"Hear and you will see," is the motto of the Malaysian
Philharmonic Orchestra (MPO) and is a reflection of its purpose: To
share the depth, power and beauty of great music.
Embarking on its ninth season, the MPO has confirmed its status
as a leading orchestra in Southeast Asia. It has already toured
Japan, South Korea, Singapore and Australia with successes and is
arriving in Beijing for the first time to demonstrate its
virtuosity to audiences in China. It will perform two concerts, one
at the Beijing Concert Hall on Friday and another at the Shanghai
Concert Hall on Saturday.
The MPO will present works by three Russian composers: Anatol
Lyadov's tone poem "Kikimora," Rachmaninov's popular "Piano
Concerto in C Minor" and Sergei Prokofiev's "Romeo and Juliet."
French pianist Jean-Philippe Collard will join the MPO to
perform Rachmaninov's piano concerto. He has performed with the New
York Philharmonic, London Symphony and Netherlands Philharmonic,
and has toured Europe, the UK and Australia.
Renowned conductor Lorin Maazel once described the MPO as "an
oasis in this part of the world" whereas conductor Vladimir
Ashkenazy says the MPO "is full of first-class players who play
with enthusiasm."
This relatively young orchestra continues to win high praise
thanks to efforts of Matthias Bamert, who leads the orchestra and
as the orchestra's principal conductor and artistic advisor. Bamert
will conduct MPO's China Tour.
In 2004, he conducted the Royal Scottish National Orchestra to
open the rebuilt Shanghai Concert Hall and a few months ago, he
took the West Australian Symphony Orchestra to tour Beijing.
"Touring has become an important ingredient in raising the MPO's
profile. It has regularly visited the major cities of Malaysia, as
well as some Asian countries and Australia. Now it is our honor to
tour China," said Barmert.
"China is an important destination for touring orchestras and
every conductor will feel excited to perform here. Though it's my
third time, it is the debut for MPO in China and I look forward to
tour very much. MPO is a very young orchestra but is close to my
heart. I just cannot wait," he said.
JVC China Records will record the concert in Beijing. This live
recording is due to be released in China and Japan, and will be
another feather to add to the MPO's existing recording portfolio of
11 CDs, including nine released internationally on the Vox and BIS
labels.
The MPO places an important emphasis on its education work and
community involvement wherever it travels.
In addition to the tour concerts, about 20 of the MPO musicians
and principal players will be working with students from the
Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing today and the Shanghai
Conservatory of Music next Monday. There will also be a chamber
performance for students of Fudan University in Shanghai.
The MPO gave its inaugural performance under founding music
director Kees Bakels in Dewan Filharmonik Petronas, Malaysia's
first dedicated classical music concert hall in Kuala Lumpur in
1998.
The 2006-07 season is Bamert's second season as principal
conductor and artistic advisor of the MPO.
Its busy annual schedule of more than 100 concerts draws from
more than three centuries of orchestral repertoire as well as
chamber, contemporary and specially commissioned new music.
(China Daily September 21, 2006)
