HK Phil Presents Jaap Van Zweden's Spectacular Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 4 & Jing Wang's Lyrical Brahms Violin Concerto

The Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra (HK Phil), its Music Director Jaap van Zweden and its Concertmaster Jing Wang proudly present the first programme of the Swire Maestro Series in the season, bringing two 19th century masterpieces - Brahms's legendary Violin Concerto and Tchaikovsky's life-affirming Fourth Symphony - on 19 and 20 October at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre Concert Hall.

Brahms' only Violin Concerto was dedicated to and premiered by his close personal friend, the violinist Joseph Joachim. The work presents a more equal collaboration between soloist and orchestra as seen with the lengthy oboe solo in the second movement before the lyrical solo violin takes over. The complicated double stops, broken chords and complex scales led to the concerto being declared "unplayable" and "going against the violin" by critics and violinists alike. The orchestra's own Concertmaster, Jing Wang, will bring his exquisite technique and interpretative personality to this, "one of the four great German violin concerti".

Dedicating to his "best friend" and patroness, Nadezhda von Meck, Tchaikovsky's Fourth Symphony confronts the question of fate. Tchaikovsky wrote a programme and described the opening motif as "the fatal power which prevents one from attaining the goal of happiness". Under the leadership of Jaap van Zweden, the audience can experience the bustling energy and joy as fate remains unyielding.

Swire Maestro Series: JAAP?Brahms & Tchaikovsky will be held on 19 & 20 Oct (Fri & Sat), 8PM in the Hong Kong Cultural Centre Concert Hall. Tickets priced: $580 $480 $380 $280 are now available at URBTIX. For enquiries, please call +852 2721 2332 or visit hkphil.org.

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Artists

Jaap van Zweden, conductor [full biography]

Over the past decade, conductor Jaap van Zweden has become an international presence on three continents. The 2018/19 season marks his first as the 26th Music Director of the New York Philharmonic. He continues as Music Director of the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra, a post he has held since 2012 - his seventh season with the HK Phil in 2018/19 season, the orchestra's 45th professional season. He is also the Conductor Laureate of Dallas Symphony Orchestra where he has just completed a ten-year tenure at its helm. Born in Amsterdam, Jaap van Zweden was the youngest ever Concertmaster of the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra. He began his conducting career in 1995 and in 2012 was named Musical America's Conductor of the Year.

Jing Wang, violin [full biography]

Critically acclaimed Canadian violinist Jing Wang is one of the most versatile and dynamic violinists of his generation. Since his solo recital debut in Marseilles, France at the age of six, Wang has garnered prizes in top international competitions, including the first prize at the 2007 Irving M. Klein International Strings Competition. In 2003, Wang was awarded the "Young Soloist of the Year" by Les Radios Francophones Publiques, a broadcast network of four countries including France, Canada, Switzerland and Belgium. As a part of the award, Wang's first CD album including works by Beethoven, Ravel and Gershwin was released in Europe.

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