Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra
HK Cultural Centre Concert Hall
May 13-14, 8pm
The Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra's concert, featuring Dvorak's Cello Concerto and Shostakovich's Symphony No 15, is the perfect occasion for Belgium-based Russian conductor Dmitri Jurowski to make his Hong Kong debut: the cello is his instrument while Shostakovich was a family friend.
'I'm really sorry that he died so early - I didn't have a chance to meet him. He was a friend of my grandfather so he was very often in the house,' says the 31-year-old conductor, whose father, Michail, and brother, Vladimir, are both well-known musicians and conductors.
'I don't say that because of it the interpretation is close to reality - you never know. But at least I really feel the spirit of this composer as something very deep. He was one of the most respected people in the circle of the family. That's why you feel for it, even if you've never met this person.'
Jurowski (pictured) started playing the cello when he was six. However, medical problems meant a career change was inevitable.
'Honestly, I never wanted to [learn conducting]. I always wanted to continue with the cello. I wanted to start to conduct [to enrich myself], but as a musician I never thought it'd be my first choice.
