June 2015
More info:
Programme
Victoria: Requiem (Officium Defunctorum 1605)
Pärt: Da pacem Domine
Pärt: The Woman With the Alabaster Box
MacMillan: A Child’s Prayer
Tavener: Song for Athene

KK Live

KK may have started his career with a single line in the song “chhod aaye hum..” in the movie ‘Maachis’ but over the last 19 years he has gone on to sing over 500 songs in various languages and remains today one of the most successful Indian male playback singer with hits songs like Tu ne maari entryaan (Gunday), India waale from the Shah Rukh Khan Starrer, (Happy New Year) and Yaara re (Roy) to name a few.

Some of his best known hits include:

Tadap tadap (Hum Dil de chuke sanam)

Main hu Don (Don)
Aankhon mein teri (Om Shanti Om)

O meri Jaan (Life in a Metro)

Tu hi Meri shab hai (Gangster)

Piya Aaye na (Aashiqui 2)

Alvida (Life in a Metro)

Khuda Jaane (Bachna Ae Haseeno)

Desi Boyz (Desi Boyz)

Kya mujhe pyaar hai (Woh Lamhe )

A dynamic stage performer, the multi award winning KK love to entertain with his mix of romantic songs and peppy dance numbers.

KK Live
Red Peppers Entertainment
Date: 8pm 18 June, 2015
Venue: KITEC, Rotunda 3
Tickets: $1,250, $750, $550, $350 from Cityline

A Russian Sacred Feast @ HK Cultural Centre – 7 June, 2015

Sergei Rachmaninoff is among the most popular composers of “classical music,” his works beloved for their intensely romantic melodies and rich harmonies. Some of his tunes have even been adapted for popular songs (“All by Myself,” “Never Gonna Fall in Love Again,” etc.). In Hong Kong he is best known for his piano music, especially two of his four concertos, but he also wrote outstanding symphonies and operas, as well as two major extended, unaccompanied choral works that reflect his deep Russian Orthodox piety: the Liturgy of St. John Chrisostom (1910) and the All-Night Vigil (also known as the Vespers), completed five years later.

Orthodox Christian practice forbids the use of instruments (other than bells) in church music, limiting its sound to that of the human voice. Rachmaninoff’s All-Night Vigil finds its roots not only in traditional Russian sacred chant, but also in Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s pioneering, elaborate choral setting of the same service. The Hong Kong Bach Choir, which in January 2005 sang a single movement from this magnificent work in a program of Vespers selections, here offers a more extended selection, chosen for the beauty and variety of the individual pieces.

As with Rachmaninoff, the theme of Orthodox Christianity plays a prominent role in the music of Rodion Shchedrin, perhaps the most illustrious living Russian composer (the Carmen Ballet, Anna Karenina – also a ballet – the opera Dead Souls, and five Concertos for Orchestra, among many others). But while his choral masterpiece The Sealed Angel (1988) incorporates sacred Orthodox texts, in the Church Slavonic language, it blends them with themes from Nikolai Leskov’s eponymous story. As the composer wrote, “The religious feeling runs through Leskov’s story. As though golden spangles of initial lines of Orthodox liturgical chants sung by Leskov’s Old Believers in hard times are scattered here and there.” In the end, the work is a modern Russian secular liturgy based on canonical Orthodox texts, and results in music of surpassing sensual beauty.

Programme
Sergei Rachmaninov: Selections from All Night Vigil, Op. 37
Rodion Shchedrin: The Sealed Angel

Performers
The Hong Kong Bach Choir
Featuring Soloist: Megan Sterling, Principal Flute of the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra
Music Director & Conductor: Jerome Hoberman

A Russian Sacred Feast
Hong Kong Bach Choir
Date: 8pm 7 June, 2015
Venue: HK Cultural Centre, Concert Hall
Tickets: $240, $160, $80 from URBTIX
More info:
10% off: Members of the Law Society of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Institution of Engineers, Hong Kong Institute of Architects, Hong Kong Institute of Surveyors, Hong Kong Arts Administrators Association
15% off: Friends of the Hong Kong Bach Choir
50% off: Full-time students, senior citizens, people with disabilities and the minder, and CSSA recipients

Hong Kong Summer Jazz Festival – 3-9 June, 2015

The guest artist at this year’s three concert 5^th Hong Kong Summer Jazz Festival, organised by the Hong Kong Big Band Jazz Federation, is legendary saxophonist Bob Mintzer – who has been a member of grammy award wining band the Yellowjackets for over 30 years.

Also appearing is award winning composer and saxophonist Andy Scott who was part of Apollo Saxophone Quartet with festival Musical Director Jon Jon Rebbeck for 10 years in the 90s – during which time they commissioned a sax quartet from Bob Mintzer… Who later performed and recorded with Scott’s Sax Assault band. A Hong Kong version of Sax Assault featuring Mintzer, Scott, Rebbeck will perform at the festival’s second concert on the 8 June

The opening concert features Mintzer and Scott performing a selection of ‘crossover’ works with the City Chamber Orchestra of Hong Kong, which also incorporates a rhythm section of Yoyong Aquino, Sylvain Gagnon, Anthony Fernandez and Rebbeck.

The final concert features Bob with the Saturday Night Jazz Orchestra in a retrospective program, a chronological journey through Bob’s career featuring music of the bands he wrote for and performed with; Thad Jones, Mel Lewis, Buddy Rich, Jaco Pastorius and of course his own band.

As part of the festival Bob Mintzer and Andy Scott will host a Jazz Acadamy from 3-5th June at Hong Kong University which will include a variety of open rehearsals/workshops and masterclasses. On 6th June Andy Scott presents his popular ‘Sax Day’ in which the focus is a large saxophone orchestra, giving Hong Kong Saxophonists a unique ensemble experience. See the full schedule at details of how to participate at the festival website www.bbjf.org.hk

Festival Programme
3-5 June: Big Band Jazz Academy
6 June: Andy Scott’s Saxophone Day
7 June: City Strings Jazz – Bob Mintzer and Andy Scott with the City Chamber Orchestra of Hong Kong Strings
8 June: Sax Assault Hong Kong! a unique group of 9 saxophones and rhythm (Sopranino to Bass!) featuring Bob Mintzer
9 June: Big Band Avenue – 70s New York Jazz, The Saturday Night Jazz Orchestra with special guest Bob Mintzer

Hong Kong Summer Jazz Festival
Date: 3-9 June, 2015
Venue: HK City Hall
Tickets: $340, $260, $180 from URBTIX

Linkin Park in Shenzhen

I know we write about Hong Kong and Macau, but it’s ok to nip across the border to the North every now and then.

Linkin Park – The Hunting Party Tour
Date: 7:30pm, 19 July, 2015
Venue: Shenzhen Bay, Nanshan Sports Center (Spring Cocoon)
Tickets: RMB 1,800 (Floor), 1,200(Floor), 600, 400, 200 from www.228.com.cn

ISCM-Musicarama 2015: 31 May – 3 June 2015

Contemporary music’s annual International Society for Contemporary Music (ISCM) World Music Days Festival will be held in Hong Kong this year from 31 May to 3 June 2015 and features four concerts and a one-day Composers’ Forum to share the composers’ musical ideas with local audiences.

Presented by the Hong Kong Composers’ Guild, the ISCM-Musicarama 2015’s four concert programmes showcase the world’s contemporary composers and feature 28 compositions including five pieces written by local composers.

The first concert will feature Global Symphony Orchestra under the baton of conductor Mak Ka-lok. In 2011, Maestro Mak returned to Hong Kong with an aim to build an orchestra of the best local musicians, hence the Global Symphony Orchestra. His vision is to nurture and support local young talented musicians with a mission of popularizing classical music in Hong Kong. The programme includes The Green Vision by Indra Riše (Latvia), two works by Belgium composers, Lettre Soufie: L(àm) by Jean-Luc Fafchamps and Monolithe by Jean-Marie Rens, Critical Mass by Tomasz Skweres (Austria), Nachtsicht II by Peter Gahn (Germany) and Dai Pai Dong by local composer Cheung Pui-shan.

The second concert will be performed by the Taipei Chamber Singers (TCS), a vocal ensemble dedicated to modern choral music. Founded in 1992, TCS has become one of the top vocal groups in Asia performing at several music festivals. Chen Yun-hung will conduct the concert. The concert programme on June 2 will feature nine works, including Two Years Later by Alex Taylor (New Zealand), Sujechon by Lee Il-joo (Korea), Strange was the World by Victor Chan (Hong Kong), The Somnambulistic Girl by Pan Hwang-long (Taiwan), two works by Swedish composers We Know Not Where The Dragons Fly by Mattias Sköld and Urworte. Orphisch by Anders Nilsson; Für Viele by Kurt Bikkembergs (Belgium) and two pieces by composers from Latvia Sonnet Nr. 28 by Oskars Herlins and Light Seeking Light by Gundega Šmite.

The Festival includes a concert of mixed ensemble music for Chinese and Western instruments,with the aim of presenting contemporary music that goes beyond the cultural boundary. Performed by the Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra (HKCO) Ensemble and the Hong Kong New Music Ensemble, this third concert will be conducted by the Resident Conductor of HKCO, Chew Hee-chiat and feature six works by composers worldwide. Programme: Four Gentlemen by local composer Lam Lan-chee, Zusammenflusses by Lee Chihchun Chi-sun (Taiwan), Wu by Klaus Hinrich Stahmer (Germany), two works by Austrian composers Seized by Wolfgang Liebhart and NUR ICH by Wang Ying, and In the Year of the Dragon by Marcel Wengler (Luxembourg).

The last concert will be performed by Japan’s Ensemble Kochi conducted by veteran composer and conductor Isao Matshushita. Works to be presented at this concert include O poveste by Alin Gherman (Belgium), Dry Tears by Yau May-kay (Hong Kong), Reverberation by Stephen Yip (Hong Kong/USA), Gealach Chríoch Lochlann by Ryan Molloy, Intim by Santa Bušs (Latvia), Persephone by Chris Adams (New Zealand) and Summer Echoes from the Valley by Janet Chen Jie-ru (Taiwan).

Admission to the Composers’ Forum on June 1 at the Central Library Lecture Hall is free of charge on a first-come-first-served basis. Audience will hear the visiting overseas composers introducing their compositions one by one in paper presentation format. Tickets for the rest of the concerts range from $100 to $180 and are available at URTBIX outlets. The four concerts take place on May 31 at City Hall Concert Hall, and June 1 to 3 at City Hall Theatre. Tickets from URBTIX.

Source: Hong Kong Composers’ Guild : bc magazine

Royz Oneman Tour “Beginners” in Asia @ MusicZone@E-Max – 7pm, 24 April, 2015

Loved by their fans ROYZ are a pillar of the new generation of Visual Kei – a movement among Japanese musicians, that is characterized by the use of varying levels of make-up, elaborate hair styles and flamboyant costumes, often, but not always, coupled with androgynous aesthetics.

Royz’s concerts feature dynamic stage effects accompanying a fierce rhythm and an impressive mix of melody and voice… ROYZ believe “Music has no boundaries” and tour Asia every year, hoping to be appreciated and loved by more people.

Royz OnemanTour “Beginners” in Asia
When: 7pm, 24 April, 2015
Where: Music Zone@E-Max
Tickets: $500, $400

Backstreet Boys – In A World Like This Tour Live – 22-24 April, 2015

A. J. McLean, Howie Dorough, Nick Carter, Kevin Richardson and Brian Littrell collectively are known as The Backstreet Boys. The group, formed in 1993, rose to fame with their debut album Backstreet Boys (1996) and second album Backstreet’s Back (1997). They rose to superstardom and the best selling boy-band in history with their third studio album Millennium (1999) and its follow-up album, Black & Blue (2000).

The band are in Hong Kong for two gigs at Star Hall before heading to Macau for a third at the Venetian’s Cotai Arena

Backstreet Boys – In A World Like This Tour Live
When: 8pm, 22-23 April 2015 (Friday)
Where: Star Hall
Tickets: $988, $888 from HK Ticketing

Backstreet Boys – In A World Like This Tour Live In Macao
When: 8:30pm, 24 April 2015 (Friday)
Where: CotaiArena, The Venetian Macao
Tickets: MOP788 (standing), MOP988, 788, 688, 588 (seated)
More info: tickets on sale 9 April 10:00am from Cotai Ticketing