China’s Legendary Cold-War Era Pianist gave a show to a packed house in Taipei last weekend, cementing his status as an elder statesman of China’s classical music universe, and of the piano, full stop. He is one of the few

Artist: Bright Sheng Date: 22 April 2012Venue: HKUST, Art Hall Initiated by world-renowned composer and pianist Bright Sheng, the Intimacy of Creativity is a two-week composition symposium. Selected pieces are constantly revised and refined to the best shape through rehearsal

Gustav Mahler Das klagende Lied (1880) Kindertotenlieder (1904) Symphony No. 9 (1909) Summer of 1907 came as a nightmare for Austrian-Jewish composer Gustav Mahler (1860-1911). His five year old daughter Maria Anna died of scarlet fever and diphtheria; he lost

Within the first two months of 2012, China has hosted the London Phil, the Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra, the Royal Concertgebouw, the London Symphony Orchestra and the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra. The Philharmonia, St Martin in the Fields and the

The Minnesota Orchestra Anton Bruckner Symphony No. 4 in E flat major, WAB 104, “Romantic” (1888 version, ed. B. Korstvedt) Beethoven Symphony No. 9 in D minor, Op. 125, “Choral” Proms. The word brings to mind memories of parties past,

When Lü Shao-chia (呂紹嘉) returned from the Staatsoper Hannover for the directorship of the NSO, he inherited an ensemble already steeped in Austro-German music and musicianship, on account of both the education of many orchestra members and the directorship of

One can’t help but notice the new major policy unveiled in 2011 and continuing well into 2012 – the supreme importance of strengthening Chinese culture. At the end of last year, President Hu published an essay in which he drew

A mere 15 years ago, Hong Kong proudly escaped the shackles of British colonial rule and happily pledged its allegiance to an even more aggressive ruler in the north. There were no cries for independence or democracy, no calls for