The Chinese believe that eight is the luckiest of numbers and the Macao Orchestra is hoping this will be the case as it opens its eighth concert season. The first performance, the Gala Concert, on September 19, features young Korean-American violinist
Sarah Chang.

Ms Chang made her debut in Macau earlier this year but will return to the SAR this time to share the stage with the Macao Orchestra. She has appeared in the music capitals of Asia, Europe and the Americas and has collaborated with most major orchestras, including the New York Philharmonic, Philadelphia Orchestra, Chicago Symphony, Berlin Philharmonic and Vienna Philharmonic.

Born in Philadelphia to Korean parents, Ms Chang began her violin studies at the age of four and enrolled in the Juilliard School of Music. Within a year she had performed with several orchestras in the Philadelphia area. Since then, nothing has held her back.

Masterpieces

In this new concert season, the Macao Orchestra’s music director and principal conductor, Lu Jia, will present several masterpieces in conjunction with a number of acclaimed artists. Among them is the piano first prize winner in the 1986 International Tchaikovsky Competition, Barry Douglas. The Irish pianist will be playing at the season-closing concert on July 30.

However, until the end of the season there is plenty of music to enjoy. For instance, internationally renowned Chinese cellist Wang Jian – another return to Macau – will be joining the orchestra for a “romantic” performance to be held on October 9.

Other artists invited for the new season include young Chinese violinist and violin second prize winner at the 2002 International Tchaikovsky Competition, Chen Xi, on March 26, and Italian violinist Paulo Morena in June. They will be joined by young Chinese pianist Zuo Zhang in May, Chinese soprano Wu Bixia on September 25 and a trio comprising the associate concertmaster of the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra, Wong Sze-hang, the orchestra’s principal cellist, Richard Bamping and Hong Kong pianist Warren Lee Wai On in January.

Highly regarded

Appearances will be made by a number of highly regarded guest conductors, including the principal conductor and music director of the Taiwan Philharmonic Orchestra, Lu Shao-chia on March 26; Chinese conductor Wang Jin on December 23; the music director of the Orchestra Academy at China’s Central Conservatory of Music, Hu Yongyan on February 14; the director of the Shanghai Opera House, Zhang Guoyong in September; young Venezuelan conductor Jose Luis Gomez on June 18; and Australian violinist, conductor and concertmaster of the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra John Harding on April 8.

The Taipei Philharmonic Chorus will once again perform in Macau for both the Christmas and Easter concerts.

For the new season the orchestra will from time to time leave the comfort of conventional venues and hit the streets of Macau. Three free concerts will take place in the historic centre of the city.

The series is called ‘Music Journey into the Heritage Sites’ and is the first of its kind undertaken by the Macao Orchestra. The venues have yet to be announced but the dates are October 23, April 30 and June 11.

Another novelty this year, the ‘Music Promotion Series’, is a special programme designed for people who wish to better understand classical music and enhance their personal sense of the artistic. Two shows are scheduled. The first is on November 20 when, guided by conductor Francis Kan, the orchestra will present a family concert.

Opera series

Another highlight of the season is the orchestra’s performance in the 22nd Macau Arts Festival, which will feature local works. The concert, scheduled for May 14, will include the world premiere of commissioned works by famous composer Ye Xiaogang and the Macao Orchestra’s composer-in-residence Lam Bun Ching, as well as the latest works by local Chinese composer Doming Lam and internationally renowned Chinese-American composer Bright Sheng.

The ‘Opera Series’ is another must of this concert season. The four-act opera “Il Trovatore” by the great Italian composer Giuseppe Verdi, penned at his peak, will be staged on October 15 to 17 and the classic three-act “Dido and Aeneas”, written by Englishman Henry Purcell during the baroque period, will be staged from November 5 to 7, both during the Macau International Music Festival.

The season will also include other series, such as the ‘Chamber Music Series’ and the ‘Education Series’, which are regular features of the programmes.

The Macao Orchestra

The Macao Orchestra is a professional ensemble, organised under the auspices of the Cultural Affairs Bureau. For more than 25 years, it has played an important role in the musical life of the city.

Since September 2003, the orchestra has included several concert series in every season, presenting both Western and Chinese masterpieces.

The orchestra’s roots go back to 1983, when Father Áureo de Castro of the St Pious X Academy of Music and a group of music lovers founded the Macao Chamber Orchestra. In 1984, it was incorporated into the Cultural Affairs Bureau and benefited from a succession of musical directors: Stuart Bonner, Doming Lam and Veiga Jardim.

After an overhaul in 1995, it became the only professional orchestra in Macau, under the baton of Yuan Fang.

In 2001, the Cultural Affairs Bureau expanded the chamber orchestra into a medium-size orchestra with double winds. It was renamed the Macao Orchestra in 2002 and En Shao became its first music director and principal conductor.

The arrival of first-rate musicians from all over the world in 2003 and the gala concert that September, marked a new chapter in the development of the orchestra. Another turning point was in September 2008, when Lu Jia took over as music director and principal conductor.

Man with the baton

Lu Jia, the Macao Orchestra’s music director and principal conductor since September 2008, has music running in his veins. Born into a musical family in Shanghai, Mr Lu began learning piano and violin from his parents at a very young age. He later studied conducting at the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing and in Germany.

He has conducted 2,000 concerts and operas in Europe and the Americas, and has cooperated with more than 100 opera houses and orchestras. Mr Lu was the first Chinese conductor ever to lead the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and to record the complete works of German composer Felix Mendelssohn.

Opera has always played a special role in his career. In Italy and Germany, homelands of the European opera tradition, he has directed nearly 50 operas.

Mr Lu is also music director of the Arena di Verona, the world’s largest open-air opera theatre, and artistic director of the Symphony Orchestra of Tenerife in Spain.

2010-2011 Season Gala Concert Sarah Chang and Macao Orchestra

Date: September 19, 8pm

Venue: Macau Tower Auditorium

Programme:

J. Brahms (1833-1897)

Violin Concerto in D Major, Op. 77

L. van Beethoven (1770-1827)

Symphony No. 3 in E-flat Major,

Op. 55 “Eroica”

Performing group:

Conductor – Lu Jia

Sarah Chang (violin),

Macao Orchestra

Tickets: MOP150, MOP120, MOP80

Tickets available through

the Kong Seng Ticketing Network