A Tale Of Two Cities II: HK Phil & NCPAO Woodwind Quintets Comes to Hong Kong Cultural Centre Concert Hall

The Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra (HK Phil) and the China NCPA Orchestra (NCPAO) embark on their second musical journey. This year, two woodwind quintets from the two orchestras join hands to present two performances of the same fabulous programme in two cities - 13 June (last Thursday) at the National Centre for the Performing Arts Multi-Functional Theatre in Beijing and 18 June (tomorrow) at the Tai Kwun JC Cube in Hong Kong. Once again the Office of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China in Beijing supports this collaboration with the aim of strengthening cultural links between Hong Kong and Mainland China and between the two cities.

Woodwind quintets are relatively uncommon, but composers who write them relish the opportunities for varied music layers and graceful colours. Audiences in both cities will also have the opportunity to experience this unique musical sound through this programme presented by the two woodwind quintets - the HK Phil Quintet (Megan Sterling, Principal Flute; Michael Wilson, Principal Oboe; John Schertle, Co-Principal Clarinet; Benjamin Moermond, Principal Bassoon; and Lin Jiang, Principal Horn) and the NCPAO Quintet (Yeh I-jeng, Principal Flute; Zhou Yang, Principal Oboe; Jaume Sanchis, Principal Clarinet; Ji Jingjing, Principal Bassoon; and Liu Xiaoxin, Principal Horn).

The HK Phil Quintet will open the programme with the lyric warmth of Wind Quintet no. 3, written by David Maslanka, who died in 2017. Each of its three movements is Inspired by, and incorporates several Bach chorale melodies.

The NCPAO Quintet will then transport the audience to France with the Wind Quintet in G minor written in 1876 by the noted French flautist and composer, Paul Taffanel, who dedicated the work to his teacher. The music is subtle, graceful and elegant, but with moments of brilliant virtuosity.

19th century composer Joachim Raff was a prolific composer who was better known in his lifetime than he is today, but he had a gift for creating charming and colourful chamber music, and one of his chamber masterpieces closes the concert. The Sinfonietta is scored for 10 wind players and will be performed jointly by the HK Phil Quintet and the NCPAO Quintet to round off the musical evening.

A Tale of Two Cities II: HK Phil & NCPAO Woodwind Quintets will be held on 18 June (Tue), 7:30PM in the Hong Kong Cultural Centre Concert Hall. Tickets priced: HK$200 / $150 (concessionary discount) are available at URBTIX. For enquiries, please call +852 2721 2332 or visit hkphil.org.