A Homage to the Legendary Yehudi Menuhin

EVENT DESCRIPTION

Violin/Director: Alexander Sitkovetsky
Violin: James Cuddeford *

 

Yehudi Menuhin – an unsurpassable legend in the violin world – was an inspirational violinist and pedagogue active in the 20th century. At seven years old, he made his début with the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra, and as a teenager he was already known as one of the finest violinists of the time, recording the première album of Elgar’s Violin Concerto at the age of 16 with the composer himself conducting.

A true believer in the healing and transcendent powers of music, Menuhin was the first Jew to perform in Germany after World War II. He also poured his heart and soul into nurturing the next generation of musicians, founding the renowned Yehudi Menuhin School in the UK in 1963, and establishing the prestigious Menuhin Competition for Young Violinists in 1983.

In tribute to Menuhin’s monumental influence and legacy, distinguished violinist Alexander Sitkovetsky and Hong Kong Sinfonietta’s Concertmaster James Cuddeford – both former students of Menuhin – will join hands to present a concert of fantastic music for strings. From Bach’s well-loved Concerto for Two Violins in D minor and Elgar’s exquisite Serenade for Strings, to Bartók’s captivating Divertimento and the Hong Kong première of Panufnik’s Violin Concerto, join us for an unforgettable evening celebrating the beauty and enchantment of some of the best works written for strings.

 

Programme

Elgar
Serenade for Strings in E minor, Op 20

Andrzej Panufnik
Violin Concerto (1971) (Hong Kong première)

Bach
Concerto for Two Violins in D minor, BWV1043 *

Bartók
Divertimento

 

ABOUT THE ARTIST / ORGANISER

One of Hong Kong’s flagship orchestras, Hong Kong Sinfonietta has brought music closer to the community, and achieved significant local and international recognition for its passionate performances and innovative programming. The orchestra has collaborated with an illustrious array of international musicians and groups, including in recent years Ilya Gringolts, Martin Helmchen, Sergei Nakariakov, Jean-Guihen Queyras, Krzysztof Penderecki, The Royal Ballet, English National Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, New York City Ballet, Stuttgart Ballet and Tanztheater Wuppertal Pina Bausch.

Hong Kong Sinfonietta is a regular guest at international arts festivals and has toured 46 cities around the world. As an avid believer of keeping music alive and contemporary, the orchestra commissions and performs new works every year and ventures into new initiatives, recently receiving wide acclaim for its Back On Stage concert film series and becoming the first local orchestra to appear in cinemas. Following the success of the first edition in 2018, the orchestra organised the 2nd Hong Kong International Conducting Competition in 2023, attracting applications from 45 countries/regions around the world and providing an invaluable platform for young conductors to establish their careers.