Renowned composer and conductor Tan Dun will be joined by musicians of the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra, members of The Orchestra Academy Hong Kong as well as guest musicians, in two concerts on the theme of Dunhuang culture.
The concert opens with Fireworks by Igor Stravinsky, dubbed “the father of modern symphony”. It will be followed by Tan’s The Five Muses of Dunhuang. Tan drew his inspiration for the piece from five ancient instruments as portrayed on the Dunhuang murals, and to highlight this, the solo parts will be performed by local Chinese music virtuosi. The second half of the concert runs on the theme of “birds”. Birds, representing auspicious beliefs, are often featured in Dunhuang murals among other mythical creatures to depict the Buddhist realm. Tan will lead the orchestra in his Passacaglia: Secret of Wind and Birds, during the performance of which he will invite the audience to join him in interactive moments. The concert will conclude with Stravinsky’s classic, The Firebird Suite (1919 version), echoing the “bird” theme in Dunhuang culture.