Renowned Cellist Trey Lee leads Hong Kong music talents to share the stage with the leading Tapiola Sinfonietta in Finland
(Hong Kong, 13th March 2017) Under the artistic leadership of the renowned cellist Trey Lee, Hong Kong’s Musicus Fest makes its debut performances in Finland. Two special concerts featuring Hong Kong’s homegrown music talents and members from the famous Tapiola Sinfonietta will be held on 6th and 7th April in the first ever Musicus Fest in Finland. Performances of traditional and contemporary music from the East and West foster Musicus’ mission on promotion of cross-cultural collaborations between local and overseas artists.
Musicians bringing Hong Kong’s culture abroad
In the first concert on 6th April, four young musicians from the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts’ bring a taste of Chinese music to the concert hall in Kauniainen. Famous traditional Chinese tunes including Moonlight on the Spring River, Dragon Boat and Beaming with Joy will be performed by Chan Wan-in (Pipa), Eva Wong Hiu-ching (Huqin), Yue Kin-long (Sheng) and Zeng Baoxin (Dizi). Pairing the Chinese music is two compositions by Hong Kong young composers Jeff Leung and Denise Hofmann, to be performed by the Tapiola Sinfonietta Quartet. Drawing inspiration from Hong Kong’s heritage sites, Jeff Leung’s 66 Leighton Road (a 2013 Musicus Heritage commission) was inspired by the headquarters of a local charity organization located at that address, while Denise Hofmann’s Lotus Rain (a 2016 Musicus Heritage commission premiered at Nan Lian Garden) portraits the co-existence of tranquility and urban hustle.
Programs of the second concert on 7th April also bring strong Chinese flavor to the stage in Espoo. Inspired by the phenomenon of the Dunhuang Caves, The Blazing Mirage for Violoncello and Strings (commissioned by Musicus Society in 2012) by Chinese-American composer Bright Sheng enjoys its premiere in Finland featuring Trey Lee as soloist. Two outstanding Hong Kong pianists Colleen Lee & Rachel Cheung join the Tapiola Sinfonietta in Poulenc’s lively, multi-faceted Concerto for Two Pianos, while Dvořák’s masterly seventh symphony draws the concert to a close.
2017 Musicus Fest in Finland is an accredited event celebrating the 20th Anniversary of the establishment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.
