"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)