https://www.scmp.com/rss/319092/feed Home to two renowned orchestras, the Hong Kong Philharmonic and the Hong Kong Sinfonietta, and scores of other ensembles and players, as well as a magnet for many of the world’s leading performers, Hong Kong has one of the liveliest classical music scenes in Asia. Read previews and reviews of the biggest classical music events in Hong Kong, interviews with big players and tastemakers, profiles and news. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Cat Nelson Cat Nelson One warm February evening in Shenzhen, Bryn Terfel stands centre stage and launches into “Son lo Spirito Che Nega” from Arrigo Boito’s 1868 opera Mefistofele, his voice filling the hall with theatrical force. Then, just as quickly, he undercuts the drama. “My three border collies go crazy when I sing this in Wales,” he tells the audience at Shenzhen Longgang International Art Centre, laughing. With a career spanning more than three decades at the world’s leading houses – from the Royal Opera... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3348515/bryn-terfel-bringing-drama-opera-stage-and-importance-listening?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3348515/bryn-terfel-bringing-drama-opera-stage-and-importance-listening?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 31 Mar 2026 10:00:21 +0000 Annemarie Evans Annemarie Evans I WAS BORN IN LONDON, but my father got a job in the Hallé orchestra as a clarinettist, so we all moved up to Manchester. My childhood was spent mostly in the town of Wilmslow, Cheshire, and I went to a specialist secondary school called Chetham’s School of Music, in central Manchester. My parents were both professional classical musicians, so I had a very bohemian upbringing. People sometimes ask me where I get my discipline from. I guess it was from that school, where we had to practise for... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/passions/article/3345711/jane-houng-her-dedication-womens-safety-after-murder-her-daughter?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/passions/article/3345711/jane-houng-her-dedication-womens-safety-after-murder-her-daughter?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 12 Mar 2026 07:00:07 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Oscar nominee Timothee Chalamet is the front runner to take home the golden statuette for Marty Supreme – but he definitely has not won fans in the ballet and opera worlds. In a town hall discussion late last month with Oscar winner Matthew McConaughey hosted by CNN and Variety, the 30-year-old Chalamet was discussing the future of movie theatres and whether the advent of streaming will spell doom for cinemas. “If people want to see it – like Barbie, like Oppenheimer – they’re going to go see it... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3345840/timothee-chalamet-faces-music-saying-no-one-cares-about-opera-and-ballet?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3345840/timothee-chalamet-faces-music-saying-no-one-cares-about-opera-and-ballet?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 07 Mar 2026 18:45:24 +0000 Lauren James Lauren James Wit and warmth abounded in the Stella Cole Quartet’s run of four performances at Hong Kong’s Xiqu Centre. A baker’s dozen of jazz standards and classic film favourites delivered over an hour proved an ideal format – well paced and polished, without a moment of slack. Meanwhile, the retro stylings of the bijoux Tea House Theatre mirrored Cole’s profile as a performer: an old soul in youthful form. She sashayed into view in a midnight-blue satin gown, with cherry-red lips and white stiletto heels... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3345715/stella-cole-quartet-delivers-delightful-set-jazz-and-film-classics-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3345715/stella-cole-quartet-delivers-delightful-set-jazz-and-film-classics-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 07 Mar 2026 07:15:08 +0000 Gavin Yeung Gavin Yeung The kaleidoscopic Art Month has arrived in Hong Kong, with the bulk of the performing arts events taking place under the banner of the 54th Hong Kong Arts Festival. Running until March 30, the non-profit festival features more than 1,100 artists and 170 performances organised under the theme of peace, courage and resilience – a fitting foil for the times we find ourselves in. The 2026 line-up doesn’t shy away from technology. The KAGAMI experience is the most eagerly anticipated headline act,... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/article/3345569/ryuichi-sakamoto-yunchan-lim-and-others-54th-hong-kong-arts-festival?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/article/3345569/ryuichi-sakamoto-yunchan-lim-and-others-54th-hong-kong-arts-festival?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 06 Mar 2026 08:00:12 +0000 Khushboo Razdan Khushboo Razdan In Washington, a city often in the spotlight for domestic and international politics, Hong Kong pianist Aristo Sham views his instrument as a platform that can bridge cultures, transcend politics and connect people across borders. At 28, fresh from a landmark international competition victory, Sham is building a global career where his music often speaks louder than diplomacy. On Wednesday, just before stepping onto the stage at the US capital’s Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium for a Year of the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3344943/hong-kong-pianist-aristo-sham-brings-music-and-message-openness-washington?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3344943/hong-kong-pianist-aristo-sham-brings-music-and-message-openness-washington?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Feb 2026 20:54:49 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press People use music to set moods and evoke positive memories. The right song at the right time can have similar effects on dogs. Pet owners, trainers and animal shelter workers sometimes use music as a training tool, a distraction from triggers, and to create a relaxing environment for dogs kept in kennels or left alone at home. But researchers say the effects vary based on dogs’ temperament, the setting, the type of tune and the volume at which it is played. Social media videos show dogs howling... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/family-relationships/article/3342088/do-dogs-music-experts-weigh-how-it-affects-furry-friends-and-what-avoid?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/family-relationships/article/3342088/do-dogs-music-experts-weigh-how-it-affects-furry-friends-and-what-avoid?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 02 Feb 2026 11:15:08 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Ralph Fiennes’ vision of Eugene Onegin was cinematic. A three-time Academy Award nominee and a Tony Award winner, Fiennes made his opera directing debut this week at the Paris Opera’s ornate Palais Garnier. Using bright lighting near the front, as other characters receded in faded illumination, he controlled focus like a movie director, determining the audience’s view. “It became clear that his priorities are quite cinematic, as if everything is kind of in close-up,” said mezzo-soprano Susan... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3341547/ralph-fiennes-his-eugene-onegin-opera-directing-debut-and-history-character?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3341547/ralph-fiennes-his-eugene-onegin-opera-directing-debut-and-history-character?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 31 Jan 2026 13:15:07 +0000 Gavin Yeung Gavin Yeung All good things must come to a coda. After 18 years of bringing the sort of chamber music that makes you sit up and pay attention, the Beare’s Premiere Music Festival is taking its final bow this week. It is a bittersweet affair, certainly, but if the programme is anything to go by, the event intends to go out with quite a bang. For the uninitiated, this festival – originally the Hong Kong International Chamber Music Festival – has long been the city’s answer to those intimate European... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3340947/beares-premiere-music-festival-2026-hosts-hong-kong-finale?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3340947/beares-premiere-music-festival-2026-hosts-hong-kong-finale?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 23 Jan 2026 08:00:08 +0000 Chloe Loung Chloe Loung Huanghuali, or Chinese rosewood, is one of the most valuable natural materials. Literally meaning “yellow flowering pear”, huanghuali has been prized since the Ming and Qing dynasties for its beautiful honey-gold and reddish-brown colour, distinctive grain patterns and gentle sweet fragrance. The wood, which is used in high-end furniture and traditional Chinese medicine, has long been the gold standard for luxury in East Asia, historically featuring in the homes of emperors, scholars and wealthy... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3340485/worlds-first-chinese-rosewood-cello-stars-hong-kong-exhibition-how-does-it-sound?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3340485/worlds-first-chinese-rosewood-cello-stars-hong-kong-exhibition-how-does-it-sound?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 20 Jan 2026 11:15:07 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press There is a new generation this season at London’s Royal Opera House, where Jakub Hrusa took over after Antonio Pappano’s 22-year reign as music director, and Speranza Scappucci became the first principal guest conductor in nearly three decades. Last autumn, Hrusa led the company’s first new staging of Puccini’s Tosca since 2006 and its first production of Janacek’s The Makropulos Case, while Scappucci conducted a revival of Verdi’s Les Vêpres siciliennes, the rarely performed original French... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3340101/new-era-royal-opera-house-jakub-hrusa-speranza-scappucci-take-centre-stage?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3340101/new-era-royal-opera-house-jakub-hrusa-speranza-scappucci-take-centre-stage?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 17 Jan 2026 04:15:09 +0000 Kylie Knott Kylie Knott One of the most popular arts stories of 2025 shone a light on Hong Kong pianist Aristo Sham, who in June was named the winner of the prestigious Van Cliburn International Piano Competition. Shedding a less positive light on Hong Kong was a story about why so many classical music stars are skipping Hong Kong for other Chinese cities. A story about Wallis Simpson, Duchess of Windsor – who became famous after a British king abdicated to wed her – also struck a chord. Here we look back at seven of... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3337980/7-best-arts-stories-2025-new-labubu-prize-winning-hong-kong-pianist?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3337980/7-best-arts-stories-2025-new-labubu-prize-winning-hong-kong-pianist?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 29 Dec 2025 08:15:08 +0000 The Korea Times The Korea Times As an orchestra plays the overture from Jacques Offenbach’s opera Orpheus in the Underworld, the conductor turns from the podium to signal the audience to quieten down. Facing the orchestra again, he hops lightly with arms spread wide, his legs moving as if waltzing to the rhythm, in a YouTube video that went viral. As the piece builds toward its finale, the pounding drums grow louder and his movements more intense. His arms shake vigorously, as if he were a shaman attempting to connect with the... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3337453/meet-korean-viral-dancing-conductor-who-says-hes-not-actually-dancing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3337453/meet-korean-viral-dancing-conductor-who-says-hes-not-actually-dancing?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 24 Dec 2025 08:15:07 +0000 Syrena Jin Syrena Jin Some of Hong Kong’s biggest names in classical music are coming together to raise funds for the family of the firefighter who died in the Tai Po fire. The concert, titled “Salute to the Brave, Soothing the Soul” and co-organised by the violinist and conductor Leung Kin-fung, will be held on December 22 at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre in Tsim Sha Tsui. Firefighter Ho Wai-ho, 37, died in the line of duty in Wang Fuk Court. The worst blaze in Hong Kong in more than 70 years killed more than 160... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3336562/hong-kong-classical-concert-raise-money-family-firefighter-lost-tai-po-fire?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3336562/hong-kong-classical-concert-raise-money-family-firefighter-lost-tai-po-fire?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 16 Dec 2025 03:15:08 +0000 Christopher Halls Christopher Halls Given the excitement surrounding Eric Lu’s victory at the 2025 International Fryderyk Chopin Piano Competition on October 21, it came as no surprise that the Chinese-American’s all-Chopin recital on December 7, presented by the HKU Muse Piano Laureate Series, sold out so quickly that an extra performance was added. The renowned music writer, composer and pianist Jed Distler described Lu as “a pianist who knows exactly what he wants from his instrument and how to get it”, while blogging on the... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3335734/chopin-competition-winner-eric-lu-thrills-hong-kong-night-mesmerising-music?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3335734/chopin-competition-winner-eric-lu-thrills-hong-kong-night-mesmerising-music?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 09 Dec 2025 10:15:07 +0000 Christopher Halls Christopher Halls Renowned Japanese-American violinist Midori was the headline name for the November 27 recital at Hong Kong City Hall. Yet, considering the importance of the piano in the programme, it would be remiss not to mention Lithuanian pianist Ieva Jokubaviciute in the same breath. Both artists effortlessly switched back and forth between accompaniment and melody in Beethoven’s breezy Sonata for Piano and Violin No 5 in F, relishing the opening movement’s internal drama as it unfolded. Midori’s rich,... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3334884/violinist-midori-works-her-magic-duo-concerts-hong-kong-city-hall?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3334884/violinist-midori-works-her-magic-duo-concerts-hong-kong-city-hall?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 03 Dec 2025 05:00:11 +0000 Karen Cheung Karen Cheung Clockenflap is around the corner, and I’m ready to scream “sweet love illumination” as Franz Ferdinand take the festival stage again. The surprise addition of My Bloody Valentine to the line-up finally gave some on-the-fence indie fans the push they needed. And while Singaporean hyperpop star Yeule dropped out for health reasons, I’m looking forward to finding out if Bright Eyes’ Conor Oberst is still capable of making me cry. Below are acts to check out at the annual music gathering, plus a... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3334513/clockenflap-2025-franz-ferdinand-my-bloody-valentine-beth-gibbons-and-more?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3334513/clockenflap-2025-franz-ferdinand-my-bloody-valentine-beth-gibbons-and-more?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 29 Nov 2025 22:00:30 +0000 Christopher Halls Christopher Halls If you think that the tradition-steeped Orchestra dell’Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia – Rome has a voluminous name, you should hear the tutti forte and fortissimo sounds of the 117-year-old ensemble. On November 20, the orchestra flaunted its full power at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre under its music director, Daniel Harding, in the first of two concerts that kicked off its Asian tour. The ensemble impressed – most notably in Rachmaninov’s beloved Symphony No 2 in E minor after the break... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3334014/champion-hong-kong-pianist-aristo-sham-joins-rome-based-orchestra-powerful-concert?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3334014/champion-hong-kong-pianist-aristo-sham-joins-rome-based-orchestra-powerful-concert?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 25 Nov 2025 03:07:02 +0000 Alexis Alrich Alexis Alrich San Francisco Opera’s premiere of The Monkey King is a visually enchanting retelling of the timeless Chinese folk tale and a thrilling landmark in cultural exchange. With music by Huang Ruo and libretto by David Henry Hwang, this new opera follows the mischievous antics of Sun Wukong, the macaque born from a rock, who discovers this simple truth on his path towards enlightenment and immortality: “You cannot find the land of bliss with a leap and a bound.” The sets and puppetry by Basil Twist are... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3333357/san-francisco-operas-monkey-king-thrilling-landmark-cultural-exchange?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3333357/san-francisco-operas-monkey-king-thrilling-landmark-cultural-exchange?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 21 Nov 2025 11:15:09 +0000 Christopher Halls Christopher Halls Anyone planning to give the gift of music for Christmas should seriously consider Aristo Sham’s new solo piano album. Timeline, released by Universal Music Hong Kong on November 7, is a thoughtfully compiled selection based on the current world tour by the 2025 Van Cliburn gold medallist. At its core are transcriptions by Ferruccio Busoni, flanked by two unadapted works by Johann Sebastian Bach and Edvard Grieg. Concert pianists generally avoid recording Bach in the pure form, possibly for fear... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3331067/pianist-aristo-shams-new-album-joyful-masterpiece-bach-grieg-and-busoni?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3331067/pianist-aristo-shams-new-album-joyful-masterpiece-bach-grieg-and-busoni?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 02 Nov 2025 23:15:09 +0000 Kylie Knott Kylie Knott For decades, writer Banu Mushtaq’s literary circle was confined to the southern Indian state of Karnataka, where she also worked as an activist and lawyer. That all changed in May, when she was thrust into the global literary spotlight after being awarded the International Booker Prize for Heart Lamp, a collection of 12 powerful short stories that capture the struggles of Muslim women in the country’s south. “Winning the prize is a deeply humbling experience, not just as a personal milestone for... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3330002/catch-booker-prize-winner-banu-mushtaq-india-bay-event-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3330002/catch-booker-prize-winner-banu-mushtaq-india-bay-event-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 23 Oct 2025 04:15:08 +0000 Chloe Loung Chloe Loung Bookings for the 54th Hong Kong Arts Festival have begun, following the release of the full line-up on October 16, which features more than 1,000 artists from around the world. The festival, which runs from February 27 to March 30, 2026, will open with Ballet Nacional de España performing the Asia premiere of Rubén Olmo’s dance drama La Bella Otero. The production, which features Flamenco and elements of Belle Époque, tells the life story of Carolina Otero, a 19th-century Spanish dancer and... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3329250/hong-kong-arts-festival-2026-include-caravaggio-ballet-and-music-mozart-and-bach?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3329250/hong-kong-arts-festival-2026-include-caravaggio-ballet-and-music-mozart-and-bach?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 16 Oct 2025 09:45:08 +0000 Dirk Luiten Dirk Luiten Artists find inspiration in places both profound and pedestrian, a creative spectrum vividly illustrated by the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra’s latest concert. The featured composers drew from sources as diverse as quantum physics, Beethoven’s explosive contrasts, Ukrainian folk melodies and the humble street cry of a sausage vendor. But it was the sound of water that set the evening in motion. The world premiere of Charles Kwong Chin-wai’s Festina lente opened not with a grand statement, but... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3328780/hong-kong-philharmonic-and-pianist-kyohei-sorita-put-lively-concert?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3328780/hong-kong-philharmonic-and-pianist-kyohei-sorita-put-lively-concert?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 14 Oct 2025 07:15:08 +0000 Natasha Rogai Natasha Rogai Opera Hong Kong’s new Aida offered much to enjoy. It boasted outstanding singing and acting from internationally renowned artists in the leading roles, and the chorus had never sounded better, producing impressive power and clarity in some of Verdi’s greatest choruses. That said, the production itself had some serious flaws; like the company’s recent The Magic Flute, the high calibre of music and drama was let down by aspects of the concept and design. Aida’s plot may be melodramatic, yet it is... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3328809/opera-hong-kongs-aida-dazzles-star-performances-falters-staging-and-design?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3328809/opera-hong-kongs-aida-dazzles-star-performances-falters-staging-and-design?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 13 Oct 2025 20:15:12 +0000 Ashlyn Chak Ashlyn Chak Baroque Europe and modern-day Hong Kong are contextually and geographically worlds apart. Still, Hongkonger Karen Yeung has been promoting early Western music in the city with her biannual music festival since 2019. As a seasoned bassoonist who plays the Renaissance dulcian – a precursor to the bassoon – and the Baroque version of the woodwind instrument, Yeung is a rarity in Hong Kong, where concert organisers are nervous about the appeal of unusual musical programmes. “You can say it’s niche,... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3327192/hong-kong-early-music-festival-celebrates-grand-sounds-baroque?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3327192/hong-kong-early-music-festival-celebrates-grand-sounds-baroque?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 29 Sep 2025 23:15:08 +0000 Dave Besseling Dave Besseling “When the world-renowned London Philharmonic Orchestra leaves London on September 11 to commence a 25,000-mile Far East tour, it will be receiving financial support from Investors Overseas Services and the OIS Foundation,” reported the South China Morning Post on August 30, 1969. “This was confirmed by Mr Malcolm Fox, IOS Regional Vice-President Far East, in a joint statement with the Hongkong impresario, Mr Harry Odell.” “The tour, which takes the Orchestra first to Singapore and on to... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3326629/when-london-philharmonic-orchestra-toured-hong-kong-and-asia-1969?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3326629/when-london-philharmonic-orchestra-toured-hong-kong-and-asia-1969?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 24 Sep 2025 22:15:07 +0000 Christopher Halls Christopher Halls Orchestras, like all companies, never count on instant results from leadership changes. The Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra know that full well, and given that their new music director, Tarmo Peltokoski, has had little podium time so far, just when and how the young Finn puts his musical stamp on things is anyone’s guess. In the meantime, though, the orchestra, in tip-top form and on the heels of a highly successful European tour with Jaap van Zweden, kicked off their 52nd season in style with... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3326353/hk-phil-open-2025/26-season-style-under-guest-conductor-daniel-harding?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3326353/hk-phil-open-2025/26-season-style-under-guest-conductor-daniel-harding?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 22 Sep 2025 11:15:07 +0000 Charmaine Yu Charmaine Yu Yang Enhua recently made a name for himself in August when he placed as a top 10 finalist in the sixth annual Danny Awards playing the erhu – a two-stringed bowed instrument used in traditional Chinese music. Hosted by the US-based Daniel’s Music Foundation, the Danny Awards is a global music competition that celebrates musicians with disabilities. Yang, a visually impaired musician originally from Harbin, in China’s Heilongjiang province, will travel to New York to perform alongside the other... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3326130/visually-impaired-erhu-player-yang-enhua-brings-traditional-chinese-music-world?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3326130/visually-impaired-erhu-player-yang-enhua-brings-traditional-chinese-music-world?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 21 Sep 2025 23:15:12 +0000 Tribune News Service Tribune News Service At his final concert as music director of the Los Angeles Philharmonic 16 years ago, every musician in the orchestra stood in line onstage to hug a red-faced Esa-Pekka Salonen. At every LA Phil appearance he has made as conductor laureate this past year, energised audiences have begun the mantra of “bring him back”. That wish is now being granted. The LA Phil has created a new position of creative director for Salonen beginning in the 2026/27 season. He will conduct the orchestra for four weeks... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3325802/esa-pekka-salonen-his-return-la-phil-creative-director-it-makes-lot-sense?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3325802/esa-pekka-salonen-his-return-la-phil-creative-director-it-makes-lot-sense?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 18 Sep 2025 20:15:08 +0000 Jimmy Shiu Jimmy Shiu The Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra opened its new season on September 12 and 13 with “Silken Notes of the Pipa”, a concert that showcased the various iterations of the musical instrument as well as how it transcended geographical and cultural borders along the ancient Silk Road. Using a large plectrum, guest soloist Akiko Kubota showed her mastery of the Japanese satsuma-biwa, creating an array of distinctive sounds by plucking and rubbing the strings. The chosen piece, “Heart of the Ocean”, is a... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3325701/hong-kong-chinese-orchestras-season-opener-skilfully-showcases-pipa?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3325701/hong-kong-chinese-orchestras-season-opener-skilfully-showcases-pipa?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 16 Sep 2025 08:15:12 +0000 Christopher Halls Christopher Halls They say a week in politics can be a long time, but try 10 years in chamber music. No one can appreciate the magnitude of that commitment more than Hong Kong’s foremost string quartet, the Cong Quartet, as they reflect on a decade of challenges, member changes and the well-earned awards along the way. The quartet’s name is a combination of the founding members’ last names and a play on the fact that the players grew up in Hong Kong, where they made music together during their teenage... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3325269/cong-quartet-celebrate-10th-anniversary-past-members-and-friends-hong-kong-concert?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3325269/cong-quartet-celebrate-10th-anniversary-past-members-and-friends-hong-kong-concert?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 15 Sep 2025 08:13:49 +0000 Charmaine Yu Charmaine Yu When Vivian Ip Wing-wun advanced to the final round of the International Ferenc Fricsay Conducting Competition (IFFCC) in Hungary, she introduced herself to the audience by saying, “I am from Hong Kong.” “Being from Hong Kong is an identity for me,” the 39-year-old tells the Post, adding that it symbolises “our persistence, our East-meets-West special cultural environment, our flexibility”. When she performs, she feels it is important to represent her home city, especially on a stage of such... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3325266/rising-hong-kong-conductor-vivian-ip-representing-city-and-inspiring-young-musicians?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3325266/rising-hong-kong-conductor-vivian-ip-representing-city-and-inspiring-young-musicians?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 12 Sep 2025 09:15:08 +0000 Gavin Yeung Gavin Yeung Hear this Baroque Reflections The New Hong Kong Philharmonia’s Baroque Chamber Orchestra will be joined by Italian violinist Domenico Nordio for an era-spanning performance of Baroque masterpieces for one night only on Tuesday. From Vivaldi’s fiery virtuosity to Bach’s intricate harmonies, Nordio is set to draw attendees into another world with the violin’s expressive depth and timeless appeal. August 26, Hong Kong City Hall, 5 Edinburgh Place, Central. Tickets from HK$180; urbtix.hk Eat... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3322793/what-do-hong-kong-august-24-30?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3322793/what-do-hong-kong-august-24-30?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 22 Aug 2025 22:00:20 +0000 Enid Tsui Enid Tsui The Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra’s choice of its new chief executive has stirred controversy, with an anonymous letter apparently sent to the government to protest against the selection of Austrian businessman Bernhard Fleischer being circulated online. On August 21, the orchestra announced that effective from September 1, Salzburg-born Fleischer would take over the job vacated by his German predecessor Benedikt Fohr, who left the orchestra in July after being in the job for six... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3322744/hk-phils-new-chief-executive-choice-sparks-controversy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3322744/hk-phils-new-chief-executive-choice-sparks-controversy?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 22 Aug 2025 04:13:45 +0000 Christopher Halls Christopher Halls Even without the flutes of bubbly normally featured in Viennese operettas, there are plenty of good reasons the 150-year-old musical genre is dubbed “champagne opera”. The effervescent delight of the songs, dance, intrigue and lighthearted shenanigans is timeless. But for the 19th-century art form to still hit the spot, it has to sparkle with spontaneity while preserving its classical soul. Opera Hong Kong’s semi-staged presentation of Franz Lehár’s The Merry Widow made for a fun night out –... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3322232/opera-hong-kongs-merry-widow-entertains-fails-capture-soul-original?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3322232/opera-hong-kongs-merry-widow-entertains-fails-capture-soul-original?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 18 Aug 2025 10:15:08 +0000 Nancy Wang Nancy Wang Chinese composer Yupeng Chen does not produce the type of music that one would typically expect from a classical musician. Instead, Chen creates music that is most likely to be recognised by gamers, such as the captivating soundtrack to the wildly popular Chinese video game Genshin Impact. In a sign that the highbrow classical music world is more widely embracing accessibility and a younger demographic, German classical music record label Deutsche Grammophon announced on July 18 that Chen was... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3321168/how-chinese-composer-who-wrote-genshin-impacts-music-breaking-classical-mould?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3321168/how-chinese-composer-who-wrote-genshin-impacts-music-breaking-classical-mould?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 10 Aug 2025 09:15:07 +0000 Sumnima Kandangwa Sumnima Kandangwa Opera Hong Kong is set to bring a treat to the city’s classical music scene this summer with two performances of Austro-Hungarian composer Franz Lehár’s beloved operetta, The Merry Widow, at City Hall on August 15 and 16. For those intimidated by or unfamiliar with the art form, an operetta offers an inviting first step: short, humorous and more conversational in music and story than capital-O opera. Based on an 1861 French comic play, L’attaché d’ambassade, by Henri Meilhac, The Merry Widow has... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3321208/opera-hong-kong-brings-merry-widow-stage?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3321208/opera-hong-kong-brings-merry-widow-stage?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 08 Aug 2025 08:09:37 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Hunched over his workbench, Tan Chin Seng shaves the wooden top plate of a violin, removing thin layers with slow, deliberate strokes. The work is meditative, out of the public eye. For Tan, transforming raw wood into a violin is a labour of artistry and love. The 45-year-old is Malaysia’s first professional violin luthier – a maker of string instruments like violins, cellos and guitars. Over the past decade, he has earned international accolades. Now he is mentoring a new generation of makers... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3318967/first-professional-violin-maker-malaysia-why-he-and-his-team-have-be-crazy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3318967/first-professional-violin-maker-malaysia-why-he-and-his-team-have-be-crazy?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 21 Jul 2025 09:15:07 +0000 Dirk Luiten Dirk Luiten In the rarefied world of orchestral performance, few debates are as enduring or as divisive as the question of leadership. Does transcendent artistry emerge from the iron will of a single visionary, or through the alchemy of collective insight? This question has resurfaced with fresh urgency in light of a recent documentary examining the methods of Jaap van Zweden, a Dutch conductor and former music director of the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra whose exacting, often fiery rehearsals defined... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3317190/jaap-van-zweden-returns-hong-kong-philharmonic-concert-featuring-augustin-hadelich?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3317190/jaap-van-zweden-returns-hong-kong-philharmonic-concert-featuring-augustin-hadelich?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 07 Jul 2025 09:15:09 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press It is often said that music is the universal language of humanity. Now, a 12-year-old boy in Houston, in the US state of Texas, is putting that to the test for an unlikely audience: man’s best friend. Yuvi Agarwal started playing keyboard when he was four years old. Several years ago, he noticed his playing soothed his family’s restless golden doodle, Bozo. He wondered if it could also help stressed homeless animals. With help from his parents, who both have backgrounds in marketing, he founded... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3316899/bach-beatles-12-year-olds-music-therapy-homeless-dogs-hit-us?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3316899/bach-beatles-12-year-olds-music-therapy-homeless-dogs-hit-us?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 05 Jul 2025 07:15:08 +0000 Jimmy Shiu Jimmy Shiu The City Chamber Orchestra of Hong Kong (CCOHK) is no stranger to innovative programmes. Everything from Tango to Latin to original musicals has had its time to shine in concert, as have instruments from the glass harmonica to the theremin – an electronic instrument controlled without physical contact. On June 25, at Hong Kong City Hall, the spotlight fell on Brazilian music, along with an array of percussion instruments such as the marimba, as Brazilian composer and percussionist Ney Rosauro... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3316049/brazilian-percussionist-ney-rosauro-stuns-music-fans-glorious-hong-kong-concert?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3316049/brazilian-percussionist-ney-rosauro-stuns-music-fans-glorious-hong-kong-concert?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Jun 2025 08:15:08 +0000 Tribune News Service Tribune News Service At the US Library of Congress in Washington in May, Roberto Díaz was playing on an exceedingly rare viola. What did not cross his mind, he says, is just how much the maple and spruce instrument clutched beneath his chin was worth. Which is perhaps a good thing. The Tuscan-Medici viola from the workshop of Antonio Stradivari was recently valued at US$30 million, likely making it the most expensive musical instrument in the world. “You know, it’s funny, I never really thought about it that way,”... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3315630/stradivarius-viola-valued-us30-million-could-be-worlds-most-expensive-instrument?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3315630/stradivarius-viola-valued-us30-million-could-be-worlds-most-expensive-instrument?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Jun 2025 08:15:07 +0000 Christopher Halls Christopher Halls The secret to a good story is, as they say, in the telling. Legendary Russian pianist Mikhail Pletnev wasted no time telling his tale to a packed audience in Hong Kong on June 17, launching into the Shigeru Kawai grand piano the very second he sat down. His recital was made up of two clearly opposed halves. The first saw his subdued yet thoughtful expressions of pathos and beauty in two of Beethoven’s pillar sonatas, while a vivid depiction of Nordic nostalgia in a selection of Grieg’s Lyric... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3315224/russian-pianist-mikhail-pletnev-plays-subdued-beethoven-and-colourful-grieg-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3315224/russian-pianist-mikhail-pletnev-plays-subdued-beethoven-and-colourful-grieg-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 Jun 2025 11:15:06 +0000 Enid Tsui Enid Tsui Aristo Sham Ching-tao, the first pianist from Hong Kong to win the gold medal in the Van Cliburn Piano Competition, has expressed his gratitude for the overwhelming support he received from the city following his victory in one of the world’s toughest and most prestigious music competitions. Speaking from New York, Sham said: “I am overwhelmed by the support in Hong Kong since the news of my win. I really did not expect that.” Born in Hong Kong, he left to study overseas at the age of 14, but... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3314107/thank-you-hong-kong-says-pianist-aristo-sham-after-historic-van-cliburn-competition-win?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3314107/thank-you-hong-kong-says-pianist-aristo-sham-after-historic-van-cliburn-competition-win?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 12 Jun 2025 04:48:36 +0000 SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial Talent is a precious commodity in the search for drivers of economic growth, and Hong Kong is at the forefront when it comes to competing for the gifted. Its talent admission schemes attract tens of thousands of new residents on initial visas. As well as being a magnet for talents, it is nice for the city to be seen to nurture those of its own. An example is Hong Kong pianist Aristo Sham Ching-tao, who has just won the 2025 edition of the prestigious Van Cliburn International Piano Competition,... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3313919/hong-kong-pianist-hits-right-note-home-grown-talent?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3313919/hong-kong-pianist-hits-right-note-home-grown-talent?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Jun 2025 22:30:07 +0000 Christopher Halls Christopher Halls Given all the pianists out there who have been dubbed “poets of the keyboard”, the phrase has become a little tiresome. But its use is justified when applied to a musician of the calibre of 24-year-old Canadian pianist Tony Siqi Yun. Musical poetry was front and centre in Yun’s self-curated recital at Hong Kong City Hall on June 4 of works whose themes include death, madness and redemption. Yun began with Brahms’ lyrical Four Ballades Op. 10, which take a more literal approach to the genre than... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3313375/pianist-tony-siqi-yun-produces-poetry-hong-kong-recital-some-dark-themes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3313375/pianist-tony-siqi-yun-produces-poetry-hong-kong-recital-some-dark-themes?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Jun 2025 04:45:07 +0000 Enid Tsui Enid Tsui Hong Kong pianist Aristo Sham Ching-tao has won the 2025 edition of the prestigious Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, putting him on track for global stardom. Sham, 29, is the first pianist from Hong Kong to win the competition, held in Fort Worth in the US state of Texas. The announcement on June 7 of his victory followed two-and-a-half weeks of intense anticipation. Live streams of the contest’s four gruelling rounds, which began on May 21 with 28 competitors from 15 countries,... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3313530/hong-kong-pianist-aristo-sham-wins-prestigious-van-cliburn-international-competition?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3313530/hong-kong-pianist-aristo-sham-wins-prestigious-van-cliburn-international-competition?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 08 Jun 2025 05:14:24 +0000 Erika Na Erika Na Fancy catching the many big acts that are taking to the stage in Shenzhen, Guangzhou and other Greater Bay Area cities? Launching this month is the Post’s curated list of coming performances, all within easy reach of Hong Kong, with a focus on those likely to appeal most to an international audience. 1. Yang Liping’s The Peacock Dongguan Magnolia Theatre will stage Yang Liping’s 2022 dance drama The Peacock. Yang, a celebrated contemporary dancer from China’s Bai ethnic minority group, rose to... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3312370/5-greater-bay-area-shows-and-concerts-june-2025-see-broadway-musical-dance?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3312370/5-greater-bay-area-shows-and-concerts-june-2025-see-broadway-musical-dance?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 30 May 2025 01:45:07 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Strauss’ “The Blue Danube” is heading into space this month to mark the 200th anniversary of the waltz king’s birth. The waltz will be beamed into the cosmos as it is performed by the Vienna Symphony Orchestra. The celestial send-off on May 31 – live-streamed with free public screenings in Vienna, Madrid and New York – will also celebrate the founding of the European Space Agency (ESA) 50 years ago. Although the music could be converted into radio signals in real time, according to officials,... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3311767/strauss-blue-danube-waltz-join-bach-beatles-music-space-mark-his-200th-birthday?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3311767/strauss-blue-danube-waltz-join-bach-beatles-music-space-mark-his-200th-birthday?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 26 May 2025 07:15:08 +0000 SCMP Reporter SCMP Reporter Sometimes you can be spoiled for choice when it comes to things to do at weekends in Hong Kong. Do not despair – we have cherry-picked some to make your life easier. From a crossover pianist’s latest Hong Kong performances to the return of the Affordable Art Fair to an unmissable Tom Cruise action film and a burger pop-up, there is plenty to see and do over the next few days. 1. Shogun Burger pop-up The Regent Hong Kong hotel, in Tsim Sha Tsui in Kowloon, is playing host to Japan’s gourmet... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3311501/5-best-things-do-hong-kong-weekend-may-23-25-yoga-art-fair?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3311501/5-best-things-do-hong-kong-weekend-may-23-25-yoga-art-fair?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 23 May 2025 05:13:40 +0000