Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra Artistic Director and Chief Conductor: Edo de Waart

Mission Statement

The mission of the Hong Kong Philharmonic is to inspire and expand musical appreciation in Hong Kong and to be a financially secure institution that brings distinction to the community through the Orchestra’s enriching performances and premier regional standing.

Profile

"HKPO's beautifully poised string phrasing, homogenous wind sound and impeccably restrained brass suggested that you might hear different, but not better." South China Morning Post

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 in the last three decades, attracting world-class artists to perform on the same stage. HKPO annually touches the lives of 200,000 music lovers through more than 150 performances.

Under the leadership of its internationally renowned conductor Edo de Waart, HKPO continues to scale new heights in musical excellence. The continuing cycle of Mahler symphonies and challenging programming outside the traditional repertoire, have become highly anticipated events as well as musical milestones for the Orchestra. Beethoven’s Fidelio opera-in-concert and Mahler’s Das Lied von der Erde are inarguably the major highlights of the 2009/10 season. Many great artists perform with the HKPO, from pianists Jean-Yves Thibaudet, Boris Berezovsky and Paul Lewis, violinist Sarah Chang to cellist Steven Isserlis. The visit of the legendary Gennadi Rozhdestvensky is also an event not to be missed.

From April 2006, The Swire Group Charitable Trust became the Hong Kong Philharmonic’s Principal Patron, enabling Maestro de Waart’s artistic vision for the Orchestra to be realized. Swire’s sponsorship of the Hong Kong Philharmonic, the largest in the Orchestra’s history, supports artistic growth and development as the Orchestra takes its place on the world stage, and brings performances of musical excellence to the widest possible public.

HKPO stays in tune with our city by presenting the orchestra in unexpected venues and bringing the excitement of the concert experience to every home through radio and television broadcasts. These included, the largest symphonic event of the year, Swire Symphony Under the Stars at Happy Valley. The Orchestra runs a comprehensive schools education programme, HSBC Insurance Creative Notes, bringing the joy of classical music to primary, secondary and special school kids, and once in a while, the Orchestra drops the formality of the classical concerts to crossover with Western and Chinese pop stars.

The Orchestra also builds its reputation and raises its artistic standards by touring. In 2007/08 season, the Orchestra performed in the Shanghai Spring International Music Festival and the Beijing Music Festival. In 2009, the Orchestra undertook a major six-concert tour of China, including the Xinghai Concert Hall in Guangzhou, Beijing’s National Centre for the Performing Arts and Shanghai Grand Theatre under the leadership of Maestro Edo de Waart.

In February 2008, the Hong Kong Arts Development Council honoured the HKPO with the Arts Promotion Award, in recognition of its success in expanding its audience base and gaining public support in recent years.

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