October 30-November 1
What do you get when last year’s Bloomberg Emerging Artist awardee Samson Young gets together with Hong Kong video artists Christopher Lau and Adrian Yeung? Not many people will say a contemporary version of JS Bach’s masterpiece Two Part Invention. But in Hong Kong Explodes: A City in Conversation with Bach that’s what the artists have created as they attempt to blow Hong Kong away with 70 minutes of Bach-inspired multi-channel video to represent “apocalyptic visions of a city crumbling into pieces”. The show starts at 8pm in the Fringe Theatre, Fringe Club. Tickets are $120 from HK Ticketing, 31 288 288.

Saturday, November 1
With no disrespect to the Seven’s - which we love - this is the biggest rugby match ever to be held in Hong Kong - and a major coup for the HK Rugby Football Union who made it happen. A full blown test between two fiercely proud competitors who have been battling each other since 1903. The Wallabies and the All Blacks, respectively the rugby teams of Australia and New Zealand – meet at HK Stadium in the fourth test of this year’s Bledisloe Cup. Named after a former Governor-General of New Zealand, and one of the world’s major rugby trophies, this is the first time ever a match from the Bledisloe series is being held outside the home countries. Kick-off is at 4:30pm, and if you haven’t got a ticket yet - then get one; there have been many exhibition sport games held locally. This is not one of them.

November 5
The New York Times claims he is the “most accomplished pianist of the new generation” and his many recordings have garnered praise all over the world, together with four Grammy award nominations. He is the director of the Risør Festival of Chamber Music in Norway – a festival the New York Times describes as one of the top 10 in the world. Leif Ove Andsnes will be playing Schubert’s Sonata in C Minor, D958, Beethoven’s Sonata No 14 in C-sharp Minor, Op 27, No 2, ‘Moonlight’ and Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition for the LCSD’s Encore Series in the Concert Hall of the Hong Kong Cultural Centre at 8pm. Tickets are $420, $320, $220 and $120 from URBTIX, 2734 9009.

November 5-28
Tony Award winning Broadway actress Lea Salonga is about to enchant local audiences as the lead character in the musical Cinderella. Directed by Bobby Garcia, an Aliw Award winner (a recognition given to Filipino live entertainers) and Hong Kong Disneyland’s first show director, the timeless tale of the serving girl who became a princess will feature the songs of Rodgers and Hammerstein. Witness the magic at the Grand Theatre, Hong Kong Cultural Centre, from 7:30pm Tuesday to Sunday, 2:30pm on weekends. Tickets priced $690 - $180 from URBTIX, 2734 9009.

November 7-23
Maestro of the cello Yo-Yo Ma once again lives up to his reputation of seeking out new music and collaborators as he will be sharing the stage with the Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra for the first time in his career after four years of planning with the troupe. In Yo-Yo Ma & HKCO, the celebrated artist will perform composer Zhao Jiping’s new commission work Zhuang Zhou’s Dream – Concerto for Cello and Orchestra and Ambush on All Sides for Cello by Li Cangsang. Sharing the stage will be members of the Silk Road Ensemble including Wu Tong (Sheng), Li Hui (Pipa) and Liu Lin (Guitar). Show starts at 6:30pm at the HK Cultural Centre Concert Hall. Tickets are HK$1,350, $900, $600 and $300 from URBTIX, 2734 9009.

Sunday, November 9
Since its formation in 1990 by the distinguished Italian violinist Fabio Biondi, Europa Galante has emerged as one of the leading period-instrument ensembles in the world. It has made many illustrious recordings, won numerous awards and performed in great music halls like La Scala, the Royal Albert Hall, the Concertgebouw and the Suntory Hall. Europa Galante will be performing in the Concert Hall, Hong Kong City Hall, at 8pm in a programme that includes Vivaldi’s Sinfonia in C (from La Senna Festeggiante), Purcell’s Suite in D Minor from The Moor’s Revenge, Vivaldi’s Concerto for Violin and Strings in A Minor, RV357, La Stravaganza, Op 4, No 4 and The Four Seasons. Tickets are $380, $280, $180 and $100 from URBTIX, 2734 9009.

Saturday, November 15
Imagine numerous percussion instruments – drums of different sizes and types, cymbals, gongs, marimba and vibraphone – strategically set on a stage, a symphony orchestra, an agile 25-year-old percussionist and a concert that goes on for four hours. The percussionist has to leap, run, jump, almost fly all over the stage to play the music – and, yes, he does that for four hours. The percussionist was Martin Grubinger, the orchestra the Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra and the concert Showdown at the MusicVerein 2006. It may give you some idea how Grubinger will perform with the Hong Kong Sinfonietta in Martin Grubinger Percussion Fantastic. The conductor of the concert at 8pm in the Hong Kong City Hall Concert Hall will be Taiwanese Chien Wen-pin, one of the few Chinese conductors with a distinguished career in Europe. The programme includes Chung Yiu-kwong’s Festive Celebration, Avner Dorman’s Percussion Concerto Frozen in Time and Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No 4 in F Minor, Op 36. Tickets are $250, $150 and $100 from URBTIX, 2734 9009.

Sunday, November 16
Fragile Beauty is a concert in the New Visions Arts Festival that blends traditional Vietnamese songs with Western jazz and Eastern folk music. The vocalist, soulful Huong Thanh (“A voice that might melt glaciers and make deserts bloom with roses.” – fRoots magazine) joins jazz guitarist, arranger and producer Nguyên Lê and a septet that includes the Japanese koto, the 16-string zither, electric and acoustic guitars, synthesizers and African percussion instruments for a dialogue of music from around the world. Fragile Beauty opens at 8pm at the Concert Hall, Hong Kong City Hall. Tickets are $360, $260, $180 and $120 from URBTIX, 2734 9009.