Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra

Infobox musical artist
Name = Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra


Img_size = 160
Background = classical_ensemble
Alias =
Origin = flagicon|HKG Hong Kong
Genre = Classical
Occupation = Symphony orchestra
Years_active = 1957-"present"
Associated_acts =
URL = [http://www.hkpo.com www.hkpo.com]
Current_members = Artistic Director/Chief Conductor
Edo de Waart
Conductor Laureate
David Atherton
Past_members =
Notable_instruments =

The Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra (zh-tp|t=香港管弦樂團|p=Xiānggǎng Guǎnxián Yuètuán), commonly abbreviated HKPO (港樂), is the largest symphony orchestra in Hong Kong. First established in 1895 as an amateur orchestra named Sino-British Orchestra, it was renamed to Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra in 1957, and became a professional orchestra in 1974 under the funding of the Government.

Background

The orchestra has promoted Hong Kong-based composers by commissioning and premiering numerous works of contemporary music, including the recent five-work cycle of Voices of Hong Kong, by John Chen, David Gwilt, Daniel Law, Law Ping-leung and Richard Tsang.

In the autumn of 1995, the HKPO travelled to 9 cities in the United States and Canada in its North American début. In 2003, the orchestra made its European début with performances in London's Barbican Hall, Belfast, Dublin and Paris (Théâtre des Champs-Élysées).

Dutch conductor Edo de Waart has been the orchestra's Artistic Director and Chief Conductor since the 2004/2005 season. Past Music Directors include internationally renowned conductors such as David Atherton, who is now the orchestra's conductor laureate.

Of its HK$95 million budget for the 2004/2005 season, about sixty percent came from the Hong Kong government. The remaining forty percent came from box office revenue, performance fees, sponsorship, advertising and donations.

The orchestra gives more than 140 performances annually to an audience of over 180,000 in various venues including the Concert Hall of the Hong Kong Cultural Centre and the City Hall Concert Hall. In addition to classical performances, it occasionally appears backing local pop stars such as Hacken Lee, Jacky Cheung, Frances Yip and Teresa Carpio.

Conductors

Other Hong Kong orchestras

*City Chamber Orchestra of Hong Kong
*Hong Kong Chamber Orchestra
*Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra
*Hong Kong Sinfonietta
*Pan Asia Symphony Orchestra
*SAR Philharmonic Orchestra

External links

* [http://www.hkpo.com Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra official website]