An American Songbook

EVENT DESCRIPTION

The 20^th century saw a flourish of towering figures in American music rising to prominence on the global stage, bringing their fresh, unique and often folk- or jazz-inspired voices to the classical music scene with unparalleled success. An American Songbook celebrates the quintessential and unmistakable American sound – see the colourful and dynamic expanse of the country through the music of Copland, Gershwin, Barber, Bernstein and more, presented to you by Hong Kong Sinfonietta and soprano Vivian Yau under the baton of Ken Lam!

Conductor: Ken Lam
Soprano: Vivian Yau

Programme
Cindy McTee
Circuits (1990) (Hong Kong première)

Copland
From Old American Songs, Sets 1 & 2:
Long Time Ago
Simple Gifts
The Little Horses
I Bought Me A Cat

Gershwin
From Porgy and Bess:
Introduction & Summertime

Bernstein
From West Side Story :
Overture
I Feel Pretty
Somewhere

Bernstein
Candide Overture

Copland
Appalachian Spring Suite

Barber
Adagio for Strings

Barber
Second Essay for Orchestra, Op 17

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. Since 1999, Hong Kong Sinfonietta 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, Bolshoi Ballet, The Royal Ballet and Tanztheater Wuppertal Pina Bausch. The orchestra is a regular guest at international arts festivals and has toured 41 cities around the world. As an avid believer of keeping music alive and contemporary, Hong Kong Sinfonietta commissions and performs new works every year and ventures into crossover initiatives, recently receiving wide acclaim for its groundbreaking concert films at MOViE MOViE, Back On Stage and Back On Stage II (Quarantined!).