HKU Muse Season Brochure 1718_1st Semester

My University Spotlight Encounters (MUSE) is a series of programmes presented by the Cultural Management Office of The University of Hong Kong. The team was established in early 2013, with a mission to inspire a life-long passion for the arts through innovative and educational programmes that will enrich the imaginative atmosphere on campus and establish HKU as a leading centre of cultural activities.

All programmes are presented with support from

"Such great programmes at the Grand Hall!!"

– Tisa Ho, Executive Director, Hong Kong Arts Festival

「唯有音響最好的演奏廳才能展現第一流樂團的演奏效果。 但願今後港大不負重任，以音樂來培養校園的人文氣氛， 也造福我等校外的樂迷。」 – 李歐梵教授

15-17 & 22-24 SEP 2017

Grand Hall, Lee Shau Kee Lecture Centre, HKU

Programme I

Programme II

Programme III

15 SEP | FRI | 8PM

16 SEP | SAT | 8PM

17 SEP | SUN | 3:30PM

Nos. 1-4

Nos. 5-8

Nos. 9-12

"To play the entire cycle takes resourceful technique, enormous musical intelligence, and plenty of stamina as well as a willingness to immerse oneself whole in the music" 2

- The New York Times

Programme IV

Nos. 13-16

17 SEP | SUN | 8PM

Frequently referred to as the 'New Testament' of piano music, Beethoven′s set of 32 sonatas stands as a monument of artistic achievement. After the acclaimed recital of The Art of Fugue in 2015, pianist Konstantin Lifschitz is returning to HKU this fall with 8 concerts, offering his intelligent and distinctive approach to the complete cycle. Apart from the thrill of listening to well-known pieces such as the Pathétique, Moonlight, Appassionata, and the daunting Hammerklavier, it will be a rare chance to hear less frequently performed works in the broader context, completing an insightful journey through an Everest of the piano repertoire.

Programme V

Nos. 17-21

22 SEP | FRI | 8PM

$220

Programme VI

Nos. 22-26

23 SEP | SAT | 8PM

Programme VII

Programme VIII

24 SEP | SUN | 3:30PM

24 SEP | SUN | 8PM

Nos. 27-29

Nos. 30-32

ECHO-Klassik winner

Package prices and other discounts available

Tickets are available at URBTIX 2111 5999 | www.urbtix.hk

Konstantin Lifschitz Supported by

MR. KUANG-HSIANG LIN

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To accompany the performance of the Beethoven sonata cycle, there will be a series of 'Music in Words' talks in three different languages, providing insight and context to the music.

15, 16 & 21 SEP 2017 | 6:30PM HKU Venue TBA

SPEAKERS:

15 SEP | FRI

16 SEP | SAT

21 SEP | THU

楊照先生

羅乃新女士

列夫席茲

Mr. Yang Zhao (In Putonghua)

Ms. Nancy Loo (In Cantonese)

Mr. Konstantin Lifschitz Prof. Daniel Chua 蔡寬亮教授 (In English)

Author Yang Zhao was the editor of Taiwan′s Tomorrow Times and The Journalist. His extensive personal publications cover some 40 different genres, including novels, classical literature analyses, politics, and cultural commentaries. Now a popular host on classical music radio News98 and Bravo 91.3, he also lectures at Taipei National University of the Arts.

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Mr. Yang’s flight is sponsored by

Recipient of the Ten Outstanding Young Persons Award 1978, Ms. Nancy Loo is one of Hong Kong′s most versatile artists. She currently teaches piano at The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts and The Chinese University of Hong Kong. Outside the campus, she is also a presenter at RTHK Radio 4 and a music writer.

Prof. Daniel Chua, Chairperson of HKU′s Department of Music, is the author of The 'Galitzin' Quartets of Beethoven, Absolute Music and the Construction of Meaning, as well as many academic writings. His latest publication, Beethoven & Freedom (Oxford, 2017), challenges the conventional image of Beethoven by suggesting an alterior freedom in the composer′s music.

FREE ADMISSION Registration required: www.muse.hku.hk

10 OCT 2017 | TUE | 7PM

HKU Black Box, LG. 54, Run Run Shaw Tower, Centennial Campus, HKU (In Putonghua)

Lim Giong′s award-winning scores are often the souldefining element in the movies by Hou Hsiao-hsien, Jia Zhangke, Cheng Yu-chieh, Liu Jie, Bi Gan, and Midi Z. Since his thought-provoking mix of rock-androll and electronics for Goodbye South, Goodbye (1996), he has kept a distance from mainstream blockbusters and focused on creating imaginative scores for local independent movies. In 2015, Lim won the Cannes Soundtrack Award for his work in Hou′s martial art film The Assassin.

With movie excerpts, Lim Giong will discuss his creative concepts and collaboration with the directors. Now a devoted buddhist, Lim will also share his thoughts on life.

FREE ADMISSION Registration required: www.muse.hku.hk

Speaker: Lim Giong 林強 Moderator: Timmy Chen 陳智廷

台 灣 電 影 配 樂 大 師 林 強， 多 年 來 與 侯 孝 賢、 賈 樟 柯、 鄭有傑、劉杰、畢贛、趙德胤等導演合作，為文藝片和 獨立電影醍醐灌頂，更多次問鼎台灣金馬獎最佳原創音 樂。從 1996 年侯孝賢《南國再見，南國》裡激烈前衛 的搖滾，到 2006 年賈樟柯《三峽好人》和 2016 年畢 贛《路邊野餐》那滲著濃濃鄉情的老歌，林強一直堅持 與商業大片保持距離，只為創作出更富想像力的電影音 樂。2015 年憑侯孝賢電影《刺客聶隱娘》奪得康城影展 會外賽電影原聲帶獎而揚威國際。這次林強將親自分享 自已多年來的創作概念、與導演的創意交流，亦會談及 人生的體悟。

In collaboration with

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13 OCT 2017 | FRI | 7:30PM

Convocation Room, Room 218, Main Building, HKU (In Putonghua)

Prof. Leo Lee 李歐梵教授

Kappelmeister of Deutsche Oper am Rhein since 1996, Wenpin Chien is the first Asian resident conductor in European opera houses. Chien strives to revolutionise conventional orchestral programmes, and is keen to introduce original compositions by Taiwanese composers onto the international stage. On the day before his concert with Kaohsiung Symphony Orchestra, Wen-pin Chien will engage in a dialogue with renowned scholar Prof. Leo Lee on the oriental muse in Western music.

Wen-pin Chien 簡文彬 6

FREE ADMISSION Registration required: www.muse.hku.hk

音樂是最容易跨越文化界線的藝術形式之一，東方人碰上西方音樂， 如何在不屬於自己傳統的西方古典樂壇，走出自己的路？拓展新的 音樂視野？台灣指揮家簡文彬為德國萊茵歌劇院終身駐院指揮，是 歐洲歌劇院獲得終身駐院的首位亞洲指揮。他曾在日本太平洋音樂 節擔任駐節指揮，也曾是台灣國家交響樂團音樂總監。今年十月， 他將與高雄市交響樂團為香港觀眾帶來多首台灣作曲大師的作品。 音樂會前，讓我們來聽聽他與人文學者李歐梵教授的對談，詮釋東 方文化和西方音樂的完美結合，以及對文化交流的獨到見解。

Co-presented with

14 OCT 2017 | SAT | 8PM

Wen-pin Chien 簡文彬

Grand Hall, Lee Shau Kee Lecture Centre, HKU

In the middle of the twentieth century, Taiwanese composers began to preserve local musical cultures, especially of their aboriginal tribes, by infusing elements from their own heritage with the Western musical architecture. Under the baton of Wen-pin Chien, the Kaohsiung Symphony Orchestra will bring us an evening of four important Taiwanese contemporary works by Chih-yuan Kuo, Shui-long Ma, Yuanchen Li, and Nan-chang Chien.

PROGRAMME CHIH-YUAN KUO 郭芝苑 SHUI-LONG MA 馬水龍 YUAN-CHEN LI 李元貞 NAN-CHANG CHIEN 錢南章

conductor 指揮

國際著名指揮簡文彬與高雄市交響樂團，將帶來一場展現台灣原創及在地 作品的音樂會。郭芝苑創作領域橫跨通俗與嚴肅音樂，擅長在古典音樂架 構中，植入台灣本土音樂素材，《民歌與採茶舞》取材自台灣歌謠，充分流 露郭芝苑對本土文化深刻的關懷。《孔雀東南飛》為馬水龍讀完原詩之後， 有感而作，該曲曾獲中山文藝創作獎。李元貞作品間奏曲《商》，以創作關 注台灣當代議題，並以音樂作為反思。錢南章根據南島曲調素材所作之《四 首南島藝術歌曲》，表現祭祀、祝福、歡慶，及對大自然的崇拜。

Folk Song and Pick Tea Dance《民歌與採茶舞》 The Peacock Flies Southeast《孔雀東南飛》 Intermezzo: Shang 間奏曲《商》 Four South Island Art Songs 四首南島藝術歌曲

FREE ADMISSION Registration required: www.muse.hku.hk

Co-presented with

Kaohsiung Symphony Orchestra 高雄市交響樂團

Mewas Lin 林惠珍 soprano 女高音

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Lecture-Recital 講座音樂會

12 NOV 2017 | SUN | 3PM

Grand Hall, Lee Shau Kee Lecture Centre, HKU (In Cantonese)

PROGRAMME BRAHMS Sonata in F minor, Op. 120, No. 1 BRAHMS Sonata in E-flat major, Op. 120, No. 2

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The 'Mostly Brahms' lecture-recital series opens with the composer′s final chamber work, Clarinet Sonatas Op. 120, Nos. 1 & 2. Composed in 1894, just three years before his death, the set was one of the earliest works for clarinet and piano in music history. Behind the carefully-balanced instrumental dialogues are sheer conciseness, purity, and profundity - a refined approach Brahms adopted towards the last phase of his life, pairing his masterful artistry with stylistic maturity. The set of masterpieces was later transcribed for the viola by the composer himself, casting the solo spotlight over this 'middlevoice' instrument. In this lecture-recital, violist Andrew Ling and pianist Nancy Loo will present these two beloved sonatas and unveil the hidden charm of the viola′s warm and rich timbre.

Andrew Ling 凌顯祐 viola 中提琴

Nancy Loo 羅乃新 piano 鋼琴

FREE ADMISSION Registration required: www.muse.hku.hk

1 DEC 2017 | FRI | 7PM

Loke Yew Hall, Main Building, HKU (In English)

Speaker: Lang Lang Moderator: Prof. Daniel Chua, Chairperson, Department of Music, HKU

Heralded by the New York Times as "the hottest artist on the classical music planet", Lang Lang plays sold-out concerts on all continents of the globe.

As a pianist, educator, philanthropist, as well as an influential ambassador for the arts, Lang Lang unites excellence and accessibility unlike anyone else, and builds bridges between Easter n and Western cultures. In the past decade, Lang Lang has contributed to musical education and support for children worldwide. In 2008, he founded the 'Lang Lang International Music Foundation', which aims at cultivating tomorrow′s top pianists, championing

FREE ADMISSION Registration required: www.muse.hku.hk

music education at the forefront of technology, and building a young audience through live music experiences.

This December, Lang Lang will receive an honorary degree from The University of Hong Kong at the Faculty of Arts Congregation. He will share his remarkable life story, insights on his musical career, as well as his passion for education. The event, hosted by Professor Daniel Chua at HKU, will include demonstrations by Lang Lang on the piano.

With support from

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The chorus is YOU! 17 DEC 2017 | SUN | 3PM

Grand Hall, Lee Shau Kee Lecture Centre, HKU

Handel′s Messiah is perhaps one of the most performed choral works in Western music history.

The full cast on stage and exuberant melodies of the Hallelujah chorus, in particular, make the oratorio an all-time favourite in festivals and concerts outside church settings. Led by guest soloists, SingFest Choral Academy, and the HKU Chamber Singers, this

sing-along concert will engage everyone to take part in the chorus, contributing to the musical grandeur.

Prior to the season′s greetings, let us invite YOU to co-present Handel′s immortal masterpiece and conclude the evening with a resonating Hallelujah!

Raise your voice with us and feel the magic of the Messiah. From first timers to experts, everyone is welcome to join in!

Grab a score and come sing along with families a n d f r i e n d s !

Patrick Chiu

FREE ADMISSION Registration required: www.muse.hku.hk

Stephen Ng tenor

In collaboration with

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Supported by

Alison Lau

conductor

The University of Hong Kong

KNOWLEDGE EXCHANGE

Albert Lim baritone

soprano

Samantha Chong

mezzo-soprano SingFest Choral Academy

HKU Chamber Singers

And you!

Be a MUSE!

Since 2013, MUSE (My University Spotlight Encounter) has welcomed more than 60,000 people in over 120 learning events. Committed to creating a first class concert experience for all, MUSE frequently presents internationally heralded soloists, ensembles, choirs, and orchestras with a diverse array of musical and cultural programmes. Over the years, our stage has seen some of the world′s most prestigious musicians under the spotlight, namely Hélène Grimaud, Angela Hewitt, Peter Serkin, Steven Isserlis, Iestyn Davies, Krzysztof Penderecki, Magos Herrera, Emerson String Quartet, Takács Quartet, Berliner Barock Solisten, Zurich Chamber Orchestra, St. John′s College Choir of Cambridge University, and many more great artists of our time.

To further enhance your concert experience, we invite you to join our 'BE A MUSE' membership scheme and unlock exclusive members-only privileges throughout the year:

P 10% discount on regular tickets P Advanced notification for our events P Priority registration for our free events:

Music in Words series and lecture-recitals

Membership is FREE

Join today!!!

How to join: Our hassle-free membership registration requires nothing more than 2 simple steps:

1. Fill in the online enrollment form

2.

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Join us for some really amazing

University Spotlight Encounters!

www.muse.hku.hk