HK Phil's key violin player retires hurt

An elbow injury has forced the sudden retirement of a senior figure in Hong Kong's flagship orchestra.

John Harding, concertmaster of the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra since 2006, said an injury to his bowing arm left him no choice but to quit the leading job more than a year before his contract was up.

It is the second leadership change after artistic director and chief conductor Edo de Waart, 69, said he would leave the orchestra after the 2011-12 season.

'I have this old elbow injury on the ligament that doesn't get better, and it would require at least a year to rest,' said Harding, who turns 60 this year. 'I would have finished the contract next season, so it just makes it come a little earlier. It's a pity.'

He said he was still in pain after a rehearsal two weeks ago so decided to return to Australia later this week for treatment and rest. He will miss the rest of this season's concerts.

Harding's guest performance with the Macao Orchestra last weekend was limited to conducting, with a last-minute substitute named for the Bach double violin concerto. He also cancelled a recital that was to open the Kangaroo Valley Arts Festival in News South Wales, Australia, next month. His last concert with the Philharmonic Orchestra was on March 20, when he led Robert Ho Family Foundation orchestral fellows along with principal viola Andrew Ling.