For Immediate Release 29 November 2011 Hong Kong The Best Christmas Treat for Family and Friends Hong Kong Philharmonic s Symphony of Christmas Angels Hong Kong Philharmonic s traditional celebration of Christmas has been a much-loved even over the years. This Christmas time you will be surrounded by the sound of Christmas angels members of the The Hong Kong Children s Choir, soprano Elvira Fatykhova, the Hong Kong Philharmonic s Principal Trumpet Jon Dante all under the baton of conductor Guy Noble. Many best loved carols - including Ding Dong Merrily on High, Hark! The Herald Angels Sing, Silent Night and O Come, All Ye Faithful - will be in the programme, while soprano Elvira Fatykhova will be partnered by our new Principal Trumpet Jon Dante in Handel s spectacular Let the Bright Seraphim. SoundFest: Symphony of Christmas Angels will be held on 23&24 December 2011 (Fri & Sat), 8pm at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre Concert Hall. Guy Noble, conductor Guy Noble is one of Australia s most versatile conductors, working in classical, musical theatre, opera, pop and jazz with all of Australia s major orchestras. In 1994, he became Associate Musical Director for the professional touring production of Hello Dolly! and has been Musical Director or Musical Supervisor of a number of major musical theatre productions in Australia since then, including Sunset Boulevard, Man of La Mancha, South Pacific, Titanic and The Phantom of the Opera. For two years, he was the host of the Breakfast program on ABC Classic FM, Australia s national classical music radio network, and has presented TV programs for ABC TV and Ovation cable arts channel and is the host and conductor of the Queensland Orchestra s Music on Sunday series. Elvira Fatykhova, soprano the delicate mixture of precision, clarity and warmth, not to mention expressive stamina --- The Sydney Morning Herald Elvira Fatykhova was awarded a special prize at the Glinka Singing Competition in 1995, the Grand Prix at the Almuhametov Singing Competition in Ufa in 1996 and was a finalist at the Competizione dell Opera International Singing Contest of Italian Opera in Dresden in 2002. She became a Principal Singer at the Bashkirian State Opera House in 1997 and joined the Ankara State Opera and Ballet Company in 1999, where she was a Principal Singer with the ensemble until 2007 and remains a Guest Principal. She made her Australian début in 2002, invited by Swedish conductor Ola Rudner, performing Violetta in La Traviata in a concert with the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra. She returned, the following year to sing at the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra s annual Opera Gala, and in 2004 made her début at Opera Australia s Sydney Winter season singing the title role in Manon.
Jon Dante, trumpet Jon Dante joined the Hong Kong Philharmonic as Principal Trumpet in November 2011. He was the Principal Trumpet of the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra for five years and of the New Mexico Symphony Orchestra for seven years. He has also served as Guest Principal Trumpet for the Puerto Rico Symphony, the Singapore Symphony and the National Taiwan Symphony Orchestra. Hong Kong Children s Choir The Hong Kong Children s Choir was founded in 1969 and has been appreciated as the Little Goodwill Singing Ambassadors and as one of the best children s choirs in the world, which has made a tremendous contributions to children s arts education in Hong Kong. The Choir is now the believed to be the biggest in the world, and has grown into a diversified arts education organization for children. Each year the choir is invited to perform overseas, spreading the message of love and peace in different parts of the world. Programme Come and join the Hong Kong Philharmonic in the celebration of Christmas with a festive and splendid programme featuring music of Mozart, Handel, Bizet, Mendelssohn and the popular carols by Rutter, Adam and Gruber and many more. It will be a memorable night and the best Christmas treat to your family and friends.
SoundFest: Symphony of Christmas Angels 23&24 12 2011 FRI & SAT 8PM HK Cultural Centre Concert Hall HK$380 $280 $200 $140 Available at URBTIX now Artists Guy Noble conductor Elvira Fatykhova soprano * Jon Dante trumpet # The Hong Kong Children s Choir + Click the thumbnail to download press images [Or hold Ctrl then click to open the file] Programme ANDERSON A Christmas Festival ANON. Salva Nos Stella Maris / Gaudete+ TRAD. (arr. Walker) Ding Dong Merrily on High+ HANDEL Let the Bright Seraphim*# MOZART Laudate Dominum* TRAD. (arr. Walker) Il est né le divin enfant+ BIZET L'arlésienne: Farandole MENDELSSOHN (arr. Willcocks) Hark! The Herald Angels Sing*+ TRAD. (arr. Willcocks)
The First Nowell*+ TRAD. (arr. Rutter) Coventry Carol+ GRAINGER Blithe Bells REGER Maria Wiegenlied* ADAM (arr. Rutter) Oh Holy Night*+ BIZET L'arlésienne: Carillon GRUBER (arr. Mager) Silent Night*+ TRAD. (arr. Willcocks) O Come, All Ye Faithful*+
Ticketing Information Credit Card Booking (852) 2111 5999 Online Booking www.urbtix.hk For programme enquiry, please call HKPO at (852) 2721 2030 Or go on our website: www.hkpo.com --- END --- Media Contact Paul Tam, Director of Marketing Tel: (852) 2721 9035 Cell: (852) 9650 6818 Email: paul.tam@hkpo.com Alice Luk, Corporate Communications Officer Tel: (852) 2721 1585 Cell: (852) 6280 0156 Email: alice.luk@hkpo.com Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra Edo de Waart Artistic Director and Chief Conductor The Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra (HKPO) is one of Asia s leading orchestras. Enriching Hong Kong s cultural life for over a century, the Orchestra has grown into a formidable ensemble of Chinese and international talents, attracting world-class artists to collaborate on its stage. HKPO annually touches the lives of over 200,000 music lovers through more than 150 performances including its extensive education programme HSBC Insurance Creative Notes and free concerts such as the popular Swire Symphony under the Stars, and regular broadcasts and telecasts. Outside of Hong Kong, the HKPO has made a number of critically acclaimed tours in Asia and Europe. The 2011/12 season will mark Maestro Edo de Waart s eighth and final season with the HKPO. Apart from his own series of five special programmes which are summaries of his achievements with the Orchestra over the last seven years, ending with Beethoven s Ninth Symphony, the new season will also attract a stellar cast of great artists and guest conductors. The Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra is financially supported by the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region SWIRE is the Principal Patron of the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra The Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra is the Venue Partner of the Hong Kong Cultural Centre