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Press Release
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HKCO
Goes Silver Screen – X’mas and New Year Concert
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Capture the
transient experience of the world of 'Electric Shadows' in the
sound of music this holiday season
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Music can become household tunes through the popular medium of
films. Examples in Hong Kong are Song of the Brave General from
Buddha's Palm and Song of the
General from Once
Upon a Time in
China.
But more often
than not, many of the themes and soundtracks from television and films have
taken on a life of their own and become works of music by themselves. The
interesting thing about them is that they can evoke memories and a sense of
nostalgia in the listener and former viewer, and the complexity of
reaction often enhances their attraction. In this holiday concert, the HKCO
has commissioned Wang Ning, a Beijing composer, to write a new work,
Celebrating the New Year to add to the happy mood. Also on the programme is
the rousing, happy tune, Ring In the New Year performed on the
suona by Got Kai-lik. They promise to bring the joys of the holiday
season to the hearts of all those attending the concert.
To tie in with the
'silver screen' theme, we have also included on the programme A Medley of
Golden Hits from Television and Films, arranged by
Wu Wai-lap,
and
Western Film Classics Suite
by
Chew Hee-chiat, which includes some of the best favourites in modern film
history, such as Forrest Gump, the Godfather, Colours of the Wind, The
Last Emperor, The Pink Panther, My Heart Will Go On (theme from
Titanic), Don't Cry for me Argentina (Theme from Evita)
and The Phantom of the Opera. Conducted by Chew himself and
performed by the HKCO, these songs promise to bring back memorable scenes in
the mind's eye of the audience.
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Highlights of the
Programme
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Celebrating the New Year, a new composition by Wang
Ning
Celebrating the New Year
is an HKCO commissioned work by Wang Ning, Head of the Department of
Composition and Director of its Multimedia Music Centre at the China
Conservatory of Music. The Chinese New Year is an important festival for
the Chinese people, and a major festivity. According to Chinese legend,
the 'Year' was a monster, and the people burned firecrackers to scare it
away. Nowadays, how one treats the New Year depends on the individual.
Some look forward to it, some hate it, some celebrate it with aplomb, and
others just brood over it. Whatever it is, one crosses from one year to
the other and life goes on anyhow. The composer has used these ideas in
his music, giving full play to the outstanding features of the Chinese
orchestra. In style, it offers a fine balance between the sophisticated
and the popular, the traditional way of celebrating the festival
and modern outlooks and lifestyle.
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Know your Chinese
music
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Television
and Film
Since the first 'silents' appeared on the screen, motion pictures
have always gone hand in hand with music. Without the sound of
music, television and film would have lost a lot of its appeal. In
turn, a lot of music has become popular because of the motion
picture on the small and large screens.
The earliest television service was formally launched
on 2nd November, 1936, at the Alexander Palace in
London. But the commercially produced cathode ray tube was invented
as early 1897. The celluloid film for motion pictures was first
demonstrated in Paris in 1895. But it was not until 1906 that
Eugène
Augustin
Lauste, the French
inventor of sound films, got his patent. The first ‘all talkie’
feature film, Lights of New York, was shown in
New
York in 1928. In China, the first ‘talkie’ was made in 1905, and
the first film studio, Asia Film & Theatre Company, was founded in
Shanghai in 1912.
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Ensemble
Theme of the Pioneers Yu Huiyong, Hu Dengtiao Arr. by Sim Boom-yew
Ensemble Celebrating
the New Year Wang Ning
(Commissioned by
HKCO/ World Premiere)
Ensemble Capriccio on a Theme from
Huang Feihong
Arr. by Li Ka-wa
Suona, Guanzi and Orchestra Ring
In the New Year Hebei Wind Music Arr. by Ngai Chiu-kwun and
Kot Kai-lik
Suona, Guanzi : Kot Kai-lik
Ensemble A Medley of Golden Hits
from Television and Films (Excerpts)
Arr. by Wu Wai-lap
includes Happily Do a Show (Theme of The Deer and the Cauldron),
Days of Strolling Together (Theme of Casino Raiders II),
Love in Another Life (Theme from the HKTVB drama series Dark Tales,
1996)
Ensemble Western
Film Classics Suite Arr. by Chew Hee-chiat
(Arrangement
commissioned by HKCO/ World Premiere)
Forrest Gump, The God Father, Colors of the Wind, The Last Emperor, Pink
Panther, My heart will go on
(Theme from
Titanic), Don't Cry For Me Argentina (Theme from Evita),
The Phantom of the Opera and The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
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Date: 15.12.2004
Time:
8:00 pm |
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Venue:
Hong Kong Cultural Centre
Concert Hall |
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$180, 150,
120, 90 |
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Chew Hee-chiat
Conductor
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Chew Hee-chiat is currently the Assistant Conductor of Hong
Kong Chinese Orchestra. Equipped with solid knowledge of various folk
instruments as early as he was in secondary school, Chew received lessons on
Chinese and Western harmony from Su Zhaoxiong of Malaysia and renowned
composer Qian Zhaoxi of China. Chew received higher education in the United
States in the 1990s. As a graduate of Southeast Missouri State University
with a double bachelor’s degree in cello performance and computer science, he
carried on his study in the University of South Carolina under the tutelage of
Dr Donald Portnoy, and graduated with Master of Music in orchestral conducting
in 1996.
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Before he joined the HKCO, Chew has been the Music Director
of Professional Cultural Center Orchestra (PCCO) of Malaysia since 1996. In
1999, Chew has conducted joint orchestra concerts in Singapore and Hong Kong
and both concerts were highly acclaimed. In July 2000, Chew collaborated with
maestro Yan Huichang, one of the most sought-after conductors in the world in
two sold-out concerts in Istana Budaya (National Theatre). Both Chew and Yan
held a conducting master class in Malaysia where many young and promising
Chinese orchestra conductors participated.
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In April and June 2002, Chew was invited as guest conductor
of HKCO’s concerts ‘Cook up Some Music’ and ‘Music from the Heart II - Join up
with the World’ respectively. Once after he joined the HKCO in June the same
year, he conducted the concert Bamboo Tunes and has been actively
participating both regular and ensemble concerts through arrangement,
orchestration as well as assisting conducting concerts. In March 2004, he
guest conducted the Singapore Chinese Orchestra's concert ‘A Nanyang Musical
Voyage II’ which turned to be a great success.
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Chew is also an active composer. His compositions are
greatly influenced by his Southeast Asian cultural heritage. This style has
reflected on his original works, which include Orchestra Suite No.1,
Orchestra Suite No.2 that won him the second
runner-up prize of the International Competition for Chinese Orchestral
Composition 2000 organized by HKCO, The Third which won him the Outstanding
Composition Award in Chinese Music Competition 2002 organized by the Council
for Cultural Affairs in Taiwan, Fantasy Dance (premiere in Hong Kong),
Dizi and Small Orchestra Tradition? (premiere in Singapore), The
Concerto for Percussion and Orchestra and also his arrangements of Ulek
Mayang (Malay Folk Song), Bizet/ Sarasate’s Carmen Fantasy (for
dizi and orchestra) and Western Movie Theme Suite.
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Kot Kai-lik
Suona /
Guanzi
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Kot Kai-lik is a suona and guanzi performer
of renown in Hong Kong. His forte is shown in playing the suona,
guanzi, double guan, bili and the traditional wind instrument playing
techniques. He is considered to be a brilliant exponent of the northern
school of wind music.
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Kot joined the Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra in 1987. His
performance of Beating Dates won him the Hong Kong Composers' Guild
Award. He has won many prizes in national and South China regional music
competitions and cultural gala shows.
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Kot has become a versatile wind instrumentalist with mature
skills and sensitive expressions. Critiques describe him as "a Chinese
virtuoso with an excellent grasp of the basics. His solo guan
performance is highly moving. A versatile performer and a talented Chinese
music virtuoso indeed".
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