New concertmaster Jing Wang eager to strike a chord with Phil
Fresh from Dallas, new concertmaster Jing Wang is ready to kick off the season
The new concertmaster of Hong Kong's flagship orchestra shuns the accolade of leader and calls himself the messenger between conductors and the ensemble.
Jing Wang, who will lead the 90-member Hong Kong Philharmonic to open the 2013-14 season next month, said the top position was about what he brought to the orchestra, and not so much about the title.
I don't like the term 'leader' of the orchestra because, for me, I am a messenger between the conductor and the orchestra, that's what I think I do the best
"I don't like the term 'leader' of the orchestra because, for me, I am a messenger between the conductor and the orchestra, that's what I think I do the best," said the 28-year-old Canadian-Chinese.
"I don't think it will be a problem or take long for people to believe what I do because I think, together, me and [music director] Jaap [van Zweden] and the orchestra, we can do a great job." Wang said the only time he heard the Hong Kong Philharmonic perform was when he visited the city three years ago.
The rest was based on footage on YouTube. But he was confident the one-year contract would allow him and the orchestra to get to know each other and see if they were a good fit.
"Like my job at the Dallas Opera, it took me a whole season because you really can't feel it until you play together a lot," he said.
He did not believe working with the orchestra for a week prior to the appointment would make any difference, because the musicians were professional.