Hong Kong Philharmonic Will Tour to Europe Ahead of 2025/26 Season

Following the success of its Singapore and Europe tour in 2024, the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra will return to Europe for a four-concert tour ahead of its 2025/26 Season. Under the baton of Maestro Jaap van Zweden, the orchestra will perform across three countries from late August to early September, including its debut at Het Concertgebouw, one of the most prestigious concert halls in the world.

The tour will feature acclaimed pianists, including the Jussen Brothers and Alexandre Kantorow at Het Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, and Rudolf Buchbinder at Kursaal in Merano and at Wolkenturm in Grafenegg. It is supported by the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Offices in Brussels and Berlin of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.

Tour Highlights:

Het Concertgebouw, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, 30 August 2025

Joined by world-renowned Dutch musicians Jaap van Zweden and the Jussen Brothers, the HK Phil will make its much-anticipated debut at Het Concertgebouw with a diverse and compelling programme. The first evening will open with Asterismal Dance by Hong Kong composer Daniel Lo, a piece in which distinctive musical materials traverse different sections of the orchestra in a non-linear fashion, like scattered stars across the sky. The concert continues with In Unison, a dynamic concerto for two pianos by Dutch composer Joey Roukens, performed by the Jussen Brothers. The programme concludes with Rachmaninov’s lush Symphony no. 2.

Het Concertgebouw, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, 31 August 2025

On the following evening, the programme will begin with Wagner’s majestic Tannhäuser Overture, offering a blend of grandeur, clarity, and jubilant spirit, and concludes with Beethoven’s joyful and rhythmically charged Symphony no. 7. French pianist Alexandre Kantorow will take the stage for Rachmaninov’s Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, a reprise of his acclaimed 2024 Singapore and Europe tour with Jaap van Zweden and the HK Phil.  

Kursaal, Merano, Italy, 2 September 2025

The HK Phil will make its debut at the Kursaal concert hall, where Jaap van Zweden and the orchestra will reunite with Rudolf Buchbinder for Beethoven’s Piano Concerto no. 3. The programme will begin with Wagner’s Tannhäuser Overture and concludes with Beethoven’s jubilant Symphony no. 7. This performance is part of the Südtirol Festival Merano, one of the most important classical music festivals in Europe.

Wolkenturm, Grafenegg, Austria, 5 September 2025

Lastly, the HK Phil will make its debut at the Wolkenturm with a reprise of the previous concert, wrapping up the Europe tour amidst the scenic backdrop of Austria. This performance is part of the Grafenegg Festival 2025, where Rudolf Buchbinder has served as Artistic Director since 2007.