Local huqin musician Mak Ka-yin will give a recital in August under the "Hong Kong Artists" Series presented by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD). Accompanied by Chinese and Western musicians, Mak will perform refreshing East-meets-West huqin compositions, guiding music lovers to appreciate the artistic charm and beauty of the two-stringed musical instruments.
Focusing on traditional style, the first half of the recital will start with "Birds Returning to the Woods" and a medley of Guangdong music pieces for Cantonese music five-piece combo (gaohu, yehu, dizi/xiao, ruan and yangqin). Taking the lead with a gaohu, Mak will perform "Three Pieces from 'Sketches of Tanjiang'", namely "Landscape of the Countryside", "Village Children" and "Singing in the Fields", to depict the simplicity and scenic beauty of rural areas. He will also present "Southern Jiangsu Ditty" and "Charm of The Tropical Island" with an erhu to describe the beautiful scenery of Jiangnan and the flare of the tropics musically.
The second half contains works blended with Western musical elements, bringing audiences a new inspirational experience. Mak and the assembled accompanists will form a Cantonese music five-piece combo to present "Lan Kwai Tang Fong", a music work inspired by the famous Hong Kong landmark, Lan Kwai Fong. The music imitates the sounds of electronic music and incorporates rock music and elements of improvisation, showcasing the energetic and lively style of Chinese music to audiences. Mak will then play "The Second Erhu Concerto 'The Journey'" with an erhu accompanied by ruan, zhongruan, piano and percussion. The recital will end with the world premiere of "Horizon" and "Rove" for erhu and ensemble. The former incorporates elements of pop and jazz music, depicting the feelings of a wanderer with a distinctive timbre and novel expressions. The latter breaks the preconceived notions associated with erhu music, and provides room for improvisation and jamming among performers, guiding this huqin music journey to a perfect ending.
Mak is currently the Assistant Principal Gaohu of the Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra and an instructor for huqin major students at the School of Chinese Opera of the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts (HKAPA). Mak holds a master's degree in music (erhu and gaohu) from the HKAPA. He trained with different types of huqins under local masters Cheung Hiu-fai, Chan Yiu-sing, Wang Guotong, Yu Qiwei, and Zhang Chongxue, and pursued his erhu studies under the tutelage of musicians Yan Jiemin and Chan Yiu-sing on the Mainland. In recent years, Mak has performed and engaged in artistic exchanges in various places including Belgium, Germany, the Czech Republic, Australia, Finland, Singapore, Japan. Currently, he is an active music maker engaged in various artistic fields.
The "Hong Kong Artists" Series: Huqin Recital by Mak Ka-yin will be staged at 8pm on August 13 (Tuesday) at the Theatre of Hong Kong City Hall. Tickets priced at $200 and $240 are now available at URBTIX (www.urbtix.hk). For telephone bookings, please call 3166 1288. Package discounts will be available for the recitals under the "Hong Kong Artists" Series (including the Piano Duo Recital by Stephen Wong and Amy Sze on November 2). For discount schemes and programme enquiries, please call 2268 7321 or visit www.lcsd.gov.hk/CE/CulturalService/Programme/en/music/programs_1671.html.
The LCSD has launched the new "Hong Kong Artists" Series with an aim to provide a new platform for local artists to showcase their remarkable talent. In addition to individual performances, the Series also encourages cross-genre works to highlight their unique styles. This year's series will first introduce six distinguished musicians in four stunning recitals, featuring the flute and bassoon, piano, and huqin, to bring enchanting music to the stage of Hong Kong City Hall and further enrich the diverse cultural ambience of the city. For more details, please visit www.lcsd.gov.hk/CE/CulturalService/Programme/en/music/groups_1688.html.
