Author: Angela Miho

The Macao Orchestra (OM, from the Portuguese acronym), under the auspices of the Cultural Affairs Bureau, presented the concert “Azzolini and Lu Jia”, part of the Shining Virtuosos series, on 15 March, at the St. Dominic’s Church. Under the baton of Music Director Lu Jia, the Orchestra joined hands with internationally renowned bassoonist Sergio Azzolini, a winner of numerous international awards, to perform a repertoire of famous classics, which won high acclaim and an enthusiastic applause from the audience. The Macao Orchestra specially organized the “Master Class with Sergio Azzolini” prior to the concert, in which the participants considered personal coaching by the master in the session to be very instructive.

The famous Italian bassoonist Sergio Azzolini, hailed as an authority on the interpretation of Vivaldi’s works in the field of bassoon performance, was invited to present the concert in Macao, attracting many local and overseas music aficionados. The bassoonist presented Bassoon Concerto in A Minor by Vivaldi, which fully demonstrated his exceptional solo performing skills and brought a bewitching performance in the cadenza. In the concert, the musical pieces Bassoon Concerto in F Major by C. Stamitz and Symphony No. 4 in A Major, “Italian” by Mendelssohn were also presented.

In addition, the Macao Orchestra’s chamber music concert “Chamber Gala” will be held on Saturday, 30 March, at 8pm, at the Dom Pedro V Theatre. Tickets for the concert are priced at MOP120 and MOP100 and are available for purchase. On the same day, the exchange session “Music Hour with Musicians” will also be held at 7pm, in which the musicians of the Orchestra including Wang Yue, Xiao Fan and Kai Sai, will talk about curiosities of chamber music. Admission is free and music aficionados are welcome to participate and interact with the musicians. 24-hour ticketing hotline: 2855 5555; online ticketing: www.macauticket.com. For details and enquiries about the programme, please contact OM through tel. no. 2853 0782 during office hours or visit the Macao Orchestra webpage at www.icm.gov.mo/om.

The Macao Orchestra, under the Cultural Affairs Bureau (IC, from the Portuguese acronym), a partner of the “General Art Educational Plan for High School Students” initiated by the Education and Youth Affairs Bureau (DSEJ, from the Portuguese acronym), organized five concerts in the “Explore the World in Western Music” series from 6 to 8 March at the Macao Cultural Centre Grand Auditorium. Under the baton of Assistant Conductor Francis Kan, the Orchestra presented a list of well-known masterpieces from different parts of the world to nearly 4,000 teachers and students from the city’s secondary schools, who gave an enthusiastic response to the performances.

The concerts, themed “Explore the World in Western Music”, presented a repertoire of large-scale orchestral compositions, including the Caprice on Flowery Spring River by Doming Lam, Prelude to Carmen by G. Bizet, Toy Symphony by W.A. Mozart and Symphony No. 5 by L. van Beethoven. During the concert, the Orchestra invited students to take the stage and perform together, bringing them closer to music. The concerts were accompanied by humorous explanations. The students also gained knowledge of theatre etiquette. A total of 36 schools participated in the concerts, which received positive comments.

The Macao Orchestra will continue to carry out more educational activities, injecting creative elements and a variety of activities in order to develop musical education and its promotion close by the community, seeking to cultivate local students’ interest in music by organizing a series of educational concerts. In addition, the Orchestra will conduct a concert tour featuring a woodwind quintet in various secondary schools in late April. For more information about the concerts and programme, please visit the Macao Orchestra webpage at www.icm.gov.mo/om.

The Macao Orchestra (OM, from the Portuguese acronym), under the auspices of the Cultural Affairs Bureau, presents the “Valentine’s Day Concert – Piano in Love” on Saturday, 16 February, at 8pm, at the Macao Cultural Centre Grand Auditorium. Under the baton of the prominent Macao conductor Lio Kuokman, the Macao Orchestra will join hands with renowned Chinese pianist Chen Sa to present a repertoire specially selected for Valentine’s Day, celebrating this romantic day with music aficionados. Tickets are now available through the Macau Ticketing Network.

This year marks the 200th anniversary of the birth of Clara Schumann, a remarkable pianist and composer of the 19th century, highly accomplished in the fields of piano performance, music composition and criticism. Her loyalty and love to her husband Robert Schumann, and her lifelong friendship with composer Johannes Brahms have also become immortal much-told stories.

In commemoration of these three great musicians, the programme of this Valentine’s Day concert features Robert Schumann’s Overture to Genoveva, Clara Schumann’s Piano Concerto in A minor and Johannes Brahm’s Symphony No. 4 in E minor, showing how the three masters express their feelings through music.

Tickets for the “Valentine’s Day Concert – Piano in Love” are priced at MOP250, MOP200 and MOP150, with various discount packages available. 24-hour ticketing hotline: 2855 5555. Ticketing website: www.macauticket.com. For details and enquiries about the programme, please contact OM through tel. no. 2853 0782 during office hours or visit Macao Orchestra’s website at www.icm.gov.mo/om.

The Macao Orchestra (OM, from the Portuguese acronym), under the auspices of the Cultural Affairs Bureau, presented the concert “Salute to Richard Strauss – Tianwa Yang and Macao Orchestra”, part of the Shining Virtuosos series, on 19 January at the Macao Cultural Centre Grand Auditorium, featuring Edouard Lalo’s Symphonie Espagnole, in which acclaimed Chinese violinist Tianwa Yang displayed her virtuoso technique. The Orchestra also performed two classical symphonic masterpieces by Richard Strauss, Don Juan and Tod und Verklärung (Death and Transfiguration). The concert was well-received by the public. An autograph session was held with Tianwa Yang which attracted swarms of music aficionados. In addition, the violinist gave a master class on 18 January at the Macao Conservatory, in which she coached and exchanged views with the participating violin students.

Tianwa Yang, hailed by American music critics for her “stunning, effortless virtuosity”, cooperated with the Macao Orchestra for the first time in this concert, presenting the world-famous and challenging violin concerto Symphonie Espagnole by French composer Édouard Lalo. Written as a “symphony” for violin and orchestra, the Symphonie Espagnole features a rich and colourful violin solo, with which Tianwa Yang demonstrated her superb virtuosity and earned rounds of applause. As a tribute to German composer Richard Strauss on the 70th anniversary of his death this year, the Macao Orchestra also performed two of his classical symphonic masterpieces, Don Juan and Tod und Verklärung (Death and Transfiguration).

On Sunday 27 January, OM will present the chamber music concert “Mesmerising Austro-German Music” at the Dom Pedro V Theatre, at 8pm, featuring a programme of ensemble compositions by Mozart, Mendelssohn and Schubert. Tickets are priced at MOP120 and MOP100 and are now available for purchase. On the same day, the exchange session “Music Hour with Musicians” will be held at 7pm, in which musicians of the Orchestra including first violinist Li Silei, cellist Zhang Taiyang and bassoonist Zhu Wukun will talk about curiosities of chamber music. Admission is free. Ticketing hotline: 2855 5555. For details and programme enquiries, please contact OM through tel. no. 2853 0782 during office hours or visit the Macao Orchestra’s webpage at www.icm.gov.mo/om.

The Macao Orchestra (OM, from the Portuguese acronym), under the auspices of the Cultural Affairs Bureau, under the baton of Orchestra’s Assistant Conductor Francis Kan, will join hands with a number of local musicians and music students to present the concert “The Future of Classical Music” on Saturday, 12 January, at 8pm, at the University Hall of the University of Macau. Admission is free. All residents are welcome to attend.

With great emphasis attached on encouraging local young music talents, every year OM organises concerts and perform jointly with local music lovers and students, allowing them to showcase their talent. This year, OM will continue to collaborate with various local music entities, arranging young music students to rehearse together with professional music ensembles and providing individual guidance from the Orchestra’s musicians, thereby allowing the students to interpret different music compositions on stage and showcasing the outstanding results of the music talents.

This concert features three masterpieces, including Overture to Poet and Peasant by Suppé, Caprice Bohémien by Rachmaninoff and Overture to 1812 by Tchaikovsky. Performing groups also include The University of Macau String Orchestra and The University of Macau Symphonic Band, The Student Philharmonic Orchestra of the Macao Conservatory, Macau Band Directors Association, Macau Strings Association, students of the Bachelor of Arts in Music course from Macao Polytechnic Institute and two local young music talents, Cheang Ka In and Iong Hou In.

Admission to the concert “The Future of Classical Music” is free. Interested parties can reserve tickets through tel. no. 2853 0782 during office hours or subscribe to the official WeChat account of Macao Orchestra for reservation. For programme enquiries, please visit OM’s webpage at www.icm.gov.mo/om.

The Macao Orchestra (OM, from the Portuguese acronym), under the auspices of the Cultural Affairs Bureau, presents the “Christmas Concert – Ode to the Festive Season”, to be held on Saturday, 15 December, at 8pm, at Dom Pedro V Theatre. OM will join hands with the Macao Youth Choir under the baton of the Orchestra’s Assistant Conductor Francis Kan. Admission is free. Tickets will be distributed at Dom Pedro V Theatre one hour prior to the performance. All are welcome.

In this festive season, the Macao Orchestra celebrates with music aficionados in advance. In this concert, the Orchestra will perform a number of familiar classic Christmas carols including Silent Night, Jingle Bells, O Come, All Ye Faithful, For the Beauty of the Earth and All Things Bright and Beautiful, among others, presenting an ingenious “Christmas Concert” to the public.
OM specially invited the Macao Youth Choir to perform in this concert. Since its establishment, the Macao Youth Choir has participated in numerous musical events and contests in Macao and abroad and won several international awards.

Admission to the “Christmas Concert – Ode to the Festive Season” is free. Tickets will be distributed at the Dom Pedro V Theatre one hour prior to the performance. Distribution is on a first-come, first-served basis and is limited to a maximum of two tickets per person. For details and programme enquiries, please visit the Macao Orchestra’s website at www.icm.gov.mo/om.

The Macao Orchestra (OM, from the Portuguese acronym), under the auspices of the Cultural Affairs Bureau, presents the concert “New World Symphony” under the baton of renowned conductor Julian Kovatchev from Italy, on Friday, 7 December, at 8pm, at St. Dominic’s Church. Admission to the concert is free. Tickets will be distributed at the entrance of St. Dominic’s Church one hour prior to the performance.

In this concert, the magnificent works Overture to Nabucco by Verdi and Symphony No. 9 “From the New World” by Dvořák, will be presented, conveying the essence of the 19th century, an era when European countries showed their national characters and promoted nationalism. In a long-divided Italy, Giuseppe Verdi’s opera Nabucco evoked the Italians’ strong feelings for independence and revival through the tragic history of the ancient Hebrews. Born in Bohemia under foreign oppression, Antonín Leopold Dvořák reflected the combination of traditional Czech music and folk music of the “New World” perfectly in this masterpiece.

Admission to the concert “New World Symphony” is free. Tickets will be distributed at the St. Dominic’s Church one hour prior to the performance. Distribution is on a first-come, first-served basis and is limited to a maximum of two tickets per person. The concert will be broadcast live on an outdoor screen installed outside St. Dominic’s Church, allowing more people to enjoy this high quality concert. For details and enquiries about the programme, please visit OM’s website at www.icm.gov.mo/om.

The Macao Orchestra (OM, from the Portuguese acronym), under the auspices of the Cultural Affairs Bureau, presents the original symphony National Geographic – Symphony for Our World on 25 November (Sunday), at 8pm, at the Macao Cultural Centre Grand Auditorium. The Chief Conductor and Artistic Director of the Perth Symphony Orchestra, Jessica Gethin, was invited to lead the OM and the Learners Chorus from Hong Kong in this concert. Limited tickets are still available at the Macau Ticketing Network. Interested parties are advised to purchase tickets as soon as possible.

The world’s first National Geographic Magazine was published by National Geographic Society in the USA since 1888. Its large cover with a yellow border has become the first impression of readers exploring humanity and ecology. On the occasion of 130th anniversary of its establishment, National Geographic launched the programme Symphony for Our World, which began its world tour in the spring of 2018. Macao is also one of the stops of the tour, bringing local and neighbouring regions’ music aficionados a highly attractive music performance.

Produced by Bleeding Fingers Music, nominated for the Emmy Award and the British Film Academy Film Award (BAFTA), and composed by Austin Fray and Andrew Christie, the symphony, accompanied by a screening of the stunning natural history footage of National Geographic, will take the audience on a breathtaking musical journey through the world’s wildlife. The live performance of the symphony orchestra and choir takes the audience on a journey going from the depths of the sea, up to coastlines, over mountains, and soaring into the sky. The 90-minute performance showcases the unique and precious excerpts and stories of National Geographic over 130 years, presenting music aficionados an unforgettable new audiovisual experience. An exceptional concert not to be missed!

Tickets for the concert National Geographic – Symphony for Our World are available through the Macau Ticketing Network and are priced at MOP250, MOP200 and MOP150. Holders of valid full-time Student Card can enjoy a 50% discount on tickets, and there are various discount packages available. For more information and enquiries about the programme, please visit the OM’s webpage at www.icm.gov.mo/om.

The Macao Orchestra (OM) of the Cultural Affairs Bureau presents the concert “Flourishing Arts” this Friday (2 November) at 8pm at St. Dominic’s Church. Under the leadership of OM’s Assistant Conductor, Francis Kan, the Orchestra joins hands in this concert with Law Tak Yin and Kelly Chan Wing Ka, award winners at the 36th Macao Young Musicians Competition, and Shihan Wang, winner of the first prize for violin at the 2nd Zhuhai International Mozart Competition for Young Musicians. Admission is free by ticket which will be distributed at the concert venue on the day of performance, one hour before its start.

The concerts “Flourishing Arts” are part of OM’s educational concerts and continue to offer every year a platform for young musicians to showcase their talent. This year’s concert counts on performances by award winners of the 36th Macao Young Musicians Competition Law Tak Yin, winner of the first prize in the categories of Violin (Advanced Level) and String Concerto (Advanced Level), and Kelly Chan Wing Ka, winner of the first prize in the category of Flute (Advanced Level), who will respectively interpret Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto in D Major (1st movement) and Devienne’s Flute concerto No. 7 in E minor (1st movement). OM further cooperates with Shihan Wang, winner of the first prize in Group A in the violin category of the 2nd Zhuhai International Mozart Competition for Young Musicians, in an interpretation of Mozart’s Violin concerto No. 3 in G Major. The public is invited to witness the performances of these extraordinary young musicians.

Admission to the concert “Flourishing Arts” is free by ticket which will be distributed at the concert venue on the day of performance, one hour before its start; distribution is limited to two tickets per person and will be done on a first-come first-served basis. For more information and details, please visit the Macao Orchestra’s website at www.icm.gov.mo/om.