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Press CommentsUnder
conductor Andrew Massey's tidy direction, the orchestra produced some
ravishing sounds. Another concert worth
attending was the one entitled "Spirit of Two Strings" presented
by the CCOHK on 30 November at the Sha Tin Town Hall. "Two Strings"
referred to the erhu player Hsin Hsiao-hung and violinist Ho Hong-ying.
The former is a principal of the Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra, the latter
that of the CCOHK. These two superb musicians were the soloists featured
in the double concerto. They complemented each other perfectly. Hsin's
technique was stunning, her playing effortless. She could even produce
double notes and overtones. Erhu has only two strings but Ms Hsin played
them using various fingerings and managed to bring off nearly all the
"tricks" that are possible on the four strings of a violin.
At the end of the concert CCOHK's principal cellist Artem Konstantinov
played an encore for solo cello . This young cellist played naturally
and with ease, and his performance was comparable to that of Yo-yo Ma.
Mao Yuan's score uses
the limited resources imaginatively and the orchestra handled changes
in texture and lead lines with tightness and clarity. Tan's score drew
the best from everyone. Orchestral colour and a charged atmosphere supported
Hsin's highly eloquent playing - her cadenza and the duet with Mo Chun-pang
on hand drum were splendid. The orchestra
played their heart out too, and all jammed with contrapuntal brilliance,
fine tone-blending and rhythmic excitement. Even when without the star
soloists, as in the opener Tangazo, the rollicking strings and
finely phrased wind solos contributed to the concert's immense enjoyment
value. The CCOHK played to
a packed house at the afternoon performance of this children's Christmas
concert (The Snowman & The Bear), during which many adults were quite
clearly enjoying a second childhood. The orchestra's excellent playing
was directed by Richard Honner. The audience felt
as if they were enjoying a salon concert at home. Not only were they professional
and focused, their performance was delivered from the heart. Their technique
was absolutely superb and their sentiment sincere. Their tone, unanimity
and harmony were all first-rate. A most enjoyable and admirable performance!
The energy and leadership of Leanne Nicholls deserves special commendation.
Although the pieces
in this concert were mostly lightweight ones, they were extremely enjoyable.
The principal cellist Artem Konstantinov - whose translated Chinese name
is very poetic - had a short solo passage to play, and his performance
was excellent. At the end of the concert the principal oboist Leanne Nicholls
gave a very moving performance of "Gabriel's Oboe" from the
film "The Mission". The Schumann overture
and Mozart's overture to The Magic Flute as well as Vaughan-Williams's
Five Variants of "Dives and Lazarus" were all rendered impeccably.
The tone colour, balance and unanimity were of the highest standard. There was one concert
that was not part of the Arts Festival - namely the fabulous performance
given by the British baritone Sir Thomas Allen and the City Chamber Orchestra
of Hong Kong. The performance was
excellent. The concert featured many fascinating works, in particular
"Cantus Arcticus" by the renowned contemporary Finnish composer
Rautavaara. In fact the performance given that night was the Hong Kong
premiere of the work - a most memorable occasion. The concert included
Respighi's The Birds which benefited from limpid playing from the
woodwind and horn principals as well as zestful violins. After such a deeply
profound performance, both the soloists (Katrina Ma & Francis Kan)
together with the orchestra launched into the final movement and played
it magnificently from beginning to end. The short passages played by the
French horn and oboe were also fantastic. The CCOHK's performances
are always professional and the players are committed and immersed in
the music. The orchestra's programmes are also especially well designed.
The small but professional-level
City Chamber Orchestra is known for its quirky classical concerts, with
as much emphasis placed on the staging as on the music. The CCOHK's performance
was vivid and lively. The orchestra used various instruments to produce
special sound effects, taking the audience into the world of fairy tales. It was evident that
the players enjoyed the music-making. The programme notes written by Leanne
Nicholls, the Artistic Director of the CCOHK brimmed with interest and
were more meaningful than some of the monotonous articles one encounters
in other house programmes. The performance of
the CCOHK was quite splendid. The CCOHK led by Ho
Hong-ying deserves special praise. The orchestra was truly outstanding.
The players displayed fine musicianship in a programme ranging from baroque
concertos to Chinese compositions. Leanne Nicholls, the founding director
of the orchestra should be congratulated. The innovative programming
of the CCOHK has become a talking point. The CCOHK is making
great strides. The tone colour of the orchestra is beautiful, dynamic
and musical. No matter what repertoire is being presented the players
perform with spirit and expression. The CCOHK is an invaluable
orchestra. The reason is that it performs relatively "alternative"
repertoire in classical music e.g. lesser known works by famous composers,
or pieces written for rare instruments in classical music (e.g. recorder).
The market for classical concerts in Hong Kong is not big and many music
lovers only listen to famous mainstream works. This makes CCOHK's choice
of such an adventurous path all the more admirable. It may be a small
ensemble but the CCOHK is big on sound and virtuosity. Made up of professional
musicians with a taste for intimate concerts, the CCOHK has carved its
niche in our own cultural scene with a diverse repertoire. The CCOHK was established
less than two years ago. Its members are professionally trained musicians
who maintain very high standards in every performance. In particular,
Suk's "Serenade for Strings" was a marvelous combination of
playfulness, elegance, meditation and passion. The quality and colour
of the orchestral sound produced was balanced and sumptuous. Although
the CCOHK has only been established for eighteen months, their performance
is truly remarkable. Hong Kong needs such a vibrant chamber orchestra. The City Chamber Orchestra
of Hong Kong is known for its innovative, off-beat approach to classical
music programming I was delighted by
the extremely high professional standard of the CCOHK under the baton
of Kian Pin Hiu. Grieg's Holberg Suite, which opened the concert, displayed
the superb expressiveness of the strings, whilst the concluding piece,
Respighi's Ancient Airs and Dances Suite No. 1 featured the dazzling colour
of the winds. Music lovers who missed this concert not only missed Ms.
Petri's wonderful recorder playing, but also the chance to hear a chamber
orchestra of a very high standard. The City Chamber Orchestra
of Hong Kong's tango concert lashes out from the idea that classical music
is boring. It is good to know
that something as enterprising as this is happening in the arts scene
in Hong Kong. Playing with the City
Chamber Orchestra of Hong Kong was a joy…..every practical detail
was worked to perfection With such innovative
programming and such fine musicianship, this orchestra deserves our strongest
support. This orchestra's establishment
is most welcome. The encore epitomized
the spirit of the orchestra: a willingness to experiment, to explore and,
above all, to have fun in the process. |
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