The Dawn Of Symphony – Lio Kuokman’s Sibelius and Bruch, a concert organised by Macao Orchestra Company, Limited, took place at the Grand Auditorium of the Macao Cultural Centre (CCM) on the evening of February 4. Renowned conductor Lio Kuokman directed the orchestra in a sensational performance with Japanese rising violin star Rio Arai.
Lio Kwokman is the Macao Orchestra’s principal guest conductor and artistic advisor for the 2022-23 concert season. Lio received the Artist of the Year (Music) Award at the 16th Hong Kong Arts Development Awards. He was the first ever Chinese assistant conductor with the Philadelphia Orchestra, and the first Chinese conductor at season concerts of the Vienna Symphony Orchestra in its 121-year history.
At a press event before the concert, Maestro Lio talked about his expectations for the orchestra’s concert season, saying that he “aims to create a Macao orchestra that belongs to the Macao audience, so that everyone can experience the power of symphonic music”.
He also reminisced about the first time he heard the Macao Orchestra play when he was just 4 years of age, and how this experience had inspired him to pursue his musical career. Maestro Lio is currently also serving as Programme Director of the Macao International Music Festival and Resident Conductor of the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra
This concert also invited Rio Arai, a rising Japanese violinist who studied in Switzerland, to share the stage with Maestro Lio, in a well-received performance.
On the night, the two, together with the Macao Orchestra, presented two classics by Finish composer Jean Sibelius, opening the concert with Finlandia, Sibelius’ most famous masterpiece, often considered Finland’s second national anthem. The piece presents vivid musical images, expressing rich connotations with strong contrast effect. Then followed Max Bruch’s Violin Concerto No. 1, interpreted by Rio Arai as the violin soloist. The work is regarded as the most touching and beautiful concerto classic ever written for violin solo and orchestra. Finally, the rich, profound Nordic music returned with Sibelius’ Symphony No. 2, bringing the concert to a successful end.
An exceptional young talent, Arai is the recipient of many awards and scholarships and is a graduate of of Haute École de Musique de Lausanne.
With the epidemic curbed effectively and life getting back to normal, the concert has kicked off the Concert Season – “Spring” in style. In the weeks and months to come, the Macao Orchestra plans to continue presenting more wonderful performances to embrace the future together with fans in the post-epidemic era with music as a source of warmth.
Tickets for some of the performances in the “Spring” session
(January to April 2023) of the Macao Orchestra
2022-23 concert season, will go on sale
at MacauTicket.com soon.
www.om-macau.mo/om
