PRESS RELEASE Maestro Jaap van Zweden Returns to Lead the ...

PRESS RELEASEFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEDATE: 8 January 2013Maestro Jaap van Zweden Returns to Lead the HK Phil, with ViolinSensation Nicola Benedetti in Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto (7&8Feb); Piano Wunderkind Conrad Tao in Mozart’s Piano ConcertoNo.21 and His Highly Acclaimed Titan Symphony (15&16 Feb)[8 January 2013, Hong Kong] Music Director Maestro Jaap van Zweden makes his triumphant returnto Hong Kong after three critically acclaimed performances with the Chicago Symphony in Decemberand receiving a nomination for the 55 th Grammy Awards for Best Contemporary Classical Composition.Conducting the Hong Kong Philharmonic (HK Phil), Maestro van Zweden will join forces with twoextraordinary young musicians – Scottish violin sensation Nicola Benedetti, who was recentlyawarded the MBE, performing the perennial favourite – Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto (7&8 Feb); and18-year-old Chinese-American piano prodigy Conrad Tao, who composed Pangu for the inaugurationof Maestro van Zweden last September, in Mozart’s famed Piano Concerto No.21. Lauded as “Bracing”by Chicago Tribune, “Kinetic” by New York Times, and “Magnificent” by Chicago Sun Times, Maestrovan Zweden has won the world over with his masterful interpretation of Mahler’s Titan Symphony(15&16 Feb). His first performance of this work with the HK Phil will surely be an epic experience.Jaap Essentials: “Jaap and Benedetti” will be held on 7&8 February 2013 (Thu & Fri) [Ticketspriced: HK$420 $320 $220 $160] and Swire Maestro: “Jaap’s Mahler One” on 15&16 February2013 (Fri & Sat) [Tickets priced: HK$400 $300 $220 $140], both start at 8pm, in the Hong KongCultural Centre Concert Hall. Free pre-concert talks will be given on all nights at 7:15pm, also at theHong Kong Cultural Centre. For enquiries, please visit www.hkphil.org or contact 2721 2030.Nicola Benedetti, violin [full biography]"Her approach to the Tchaikovsky is both full-blooded and sensitive. She rides the firstmovement’s emotional storms with utter confidence and complete command of old

Romantic tricks – the portamento glide, the cliff-edge hesitations of rubato."--- The TimesViolinist Nicola Benedetti, MBE, has captivated audiences and critics alike with her musicality and poise.Hilary Finch recently wrote in The Times, ‘it was thrilling to hear and watch Nicola Benedetti in a trulyrisk-taking performance that lived so much in the body and fused the sinews of the violin and thenerve-system of the player.’Nicola’s busy schedule has seen her work with a number of conductors, including Vladimir Ashkenazy,Stéphane Denève, Christoph Eschenbach, Valery Gergiev, Alan Gilbert, Jakub Hrusa, Louis Langrée,Andrew Litton, Jiří Bělohlávek, Sir Neville Marriner, Diego Matheuz, Kristjan Järvi, Paavo Järvi, MikhailPletnev, Donald Runnicles, Yan Pascal Tortelier, Mario Venzago and Pinchas Zukerman.Nicola’s 2012/13 season began with a performance at the Last Night of the Proms with the BBCSymphony Orchestra. Other highlights of the season include a tour with the New Zealand SymphonyOrchestra and performance with the MDR Leipzig Orchestra, both with Miguel Harth-Bedoya. She alsoappears with the Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra under James Gaffigan, Danish RadioOrchestra with Hugh Wolff, Royal Scottish National Orchestra with Peter Oundjian and the SingaporeSymphony with Neeme Järvi. She also returns to the Dallas, Pittsburgh, and Indianapolis symphonyorchestras. Nicola plays the Gariel Stradivarius (1717), courtesy of Jonathan Moulds.Conrad Tao, piano [full biography]“A Promising Star, Rising Above the Horizon”--- The New York TimesThe only classical musician on Forbes’ 2011 “30 Under 30’s” list of people changing the world,18-year-old Chinese-American pianist Conrad Tao was found playing children’s songs on the piano at18 months of age. Born in Urbana, Illinois, he gave his first piano recital at the age of four and made hisconcerto début four years later with Mozart’s Piano Concerto in A. In June 2012, the White HouseCommission on Presidential Scholars and the Department of Education named Conrad a Presidential

Scholar in the Arts, while the National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts awarded him aYoungArts gold medal in music. Later that year Conrad was named a Gilmore Young Artist, an honourawarded every two years highlighting the most promising American pianists of the new generation. LastMay he was awarded the prestigious Avery Fisher Career Grant.For the 2012-2013 season, Conrad was commissioned by the Hong Kong Philharmonic to write aconcert overture ringing in Jaap van Zweden’s inaugural season as music director; as well ascelebrating National Day.Conrad is an exclusive EMI recording artist. His first album, released as an iTunes exclusive inFebruary 2012 as part of the “Juilliard Sessions” series, comprised works by Debussy, Stravinsky andConrad himself. His second will also feature his own compositions and is expected for release in 2013.Jaap van Zweden, conductor [full biography]“The sheer intensity of the performance earned him a roaring ovation on a blissfullycool night at the park. What's more, it added another triumph to the notable list ofsuccesses van Zweden has achieved with the orchestra downtown since his Chicagodébut in 2008.”--- Chicago TribuneAmsterdam-born Jaap van Zweden is one of today’s most sought-after conductors. Recently namedMusical America’s Conductor of the Year for 2012, he has been Music Director of the Hong KongPhilharmonic since the 2012/13 season.Maestro van Zweden is currently Music Director of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, Honorary ChiefConductor of the Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra and Honorary Conductor of the RadioChamber Philharmonic. Appointed at age nineteen as the youngest Concertmaster ever of the RoyalConcertgebouw Orchestra, he began his conducting career in 1995, successively holding the positionsof Chief Conductor at the Netherlands Symphony Orchestra (1996-2000), Chief Conductor of theResidentie Orchestra of The Hague (2000-2005) and Chief Conductor of the Royal Flemish

Philharmonic Orchestra (2008-2011).PROGRAMMEJaap Essentials: “Jaap and Benedetti” , 7&8 February 2013 (Thu & Fri), 8PMMaestro van Zweden will open the concert with Wagner’s sublime Prelude to Lohengrin – amesmerizing moment of stillness preceding the arrival of a hero. The stunning Nicola Benedetti joinsthe HK Phil and Maestro on stage with Tchaikovsky’s enthralling Violin Concerto. Bartók’s Concerto forOrchestra features no soloist, but almost every instrument has a moment of glory – a celebration of thevirtuosity of your orchestra under the baton of its new Music Director.Swire Maestro: “Jaap’s Mahler One”, 15&16 February 2013 (Fri & Sat), 8PMOn his second programme, Maestro van Zweden welcomes the young titan at the keyboard, ConradTao, a frequent collaborator and composer who was awarded the prestigious Avery Fisher CareerGrant in Mozart’s unforgettable Piano Concerto No.21 in C.It’s not called “The Titan” for nothing, and any conductor tackling Mahler’s First Symphony is taking ona daunting task. But Maestro Jaap van Zweden is a true Titan among conductors, and hisperformances of this great work have garnered more than their fair share of rave revues. Withcomments like “Bracing” Chicago Tribune, “Kinetic” New York Times and “Magnificent” Chicago SunTimes, we can be sure of an epic experience.

Jaap Essentials: Jaap and Benedetti7&8 | 2 | 2013THU & FRI 8PMHK Cultural Centre Concert HallHK$420 $320 $220 $160Available at URBTIX nowArtistsJaap van ZwedenNicola BenedetticonductorviolinClick the thumbnails to download press images [Or hold Ctrl then click to open the file]ProgrammeWAGNER Lohengrin: Prelude to Act ITCHAIKOVSKY Violin ConcertoBARTÓK Concerto for Orchestra

Swire Maestro: Jaap's Mahler One15&16 | 2 | 2013FRI & SAT 8PMHK Cultural Centre Concert HallHK$400 $300 $220 $140Available at URBTIX nowArtistsJaap van ZwedenConrad TaoconductorpianoClick the thumbnails to download press images [Or hold Ctrl then click to open the file]ProgrammeMOZART Piano Concerto No.21 in C, K467MAHLER Symphony No.1

Ticketing InformationCredit Card Booking(852) 2111 5999Online Bookingwww.urbtix.hkFor programme enquiry, please call HK Phil at(852) 2721 2030Or go on our website:www.hkphil.org--- END ---For further press information please contact:Paul Tam, Director of MarketingTel: +852 2721 9035 Cell: +852 9650 6818 Email: paul.tam@hkphil.orgAlice Luk, Assistant Corporate Communications ManagerTel: +852 2721 1585 Cell: +852 6280 0156 Email: alice.luk@hkphil.org

Hong Kong PhilharmonicMusic Director: Jaap van ZwedenThe Hong Kong Philharmonic is a vital part of Hong Kong’s cultural life, as the city’s largest and busiestmusical organisation. In 2013/14 the HK Phil will celebrate its 40th professional season, but its roots arewell over a century old. The HK Phil has now evolved to become an orchestral powerhouse in the region,and an acclaimed cultural centrepiece of Asia’s World City.The HK Phil is formed on the belief that a great city deserves a great orchestra. Annually it presents over150 concerts for 200,000 music lovers. Featuring an enviable roster of international and local artists,with many concerts presented free, among them the annual Swire Symphony Under The Stars.Through its acclaimed education programme, over 40,000 young people learned about orchestral musiclast year.The HK Phil’s members come from every corner of the globe, joining its strong core of Hong Kongmusicians. In September 2012, Jaap van Zweden became the orchestra’s Music Director. Future yearswill see an ambitious series of new projects, with major international tours, renewed local partnerships,and large-scale concert events. The HK Phil has recently commenced a multi-CD recording project forNaxos, featuring works by Chinese composers.The Hong Kong Philharmonic is financially supported by the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative RegionSWIRE is the Principal Patron of the Hong Kong PhilharmonicThe Hong Kong Philharmonic is a Venue Partner of the Hong Kong Cultural Centre