Asian tour of Basel Chamber Orchestra to start in Hong Kong in June (with photos)

     Renowned Austrian clarinettist Andreas Ottensamer will make his conducting debut in Hong Kong with the Basel Chamber Orchestra from Switzerland at the Great Music 2024 presented by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD), and stage a concert at Hong Kong City Hall in late June. Hong Kong has been selected by the orchestra as the first stop of its Asian tour this season, and Japanese pianist Kyohei Sorita has been specially engaged to perform at the concert, an event that music lovers will not want to miss.
 
     The orchestra will begin the concert with Stravinsky's "Prelude to The Rake's Progress" and Honegger's "Pastorale d´été". Accompanied by pianist Kyohei Sorita, who will be making his debut in the city, Ottensamer will lead the orchestra in the performance of Beethoven's "Piano Concerto No. 4 in G". Finally, the orchestra will perform Mendelssohn's "Symphony No. 4 in A, 'Italian'" to conclude the concert with joyful rhythms.
 
     The Basel Chamber Orchestra was established in 1984 and is rooted in the city of Basel, Switzerland. As the first orchestra being awarded the Swiss Music Prize in 2019, the orchestra stands out for its excellence and diversity as well as for its depth and consistency. Comprising 48 musicians, the Basel Chamber Orchestra presents a wide range of musical genres, from early music on historical instruments to contemporary music and historically informed interpretations. With its extensive world tours and more than 60 concerts per season, the orchestra has performed at major concert halls across Europe and received great acclaim.
 
     As one of the leading clarinettists, Ottensamer has performed as a clarinet soloist with prestigious orchestras including the Berliner Philharmoniker, the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, the Mahler Chamber Orchestra, and the London Philharmonic Orchestra. In 2021, Ottensamer made his conducting debut and was awarded the Neeme Järvi Prize by the Gstaad Conducting Academy. He is currently the artistic director of the Bürgenstock Festival in Switzerland and has been the principal clarinettist of the Berlin Philharmonic since 2011.
 
     Kyohei Sorita won the second prize in the 18th International Chopin Piano Competition in 2021. He has collaborated with various orchestras, including the Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin, the Tonkünstler Orchester, and the RAI National Symphony Orchestra. He is the founder, producer, and conductor of the Japan National Orchestra.
 
     The "Basel Chamber Orchestra" concert will be staged at 8pm on June 25 (Tuesday) at the Concert Hall of Hong Kong City Hall. Tickets priced at $350, $450, $550 and $700 are now available at URBTIX (www.urbtix.hk). For telephone bookings, please call 3166 1288. For programme enquiries and concessionary schemes, please call 2268 7321 or visit www.lcsd.gov.hk/CE/CulturalService/Programme/en/music/programs_1725.html.
 
     A pre-concert talk entitled "An Exquisite Orchestral Journey" (in Cantonese) will be held at 6.45pm on June 25 at the Committee Room North, 7/F, High Block, Hong Kong City Hall. The speaker will be music practitioner Jimmy Shiu. Admission is free, with limited seats available on a first-come, first-served basis.
 
     The LCSD will present its Great Music 2024 from May to November, with acclaimed musicians and orchestras from all over the world as well as a local talented music producer performing in a musical extravaganza series. The programme enables audiences to feel the city's arts and cultural buzz through music, showcasing the unique charm of Hong Kong as a metropolis where East meets West. For more details, please visit www.lcsd.gov.hk/CE/CulturalService/Programme/en/music/groups_1682.html.