Hong Kong Sinfonietta is financially supported by the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region

Hong Kong Sinfonietta is the Venue Partner of the Hong Kong City Hall

9.4.2016( Sat) 8pm

HK City Hall Concert Hall

Piano

Saleem Ashkar

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/Music Director/Conductor

Yip Wing-sie

/ Music Director/Conductor Yip Wing-sie Piano Saleem Ashkar

Great Piano Concertos: Beethoven Emperor Concerto

Dear Patrons,In order to make this performance a pleasant experience for the artists and other members ofthe audience, please refrain from recording, filming, taking photographs, and also fromsmoking, eating or drinking in the auditorium. Please ensure that your mobile phones and anyother sound and light emitting devices are switched off before the performance. Thank you foryour kind co-operation.

House Rules

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B38 I II

Programme

Daniel Lo Ting-cheung Efflorescence Quasi-Concerto for Orchestra (world premire)Beethoven Piano Concerto No 5 in E-flat, Op 73, Emperor

AllegroAdagio un poco mosso Rondo: Allegro

- 15-minute intermission -

Schumann Symphony No 1 in B-flat, Op 38, SpringAndante un poco maestoso Allegro molto vivaceLarghettoScherzo: Molto vivace Trio I Trio IIFinale: Allegro animato e grazioso

FM97.6-98.9www.rthk.hk

20164142

Tonights concert is broadcast live on

RTHK Radio 4 (FM Stereo 97.6 98.9 MHz

and www.rthk.hk) with a repeat on

14 April 2016 (Thu) at 2pm.

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Hong Kong Sinfonietta Music Director: YIP Wing-sie Principal Guest Conductor: Christoph POPPEN

3Hong Kong Sinfonietta is one of Hong Kongs

flagship orchestras. With Yip Wing-sie as Music

Director, the orchestra has brought music closer

to the community, and has achieved significant

recognition locally and internationally for its

pass ionate per formances and innovat ive

programming.

S ince 1999, Hong Kong S infon iet ta has

co l laborated wi th an i l lus t r ious ar ray of

international musicians and groups, including

Vladimir Ashkenazy, Plcido Domingo, Augustin

Dumay, Fou Tsong, Christopher Hogwood,

Luciano Pavarotti, Krzysztof Penderecki, Pinchas

Zukerman, Mariinsky Ballet, Bolshoi Ballet, The

Royal Ballet, English National Ballet, American

Ballet Theatre, New York City Ballet, Stuttgart

Ballet and Tanztheater Wuppertal Pina Bausch.

The orchest ra has a l so been a regular

participant at all the major festivals in Hong

Kong including the Hong Kong Arts Festival, Le

French May , Hong Kong International F i lm

Festival and festivals presented by the Hong

Kong Government. It also partners regularly

with Hong Kong Ballet and Opera Hong Kong in

their staged productions.

The orchestra performs year-round with over

100 performances a season and has been the

Venue Partner of the Hong Kong City Hall since

2009. Apart from standard orchestral repertoire,

Hong Kong Sinfonietta, as an avid believer of

keeping mus ic a l i ve and contemporary,

commissions and performs new works every

year and ventures into crossover concerts.

Launched in 2006, the HKS Artist Associate

scheme prov ides a p lat form for intens ive

collaboration with local artists from different

arts disciplines to expand the horizon of classical

music. The orchestras discography includes

CDs of works by Chinese composers on HUGO,

and three double-CD albums This is Classical

Music on DECCA which have been awarded

Platinum and Gold Records.

Hong Kong Sinfonietta has also pioneered

specially-designed concert series for different

audiences and age groups, including Good

Music for Babies, Good Music for Kids, Know

Your Classical Music , Short-cut to Classical

Music and HKS McDull Music Project. Since

2010, Hong Kong Sinfoniettas chamber music

concerts have continued to break down barriers

between music and audience as we perform at

unconventional spaces.

On tour, Hong Kong S infonietta has been

invited to perform in North America in Canada

and New York City; in Brazil, Argentina and

Uruguay in South America; in Europe at the

prestigious Festival International de Piano La

Roque dAnthron, Saint-Riquier Festival, Les

Flneries Musicales dt de Reims and Festival

Les Nuits Romantiques in France, in Switzerland

at Tonhalle Zrich, Geneva Victoria Hall and

Fr ibourg, Fest ival P ianist ico Internazionale

Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli and Settimane

Musicali al Teatro Olimpico in Italy, Warsaw

Philharmonic Concert Hall in Poland and in

Lithuania; in China at the Shanghai Spring

International Music Festival and China Shanghai

International Arts Festival (Expo 2010 Shanghai),

in Be i j ing at the Nat iona l Centre for the

Performing Arts; in Japan at La Folle Journe in

Tokyo and Niigata, Nagano and Kanazawa; in

Korea at the Tongyeong International Music

Festival and in Singapore at the Esplanade. In

2016, the orchestra will make its dbuts in

Taiwan and at the Marvo International Music

Festival in Portugal.

The Hong Kong Sinfonietta Limited is a registered charity.

9833/F Winsan Tower, 98 Thomson Road, Wanchai, Hong Kong

Tel : (852) 2836 3336 Email: enquiries@hksinfonietta.org Website: www.HKSL.org

4 S

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Music Director/Conductor

Yip Wing-sie

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1985351988

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5A highly respected and influential figure in Asias

orchestral music scene, Yip Wing-sie has been the

Music Director of Hong Kong Sinfonietta since

2002. Positions she has previously held include

Principal Conductor and later Music Director of

Guangzhou Symphony Orchestra and Resident

Conductor of Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra.

Winner of the First Prize as well as LYRE dOR in

the 35th Concours International de Jeunes Chefs

dOrchestre de Besanon, France in 1985 and a

prizewinner in the 8th Tokyo International

Conducting Competition in 1988, Yip is in great

demand as a guest conductor in Asia. Orchestras

she has conducted include the Central

Philharmonic Orchestra of China, China National

Symphony Orchestra, Shanghai Symphony

Orchestra, Seoul Philharmonic, Osaka Philharmonic,

New Japan Philharmonic, Tokyo Mozart Players, the

symphony orchestras of Sapporo, Yomiuri, Taiwan,

Tasmania, Melbourne and Queensland as well as

the Auckland Philharmonia of New Zealand. In

Europe, Yips engagements have included concerts

with the Orchestre National du Capitol de Toulouse

and the Chambre Orchestre de Besanon in France,

Warsaw Philharmonic in Poland, Spains Tenerife

Symphony Orchestra and the Czech State

Orchestra of Kosice. She has also conducted at

prestigious venues and festivals such as the Vienna

Musikverein (Grossersaal), Beijing Music Festival,

Fukuokas Asian Month Festival in Japan, Hong

Kong Arts Festival and Macao International Music

Festival. Yip has collaborated with such renowned

artists as Augustin Dumay, Fou Tsong, Shlomo

Mintz, Anne-Sophie Mutter, Itzhak Perlman and

Pinchas Zukerman. Operas she has conducted

include Guo Wen-jins Poet Li Bai and the world

premire of La Peintre with Taiwan Philharmonic.

As Music Director of Hong Kong Sinfonietta, Yip

has taken the orchestra on tour in recent years to

Switzerland, France, Italy, Poland, Lithuania,

Canada, the USA, Japan, Korea, Beijing, Shanghai,

and in South America in Argentina, Brazil and

Uruguay. In 2016, she will lead the orchestra to

perform in Portugal and Taiwan for the first time.

Born in Guangzhou and brought up in Hong Kong,

Yip graduated from the Royal College of Music in

London and the Indiana University at Bloomington,

USA, where she obtained her Masters Degree in

violin performance and conducting. As the winner

of the Koussevitsky Scholarship and the Seiji Ozawa

Fellowship Award, Yip also attended the

conducting seminar and fellowship programmes at

the Tanglewood Music Center. Her mentors

included great maestros such as Norman Del Mar,

Leonard Bernstein, Seiji Ozawa, Gustav Meier and

David Atherton.

Accolades Yip has received internationally include

Chevalier de lOrdre National du Mrite

bestowed by the French Government (2015),

Chevalier dans lOrdre des Arts et des Lettres by

the Ministry of Culture and Communication of

France, Fellow of the Royal College of Music

(FRCM), and she was also named the Ong Teng

Cheong Distinguished Visiting Professor at the

Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music, National

University of Singapore. In Hong Kong, she was

awarded Hong Kong Women of Excellence in the

Six Arts Award by the Hong Kong Federation of

Women and the Bronze Bauhinia Star (BBS) by the

Hong Kong Government, and was University Artist

at The University of Hong Kong (2011- 2012).

622

NDR2010

2012/2013

2013/20142016/2017

DECCANDR2014

Piano

Saleem Ashkar

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7Saleem Ashkar made his New York Carnegie Hall

dbut at the age of 22, and has since worked with

many of the worlds leading orchestras including

the Vienna Philharmonic, Israel Philharmonic,

Chicago Symphony Orchestra, La Scala

Philharmonic, Concertgebouw Orchestra, Leipzig

Gewandhaus Orchestra, Staatskapelle Berlin,

London Symphony Orchestra, New Zealand

Symphony Orchestra, Mariinsky Orchestra and the

Danish National Symphony Orchestra.

Ashkar has performed with conductors such as

Zubin Mehta, Daniel Barenboim, Riccardo Muti,

Lawrence Foster, Bertrand de Billy, Nikolaj Znaider

and Ludovic Morlot. Following a highly successful

dbut with Christoph Eschenbach and NDR

Sinfonieorchester Hamburg, Eschenbach invited

him to play Schumann Piano Concerto with

Dsseldorf Symphony Orchestra in a special

Schumann Birthday Concert in 2010. Ashkar also

toured extensively with Riccardo Chailly and Leipzig

Gewandhaus Orchestra performing Mendelssohns

First Piano Concerto, including appearances at the

Proms and the Lucerne Festival. Chailly later

re-invited him for concerts and to record with him

for DECCA in the 2012/2013 season.

Recent highlights included the performance with

Copenhagen Philharmonic under Lawrence Foster,

and the collaborations with Gulbenkian Orchestra

and Paul McCreesh in both Mendelssohn Piano

Concertos, as well as with Simn Bolvar Symphony

Orchestra of Venezuela and Diego Matheuz in

Tchaikovskys Piano Concerto No 1. He will also

perform with the Bamberg Symphony under the

baton of Eschenbach this April.

Also a dedicated recitalist and chamber musician,

Ashkar appears regularly at such venues as the

Concertgebouw, Wigmore Hall, Mozarteum

Salzburg and Musikverein in Vienna. Festival

appearances include Salzburg Festival with the

Vienna Philharmonic, the Proms with Leipzig

Gewandhaus Orchestra, and concerts at the

Lucerne, Ravinia, Risr, Menton and the Ruhr

Klavier Festivals, collaborating with artists including

Daniel Barenboim, Nikolaj Znaider and Waltraud

Meier. Ashkar is currently finishing a complete

Beethoven Sonata Cycle at Sage Gateshead, a

3-season project that started with sold-out concerts

in 2013/2014. In 2016/2017, Ashkar will perform

the complete Beethoven Sonata Cycle in Berlin

(presented by the Konzerthaus), Prague and

Osnabrck.

Ashkars first DECCA release includes Beethovens

First and Fourth Piano Concertos recorded with Ivor

Bolton and NDR Sinfonieorchester Hamburg. His

second CD, also released by DECCA in Spring

2014, features both Mendelssohn Piano Concertos

recorded with Riccardo Chail ly and Leipzig

Gewandhaus Orchestra.

8 Composer

Daniel Lo Ting-cheung2009 20122011

20122010201016Bang-on-a-Can(2014)(20132015)T20

Daniel Lo Ting-cheung is currently a PhD

(Composition) candidate at the University of York in

the UK under the supervision of Professor William

Brooks, fully supported by the Hong Kong Jockey

Club Music and Dance Fund. Before going to York,

Lo studied composition with Professor Chan Hing-yan

at The University of Hong Kong where he graduated

with first class honours in 2009 and then completed

an MPhil (Music Composition) in 2012.

Lo has won various prizes and awards including

First Prizes at the 7th Musica e Arte Composition

Contest and the 3rd Migratory Journeys

International Music Composition Competition;

Second Prize at the Sofia 2012 International

Composition Competition (First Prize not awarded);

and Third Prize at the 2010 International Antonn

Dvork Composition Competition in Prague. He

was also selected as one of the 16 composers from

around the world to attend the prestigious Young

Composers Meeting in the Netherlands in February

2016.

His works have been performed by players from

the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Bang-on-a-Can

and Orchestra of Our Time in the USA; Jancek

Philharmonic Orchestra; and also in the Netherland,

Germany, France, Bulgaria, UK and Australia.

Recent years saw the premires of Home City Dream

City for orchestra and field recordings, commissioned

by Hong Kong Sinfonietta; Music for a Starry Night

(Hommage Bla Bartk) for strings, percussion and

piano; and Ode to the Wind for orchestra, composed

as part of his residency at the Ostrava Days (Czech

Republic) in August 2015. A site-specific work for

string quartet and field recordings was also performed

by Hong Kong New Music Ensemble at the Cattle

Depot Artists Village in March 2016. His upcoming

projects include a commission by Szymanowski

Quartet in Poland for their 20th anniversary

celebratory world tour in 2016.

Hong Kong Sinfonietta is financially supported by the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region

Hong Kong Sinfonietta is the Venue Partner of the Hong Kong City Hall

Tickets at URBTIX 2111 5999 | www.URBTIX.hk Programme Enquiries:2836 3336 | www.HKSL.org6 For ages 6+Hong Kong Sinfonietta reserves the right to change the programme and artists

Principal Guest Conductor

Christoph Poppen

HornRadovan Vlatkovic

23.4.2016( Sat) 8pm

HK City Hall Concert Hall

$360 $240 $140

The Croatian hornherald sent by God.

Hamburger Abendblatt

Programme G100 E11 C68Haydn Symphony No 100 in G, MilitaryRichard Strauss Horn Concerto No 1 in E-flat, Op 11Brahms Symphony No 1 in C minor, Op 68

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UpClose Encounters: Chamber Music & Dialogue with Radovan Vlatkovic

24.4.2016 Sun 3pm HK City Hall Concert Hall$250 Details: www.HKSL.org

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181222016/201720141118409C18413D

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1770-1827E73

1809181518111123Friedrich Schneider2Carl CzernyGrand Concerto

John Baptist Cramer1809EAB

B8BE

(2) (2) (2) (2) (2) (2)

18101856B38

I II

184112391

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220331BGABGADBCLouis Spohr

Wilhelm Taubert

Adolph Bttger

EDtrioDBGF

(2) (2) (2) (2) (4) (2) (3)

Nick BreckenfieldNick Breckenfield

whatsonwhen.com13-

14

I do not know whether February 1812 in Vienna was unseasonably mild, but it would

be nice if it had been; if spring had come early to the Austro-Hungarian Empires capital

when Beethovens Fifth Piano Concerto was first heard there. Because that would

continue the connection between the opening and closing works (and aptly celebrate

the opening of Hong Kong Sinfoniettas new season) : spring that rejuvenating season

where flowers and trees come back to life after winter.

Hong Kong-born composer Daniel Lo Ting-cheung returns to Hong Kong Sinfonietta

after the premire of his Home City Dream City in November 2014. While that work

included recorded sounds of city life, Efflorescence explores the explosive energy of new

life at spring time, with buds shooting and flowers opening.

To end is Robert Schumanns musical evocation of spring, one of the irrepressible

outpourings of his year composing orchestral music that followed his marriage in

September 1840, inspired by his discovery in Vienna of the score to Schuberts Great

C major symphony. Composed early in 1841, and premiered that March in Leipzig by

Mendelssohn, the Spring symphony was aptly titled, and was followed quickly by a D

minor symphony (withdrawn and later revised, so we know it as Symphony No 4) and

the Fantasy for piano and orchestra, which was later refashioned and completed as his

famous Piano Concerto.

Programme Notes

Daniel Lo Ting-cheung (born 1986)

EfflorescenceQuasi-Concerto for Orchestra(world premire)

Commissioned by Hong Kong Sinfonietta in 2016

This work was written in an exceptionally

grim and gloomy winter in anticipation of the

first signs of spring.

Contrary to what is usually expected of a

concerto, Efflorescence features solely the

orchestra which performs all the parts

included in the score, with individual players

taking up the soloist role. While playing on a

few formal characteristics of the concerto, I

have hastened to add the qualifier quasi to

the title to avoid anticipation of a full range of

features commonly associated with this

musical form.

The tinkle of a set of antique cymbals

introduces this orchestral work. The music

then unfolds in a slow section. The strings

provide a textural drone, above which solo

parts performed by the principal players of

woodwind and brass, freely hover.

As though injected with new boosts of

energy, the music suddenly turns lively with a

quickened pace. A seemingly familiar major

triad appears increasingly as interjections until

15

it reveals itself more openly in a solo part for

the violin and the orchestral dominant pedal

(as in a traditional concerto) comes into focus.

The subsequent cadenza, performed by the

orchestral tutti, is a vibrant section brimmed

with energy. The momentum of the

accelerating rhythms drives the music into full

swing as it celebrates the blissful blossoming

of the first buds in spring.

Daniel Lo Ting-cheung

Instrumentation of this piece

Strings: 1st & 2nd violins, violas, cellos, double basses

Woodwinds: flutes (2), piccolo (1), oboes (2), clarinets (2),

bass clarinet (1), bassoons (2),

contrabassoon (1)

Brass: horns (4), trumpets (2), trombones (3), tuba (1)

Percussion: timpani, crotales, vibraphone, flexatone,

glockenspiel, bass drum, snare drum,

tom-toms, bongos, suspended cymbal,

tambourine, castanets, whistles, thunder-sheet

Harp, piano

Ludwig van Beethoven (17701827)

Piano Concerto No 5 inE-flat, Op 73, Emperor

Allegro

Adagio un poco mosso

Rondo: Allegro

Beethovens Fifth and last piano concerto dates

from 1809 (following the Fifth and Sixth

Symphonies) and, as Beethovens last essay in

concerto form, many would say it was his greatest

(there are sketches for another concerto dating

from 1815, but they remained incomplete).

Unfortunately it was after his virtuoso soloist days

were over (because of the onset of his deafness) so

unlike the other four concertos for his instrument

he was unable to take the solo part in the premire

or any subsequent performance. It was left to

Friedrich Schneider to give the premire in the

Leipzig Gewandhaus on 23 November 1811 and

Carl Czerny introduced it to Viennese audiences

the following February, although unfortunately this

was at a charity benefit concert for the Society of

Noble Ladies, where it was received less than

kindly. However, it now enjoys a reputation as one

of the very greatest concertos and Beethoven

himself instructed his Leipzig publisher to title it:

Grand Concerto.

Its well-known epithet (particularly in the English-

speaking world), the Emperor, was actually

unknown to the composer and, given Beethovens

view of politics which had already caused him to

scratch out the dedication to Napoleon on the title

page of his Eroica Symphony after he had heard

that his French hero had declared himself Emperor

it is likely that he would have been less than

amenable to it. It is not definitely known how it

was given this name, but it has been attributed to

John Baptist Cramer, the London pianist and music

publisher, who was a protg of Beethoven.

Whatever the truth, the title fits: it is an emperor

amongst concertos.

In 1809 Vienna was threatened by Napoleonic

invasion. Beethovens house was near the city walls

and his work was constantly interrupted by

bombardment, and the music reflects this military

aspect, especially in the first movement. The recent

development of the piano with its keyboard

extension to six octaves, added pedals and a more

flexible action also allowed Beethoven a grander

style than ever available before.

The concerto opens with three orchestral tutti

chords (E-flat, A-flat and B-flat) in the heroic key of

E-flat, with unusually the immediate

interruption of the soloist between each chord with

cadenza-like arpeggios and ornamentation of sheer

bravura. The third interruption ends the

introduction and leads back into the tonic to sweep

the orchestra into the first subject of the

movement proper a forceful forward-moving

theme. This, with the quieter, spiky second subject

16

first given on the violins and then more flowingly

on the horns, is given extensive and varied

orchestral treatment before finally the piano enters

on a rising scale to add its own voice to the

thematic survey. The opening chords return, with

slightly altered solo interruptions, to herald the

coda, which is notable for omitting the usual

ad lib-style cadenza (Beethoven argued that if the

cadenza had to be written out as a separate

feature, why should it not be written into the

movement as a whole?), though it is none-the-less

taxing for the soloist.

The Adagio is in B major, with the theme first on

strings over pizzicato basses. The soloist is in an

accompanying role, first with a series of downward

steps, triplets, trills and then with quavers, which

contrast sharply with the upward leaps of the

ensuing Finale. A transitional passage has the

piano introducing the idea of a new theme over a

subtly changed bass, dropped by a semitone to

B-flat, which can easily lead back into E-flat of the

final movement.

Following without pause, this Finale is in rondo

form, with the leaping theme much repeated by

orchestra and soloist alike. The solo writing is, of

course, virtuosic and masterly, eventually

descending to the depths over a quiet timpani

beat, from which it rises for its final, conclusive

flourish.

Instrumentation of this piece

Strings: 1st & 2nd violins, violas, cellos, double basses

Woodwinds: flutes (2), oboes (2), clarinets (2), bassoons (2)

Brass: horns (2), trumpets (2)

Timpani

Solo piano

Robert Schumann (18101856)

Symphony No 1 in B-flat,Op 38, Spring

Andante un poco maestoso Allegro molto vivace

Larghetto

Scherzo: Molto vivace Trio I Trio II

Finale: Allegro animato e grazioso

By the time Schumann started sketching his B-flat

symphony, on 23 January 1841, his young wife

Clara was pregnant (their first child, Maria, was

born on 1 September 1841). In fact, in the full

flush of marriage and forthcoming father-hood,

Schumann sketched the symphony in just four

days, with the orchestration taking less than one

month following, noting the completion date as 20

February. It was premiered by Schumanns friend

Felix Mendelssohn with his Leipzig Gewandhaus

Orchestra on 31 March and was rapturously

acclaimed, despite the fact that there had been an

early hiatus in rehearsals. He had scored the brass

fanfares that open the work (a B-flat syncopated

rhythm, followed by a G, A and back to B-flat) with

no regard to the practicalities of the valveless

natural instruments of the day. He was surprised to

hear the G and A as though they had caught a

violent cold the reason being that they had to

be hand-stopped. Although it would be only a few

years until valve brass instruments were in common

usage (which allowed such conductors as Mahler

to return to Schumanns original thoughts),

Schumann transposed the opening fanfare up a

third, to start on D, with the corresponding B-flat

and C sounding naturally strong.

Although not specifically programmatic, Schumann

told fellow composer Louis Spohr that it was

written with a vernal passion... that always sways

men even into old age and surprises them anew

each year. Description and painting were not part

of my intention, but I do believe that the season in

which this symphony was born influenced its

structure and helped make it what it is. He also

told Berl in conductor Wilhelm Taubert that

17

longing for spring... was most in my mind when I

wrote it, and that the opening trumpet calls were

like a summons to awakening with, later on, the

suggestion that everything is turning green, or

that a butterfly is fluttering by and then in the

Allegro how gradually everything spring-like comes

to life.

There is literary aspect too, as Schumann had the

following couplet in mind when composing the

opening rhythm, from poet friend, Adolf Bttgers

Spring Ballad:

O wende, wende deinem Lauf

Im Thale blht der Frhling auf!

(Turn, turn, change your tack

In the valley, spring is blossoming!)

Schumann also originally titled each movement,

although he later suppressed these. But they do

give some indication as to the music:

Frhlingsbeginn (The Beginning of Spring); Abend

(Evening); Frohe Gespielen (Merrymakers) and Voller

Frhling (The Height of Spring).

The first movement (like the last, in sonata form),

after its scene-setting introduction, builds on the

opening brass paean as its first subject, speeded

up, in the main Allegro, with a contrasting second

subject developing from its much gentler start on

clarinet and bassoon. Schumann integrates these

themes seamlessly in the breathless scope of the

movement, and introduces a third theme (after

what we might have regarded as a speeding coda),

which is a foretaste of the slow movement, before

the rousing finish.

The E-flat Larghetto echoes the songs Schumann

had been writing the year before given

Schumanns title (Abend) it could almost be a

serenade (when a young man would sing to his

lover beneath her window), with solo horn then

solo oboe taking the melodic lead. Towards the

end trumpets and trombones make their first entry

in the movement, foreshadowing the Scherzos

theme in chords and key (D minor).

This forceful Scherzo develops Beethovens scheme

by having two Trio sections acting as episodes

between the Scherzos repeats: the first (D major)

much faster with sprightly interplay between

strings and wind, the second, somewhat wild and

scurrying in B-flat, with the theme rapidly

ascending from the bass. The final version of the

Scherzo is rather subtle, with a slow coda referring

back to the first Trio, thus leaving the musical

canvas open for the flourish that opens the Finale.

It is the second subject (first in G and then F) that

encapsulates this flourish as an answering phrase

to chirpy wind. In the development, enhancing the

connecting threads throughout the work, the

trombones hint at the symphonys very first

rhythmic idea. An evocative piece of vernal sound-

painting comes when the flute flies high over horn

calls, leading to the expected recapitulation and

glorious ending, topped by a thrilling coda.

One should note a few instrumental innovations in

that Schumann requires of his trombones not only

chords but also melody, and in the percussion

department he adds a triangle in the first

movement, and asks for three timpani (not the

classical orchestras normal two).

Instrumentation of this piece

Strings: 1st & 2nd violins, violas, cellos, double basses

Woodwinds: flutes (2), oboes (2), clarinets (2), bassoons (2)

Brass: horns (4), trumpets (2), trombones (3)

Percussion: timpani, triangle

Nick Breckenfield, 2016

British programme-note writer Nick Breckenfield was theClassical Music and Opera Editor for whatsonwhen.com for 13 years

and now works for the Borletti-Buitoni Trustwhich awards young classical music artists

18

Flute

Oboe

Clarinet

Bassoon

Horn

Trumpet

Trombone

Bass Trombone

Tuba Timpani Percussion

Harp Keyboard

Akiyo UESUGI

Marrie Rose KIM

Mami FUKUHARA

FONG Hiu-kai Johnny

CHEN Chiu-yuan (on leave)

CHIN Hing-sang

Minako TAGUCHI

PAW Man-hing Hermann

Masumi HIGASHIDE

SHUM Hing-cheung

Benny KWAN

HUANG Shan

Danilo DELFIN

Christopher RODGERS

CHAN Hok-yin

KONG Tze-man Jason

LAM Wing-tsan

Akihiro MURAMOTO

CHAU Chin-tung

Rieko KOYAMA

Ann HUANG

Alan CHU

Violin

Viola

Cello

Double Bass

James CUDDEFORDConcertmaster

CHEUNG Man-yui KittyAssociate Concertmaster

LE Hoai-namSecond Violin Principal

TSAI LooSecond Violin Assistant Principal

CAI Pak-yi

CHAN Shaw-nan Sharon

Kiann CHOW

Eiko HOSAKA (on leave)

JIA Shu-chen

John KRUER

Ambrose LUI

LUO Wei-min

PANG Hiu-wan

YANG Yu-si

YIP Siu-hay

CHAN Tsz-shun Elvis

LAU Sum-yin

Ringo CHAN

CHIN Kong

NGAN Sing-on

CHANG Pei-chieh

Laurent PERRIN

HO Kwok-chee Karey

PARK Si-won

WU Yin-yin

YIP Chun-hei Eric

Masami NAGAI

Santiago COSTA MARTNEZ

Principal Assistant Principal

Hong Kong Sinfonietta Music Director: YIP Wing-sie Principal Guest Conductor: Christoph POPPEN

Notes1. Guest Principal Flute Anna SAHA ().2. Freelance Musicians:

Michael CAMPBELL (), Cecilia HO (), Mark HUI (), Yuko SAITO (), Harty TAM (),TONG Wing-ka Penny (), Winty WAN (), WONG Chun-hong John ().

19

Hong Kong Sinfonietta Limited

Honorary Governors

Mrs Alice KING

Mr SHIH Wing-ching

Ms Serena YANG

Board of Governors

Mr Y K CHAN (Chairman)

Dr Patrick S C POON (Treasurer)

Mr Patrick CHAN

Dr CHUNG See-yuen

Mrs Shirley CHUNG

Mr JAT Sew-tong

Dr Steven LAM

Ms LAU Man-man Lisa

Mr Stephen TAN

Prof C K Michael TSE

Mr Patrick YEUNG

Honorary Company Secretary

Tricor Tengis Limited

Honorary Legal Consultant

Hogan Lovells

Honorary Orthopaedic Surgeon

Dr Dan HOOLEY

HKS Artist Associates CHAN Hing-yan (2016-2017) Wilson SHIEH (2015-2016) CHU Pak-him (2014-2015) MAK Su-yin (2014-2015) Wendy LAW (2013-2014) LOO Sze-wang (2012-2013) Yuri NG (2011-2013) Colleen LEE (2010-2011) Jason LAI (2009-2011) Samson YOUNG (2008-2009) NG Cheuk-yin (2006-2008)

Administration Chief Executive Officer: Margaret YANG General Manager: LEE Ho-yee Executive Assistant to CEO: Rose HO Accounting Manager: Judith LEE Office Assistant: YANG Jui-yuan

Marketing & DevelopmentPR & Marketing Manager: Amanda MOK

Development Manager: Cynthia CHANAssistant Marketing Manager: Pauline HO

Marketing Officer: Carmen LEUNG

Music Director

YIP Wing-sie

Principal Guest Conductor

Christoph POPPEN

Orchestra & Programme

Orchestra Manager: Marylu CHAN Special Projects Manager: Lily LEE Library Officer: Ivy CHAN Project Officer: Athena WONG Programme Officer: YAU Oi-suet Icy Orchestra Officer: Tobie CHAN Stage Manager: Bobby YEUNG

Arts Administration Officers: Sherri KWAN Jonathan TAM

Contemporary Music Research: Charles KWONG

23

Donation Form

Autopay Direct Debit ( Monthly Donation Only)Name of Party to be Credited (The Beneficiary) Hong Kong Sinfonietta Limited Bank No. Branch No. Account No.004 168 165066 001

/ My/Our Name(s) as recorded on Statement/Passbook My/Our Bank Name and Branch(in block letters)

Bank No. Branch No. My/Our Account No.

My/Our Address as recorded on Statement/Passbook if different from above My/Our Bank Account Signature(s)

Date

Credit Card Visa Mastercard

For monthly credit card donation:I hereby authorize the bank to debit my credit card account to make a monthly donation ofthe above stated amount to the Hong Kong Sinfonietta Limited until further notice. I agreethe validity of this agreement will continue before or after the expiry date of my credit cardaccount. Cancellation or variation of this authorization shall be given to the Hong KongSinfonietta Limited ten working days prior to the date on which such cancellation orvariation is to take effect.

Card Number

Expiry Date

Issuing Bank

Cardholders Name on Card

Cardholders Signature

Date

American Express This card is for one-off donation only.

9832783 9819Please return this form to 3/F Winsan Tower, 98 Thomson Road, Wanchai, Hong Kong or fax to 2783 9819.

Mr/Miss/Mrs/Ms/Dr/Prof Surname First Name Tel E-mail

Address

Name to be acknowledged in house programme (1,000 if donation is more than HK$1,000) (Eng) Mr/Miss/Mrs/Ms/Dr/Prof Anonymous

Your personal data will be treated as strictly confidential and will be used for issuing official receipts and other communication purposes.

DONOR INFORMATION

For Official Use Only For Hong Kong Sinfonietta Use Only (Donors Ref. #)

For Bank Use Only (Signature(s) verified)

DONATION METHOD

/

/

/

I/We hereby authorize my/our above named Bank to effect transfers from my/ouraccount to that of the above named beneficiary in accordance with such instructions asmy/our Bank may receive from the beneficiary and/or its banker and/or its bankerscorrespondent from time to time provided always that the amount of any one suchtransfer shall not exceed the limit indicated above.

I /We agree that my/our Bank shall not be obliged to ascertain whether or not notice ofany such transfer or reversal notice has been given to me/us.

I/We jointly and severally accept full responsibility for any overdraft (or increase inexisting overdraft) on my/our account which may arise as a result of any suchtransfer(s).

I/We understand that I/we must maintain sufficient funds in the account one businessday (before the close of branch banking hours) before the transfer date (as specified inthe instructions received by my/our Bank from the beneficiary and/or its banker and/orits bankers correspondent from time to time) for the transfer authorized herein. I/Weagree that should there be insufficient funds in my/our account to meet any transferauthorized herein, my/our Bank will be entitlted, at its absolute discretion, not to effectsuch a transfer in which event the Bank may levy its usual charges and may cancel thisauthorization at any time without notification to me/us. For the avoidance of doubt, theBank may cancel this authorization at its sole discretion at any time without prior notice.

This direct debit authorization shall have effect until further notice or until the expirydate written above (whichever shall first occur). I/We agree that if no transaction isperformed on my/our account under such authorization for a continuous period of 30months, my/our Bank reserves the right to cancel the direct debit arrangement withoutprior notice to me/us, even though the authorization has not expired or there is noexpiry date for the authorization.

I/We agree that any notice of cancellation or variation of this authorization which I/wemay give to my/our Bank shall be given at least two working days prior to the date onwhich such cancellation/variation is to take effect.

ChequeI enclose a cheque of the above stated amount as my one-off donation to the Hong Kong Sinfonietta Limited.

I would like to support the Hong Kong Sinfonietta with HK$ __________________ monthly donation for its General Fund

Student Ticket Scheme one-off donation

24

2016/2017 Sponsors of the 2016/2017 Season

Major Sponsors

Thank You Partners!

Corporate Members Platinum Members

25

STAR Donors (HK$10,000 to HK$29,999) Donors (HK$1,000 to HK$9,999)

Bei Shan Tang Foundation

Prof T M Chan Dr Irene Chau Ms Cheung Lai Fei Dr Vivian Cheung

Vivian W M Cheung

Dr Chung See Yuen Mr Douglas Clark Mr Eugene Fung Mr David Kwan

Mr William Kwan Cheuk Yin Mr Allan Leung Mrs Adeline Lui Mozarts Fan

Ms Rotina Pang

Poon Shing Chi andLiao E Wen

Ruth & Sidney Ms Star Lover Cissy and Robert Tang Mr Mark KM Tong

Dr Tsao Yen-chow Dr & Mrs

Arthur Van Langenberg Anonymous

BELIEVING MUSIC CAN

Canada Piano Co Jonman, Monika & Joel Chan Family

Ms Rosana Chan

Ms Helen Cheung Kenyon & Leonard Chow

Flash Mr John Sun-kin Fung Louis Fung Ms Rose Ho

Mrs Elsie Hui

Ms Betsy Lai

Little Flower Philippe de Marcillac

Masterpoint Professional Ltd

Mr Anthony Nappi

Ms Jane Ng

Dr John Sanderson

Mr Henry Tsang Mr Paul Tsang

Mr & Mrs Paul Tsang

Wig the Pig

Ms Helen Zee Anonymous

Thank You!

Thank you to the following donors and organisationswho have supported us with a donation in the past year.

Patrons & DonorsSuperSTAR Patrons (HK$100,000 to HK$499,999)

Asia Insurance Co Ltd Mr Chan Yuk-kwan Dr & Mrs Patrick S C Poon Sin Wai Kin Foundation

STARplus Donors (HK$30,000 to HK$99,999)

Cadence, Zoe and Phoebe

Dr & Mrs Chan Ka Ho

Lowell and Phyllis Chang

Dedicated Violinist Fund

Mr & Mrs Leung Lit On

Anonymous

26

Student Ticket Scheme DonorsDiamond Donors (>HK$100,000)

Mrs Shirley Chung

Ms Cecilia Fok

Dr & Mrs Patrick S C Poon Zhilan FoundationJade Donors (HK$50,000 to HK$99,999)

CLP Holdings Limited

Chung Yuen Electrical Co Ltd AnonymousRuby Donors (HK$30,000 to HK$49,999)

Dr Chan Kow Tak Dr Chung See YuenPearl Donors (HK$10,000 to HK$29,999)

Mr Patrick Chan Dr Irene Chau

Dr & Mrs Douglas Cheung

Dr & Mrs Samuel Lam Mr and Mrs Lam Ting Kwok Paul Nathaniel Foundation Limited

Edith and Stephen Sun Prof C K Michael Tse Wai Wah Foundation Anonymous

Premium Friends Dr Thomas H C Cheung Dr Steven Woon-cheong Lam

Dr Lee Shiu & Dr Jennie Mui Lee Vincent W S Lo Mr David Sin Wai-kin Dr Patrick Tong Prof C K Michael Tse Mr T L Tsim Christine Van Anonymous

!Thank you to the following parties for their continued support! CASH CASH Music Fund

Consulat Gnral de France Hong Kong et Macao Home Affairs Bureau

Leisure and Cultural Services Department Radio Television Hong Kong Swiss International Air Lines Tom Lee Music Co Ltd

Opal Donors (HK$1,000 to HK$9,999) BELIEVING MUSIC CAN

Mr Iain Bruce

Jonman, Monika & Joel Chan Family

Miss Julia Chan

Mr Chan Kwan Ho

Ms Anastasia Chao

Mr Philip Lawrence Choy

Prof David Clarke

Mr Paul Jackson Luca, Caterina, Maurien, Joseph Jacobelli

Dr Ernest Lee Dr Liu Bing Fai Ms Anna Luk

NEC TOKIN Hong Kong Ltd

Winny & Nigel Ng

Mr Ng Wing Fui Nicholas Ms Winnie Ngai Mr So Kwok Fai Ms Amy Tam

Mr & Mrs Paul Tsang Mr Wong Nai Hay Mr Peterson Wong

Mr Marcus Woo

Alice Yeung Ms Helen Zee Anonymous

Patrons of the 2015 Fundraising Gala(in alphabetical order)

Asia Financial Holdings Ltd Dr Eugene Chan Mr Patrick Chan Mr Chan Yuk-kwan Mr John Cheng

Thomas H C Cheung Foundation Limited Mr Chiu Ngar Wing Dr Chung See Yuen Mrs Shirley Chung Mr Nick Davies Mr Jat Sew-tong Ms Sophia Kao Dr Paul Lam Dr Steven Woon-cheong Lam Ms Julia Lau Ms Lisa Lau Mr Chien Lee Mr Lo Wing Sang Vincent Mrs Sandra Mak Dr & Mrs Patrick S C Poon

Shih Wing Ching Foundation Ltd Mr Jean Eric Salata Mrs Lisa Siu Dr & Mrs Patrick Tong Ms Tsang Ngan Chung Prof C K Michael Tse Wai Wah Foundation Mr Augustine Wong Mr Patrick Yeung Anonymous

23Donation form can be found on page 23

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Tickets at URBTIX 2111 5999 | www.URBTIX.hk Programme Enquiries: 2836 3336 | www.HKSL.org6 For ages 6+Hong Kong Sinfonietta reserves the right to change the programme and artists

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Hong Kong Sinfonietta is the Venue Partner of the Hong Kong City Hall

Hong Kong Sinfonietta is financially supported by the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region

Programme 15 D96 33aHaydn LIsola Disabitata OvertureBritten Violin Concerto, Op 15Haydn Symphony No 96 in D, The MiracleBritten Peter Grimes: Four Sea Interludes, Op 33a

Conductor Matthew Halls

Her virtuosity is second to none. The Sunday Times

Startling emotional sincerity and inspired musical imagination.

The Strad

Violin Vilde Frang

14.5.2016( Sat) 8pm

HK City Hall Concert Hall

$340 $220 $140