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The 52nd HK Arts Festival .Feature
2023.11.20

Korean Family Concert: A Carnival of Animals and Insects

Text / Adam Wright

The eight-year-old Hankyung arte Philharmonic's three performances at the upcoming 52nd HKAF will include a family concert featuring Prokofiev's famous Peter and the Wolf and a symphonic work titled Insect World, created by the late Hong Kong composer Doming Lam.

Hong Kong conductor Wilson Ng will be conducting Hankyung at the family concert. He tells FestMag that Hankyung, which has always been dedicated to promoting classical music, has not only always catered to existing listeners, but also aspired to widen its audience base.

Insect World

Ng points out that Insect World, in particular, will be an exceptional piece for the local audience to experience live due to its extensive instrumentation.

Lam is often described as the "father of new music in Hong Kong". His highly developed imagination can be heard in Insect World, written in 1979 for the International Year of the Child, and his portrayal of each of the insects is intended to awaken the listener's imagination.   Comprised of five sections dedicated to bees, silkworms, dragonflies, butterflies and other insects, Insect World paints a picture of little creatures living in harmony.  If you close your eyes when you hear the music, it's possible to enjoy all the colours and grace of each insect.

Peter and the Wolf

Prokofiev wrote Peter and the Wolf to introduce the instruments of the orchestra to youngsters, and he depicts the various characters, not only musically but by using specific instruments for each—the bird by the flute, the duck by the oboe, the cat by the clarinet, the wolf by menacing horns, the grandfather by the bassoon, the hunters by woodwind instruments and trumpets, and Peter himself by the strings.  

Other Programmes

Both pieces at the family concert are intended to educate as well as entertain young listeners by creating a narrative in music, and will be a treat for audience members of all ages. Elsewhere during the 2024 HKAF, Hankyung will be playing alongside Teatro alla Scala Ballet Company at Le Corsaire and presenting a symphonic concert Korean pianist Minsoo Sohn, conducted by Wilson Ng.

Hankyung arte Philharmonic—Family Concert

Date: 10 Mar 2024

Venue: Concert Hall, Hong Kong Cultural Centre

Details:  https://www.hk.artsfestival.org/en/programme/Hankyung_Peter_&_the_Wolf?

第52屆香港藝術節

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