Time
8 p.m., June 10
Tickets
50-880 yuan
Venue
Shenzhen Concert Hall, Futian District (福田区深圳音乐厅)
Metro
Metro: Line 3 or 4 to Children’s Palace Station (少年宫站), Exit D
SZSO marks 25th anniversary of HK return
Shenzhen Symphony Orchestra (SZSO) artistic director Lin Daye. Courtesy of Shenzhen Concert Hall
Conducted by Shenzhen Symphony Orchestra (SZSO) artistic director Lin Daye, the orchestra will perform a special concert this Friday to mark the 25th anniversary of the return of Hong Kong to the motherland, which falls on this coming July 1.
The concert will feature Cantonese opera singer Zeng Xiaomin, soprano Li Siyin, tenor Zhang Xiqiu, percussionist Wang Dong and pianist Shen Lu as soloists. Also performing will be the chorus and children’s choir attached to SZSO.
The program for the first half of the concert includes Li Bochan’s “New Era Symphony Overture: Endeavor,” the Chinese folk tune “Clouds Chasing the Moon” and “Yellow River Piano Concerto.”
The SZSO commissioned Li Bochan to compose the work, which is a joyous ode to people’s life and hope for the future in China today. Li, born in Beijing in 1992, graduated from the Central Conservatory of Music (CCM) and currently teaches at the Shanghai Conservatory of Music. He is known for his ability to blend a romantic Chinese mood into his symphonic works.
He has won awards at more than 20 composition competitions, including the 8th Seattle Symphony Orchestra International Composition Competition, the 12th Serbia International Composition Competition, the first prize in composition at the 10th Italian Don Vincenzo Vitti international music competition and the first prize at the Golden Key Piano Composition Competition in the United States.
“Clouds Chasing the Moon,” a beautiful piece of Cantonese folk music, depicts the vivid chasing of clouds and the moon in the night sky.
Based on Xian Xinghai’s “Yellow River Cantata,” the concerto is perhaps the best known Chinese concerto among Western audiences. Pianist Shen, who will perform the solo parts of the concerto, graduated with a bachelor’s degree from CCM, a master’s degree from the New England Conservatory and an artist diploma (doctorate) from the Cleveland Institute of Music. Winner of the 2014 Hilton Head Piano Competition, Shen released his debut album “Watercolor” with the Steinway & Sons label.
In the second half, the program includes solo vocal and chorus performances of familiar tunes including Lo Ta-yu’s “Pearl of the Orient” and refreshing tunes such as “Every Spring,” a folk song with elements from Cantonese opera.
Time: 8 p.m., June 10
Tickets: 50-880 yuan
Booking: WeChat account “szyyt_piao”
Venue: Shenzhen Concert Hall, Futian District (福田区深圳音乐厅)
Metro: Line 3 or 4 to Children’s Palace Station (少年宫站), Exit D