Sai Wan Ho Civic Centre | The Delicacy of Chinese Chamber Music: Gu Guanyen and Windpipe Chinese Music Ensemble

Description

Gu Guanren, a contemporary renowned composer, is a National First-Class Composer and a recipient of the Special Allowance from the State Council of China. He currently serves as the Lifetime Artistic Advisor of the Shanghai Chinese Orchestra and the Suzhou Chinese Orchestra, and has previously held positions such as the Director and Artistic Director of the Shanghai Chinese Orchestra, and the Vice President of the Chinese National Orchestra Society, among others. He is one of the most prolific and versatile Chinese composers, and despite being in his eighties, he remains passionately dedicated to the preservation and development of traditional music culture. His compositions boldly innovate while retaining a traditional essence, capturing the hearts of many and becoming classics.

The land of Jiangnan forms an indispensable backdrop to Gu's creative career. From his early immersion in silk and bamboo music and pipa playing, he fearlessly ventured into composing for different musical genres and exploring various instrumental combinations. This led to the creation of the 'New Jiangnan Silk and Bamboo Music', a fusion of tradition and innovation. This musical style, with its distinct national characteristics and sense of the times, has breathed new life into traditional 'Jiangnan Silk and Bamboo Music'. The sheer volume, quality, and widespread popularity of his works are unprecedented relative to other genres, transcending the limitations of regional culture.

The concert 'An Intimate Night of Chinese Chamber Music — Gu Guanren and Bamboo Ensemble' specially invites Gu to Hong Kong as the artistic director, with renowned conductor He Wenchuan taking the podium, and renowned gaohu player and 'successor of Cantonese music's new generation' Yu Lefu performing the world premiere commission, Triumphal Return. Orchestra soloists He Zhaochang (dizi), He Yang (erhu), and Yao Xin (guzheng) will perform the solo parts in Jiangnan Charm. The program features Gu's chamber and small ensemble works, including not only his well-cultivated 'New Jiangnan Silk and Bamboo Music' classics such as Stroll on Su Causeway, Green Fields, and Spring Rays, but also his Lingnan-style creations such as Blazing Fire and Silver Flowers, Lion Dance, and Hanging Curtain. From Jiangnan to Lingnan, the beauty of silk and bamboo music will be fully displayed.