Press Release
HKBU Symphony Orchestra to hold Annual Gala Concert featuring top American pianist Andrew von Oeyen
Wednesday, 17 Apr 2019
The Hong Kong Baptist University Symphony Orchestra will hold its Annual Gala Concert next Tuesday (23 April 2019) at 8 pm at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre Concert Hall. The Orchestra will be conducted by its music director Professor Johnny Poon, Head of the Department of Music, and the concert will feature a debut Hong Kong performance from top American pianist Mr Andrew von Oeyen.
The concert programme includes the world premiere of Professor Christopher Keyes' Of the Worlds Beyond, as well as performances of George Gershwin's Catfish Row and Rhapsody in Blue, and Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture.
Mr Andrew von Oeyen is a captivating pianist and has been hailed worldwide for his elegant and insightful performances. He is an alumnus of Columbia University and a graduate of The Juilliard School in the US. Since his debut at age 16 with the Los Angeles Philharmonic and Esa-Pekka Salonen, Mr Andrew von Oeyen has performed a broad range of concerto repertoire with such ensembles as the Philadelphia Orchestra, the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the San Francisco Symphony, the National Symphony Orchestra, the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, the St Louis Symphony Orchestra, the Seattle Symphony and the Berlin Symphony Orchestra, among others. Since 2002, Mr Andrew von Oeyen has delivered gripping explorations of French and American piano concertos. Under his fingers the unique progressions receive a luxurious reading, and he handles their florid melodies with elegance and veneration.
Professor Johnny Poon is the music director and conductor of the HKBU Symphony Orchestra and the Collegium Musicum Hong Kong. Throughout his distinguished career, Professor Poon has been music director of the Evansville Collegium Musicum in the US, Associate Conductor of the Operafestival di Roma in Italy, and artistic director of the Harlaxton Music Festival in the UK. He has also been a guest conductor with symphonic and philharmonic orchestras in Russia, the Czech Republic, USA, Germany, Xiamen in mainland China, and Hong Kong.
The Hong Kong Baptist University Symphony Orchestra is one of the oldest university orchestras in Hong Kong and comprises the finest musical talents in the University. Regular concerts include concerto and orchestral performances featuring a wide repertoire of Romantic masterpieces and 20th century classics, as well as works by contemporary composers. The Orchestra has performed with renowned artists including Chuanyun Li, Laura Fygi, Changyong Liao, Warren Mok, Ryu Goto, Mengla Huang, Dan Zhu, Valentina Lisitsa, Simone Lamsma, Nicole Cabell, Anne Akiko Meyers, Eriko Daimo and Zhang Liping.
The Gala Concert 2019 is sponsored by Chief Group Limited and FY Compliance Consulting Limited.
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Members of the media are welcome to cover the above event.
Media enquiries:
Teresa Chan of HKBU Communication and Public Relations Office (3411 5252 / hkbunews@hkbu.edu.hk)
