French May Arts Festival: Vaughan Williams Oboe Concerto

EVENT DESCRIPTION

Named “Révélation Soliste Instrumental” of the year at the prestigious Victoires de la Musique Classique in 2020, French oboist Gabriel Pidoux has enjoyed a flourishing international career since winning the Second Prize at the 2019 Prague Spring International Music Competition. This French May, he will make his Hong Kong début and present two delightful programmes, playing Vaughan Williams’ idyllic Oboe Concerto to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the composer’s birth with Hong Kong Sinfonietta under the baton of Jason Lai, in a concert which also features Sibelius’ epic Symphony No 5, as well as appearing in recital with local pianist Colleen Lee, performing a sparkling selection of Romantic gems featured in his début CD released just this February.

Conductor: Jason Lai (HKS Artist Associate 2009-2011)
Oboe: Gabriel Pidoux

Programme

Beethoven
Fidelio Overture, Op 72c

Vaughan Williams
Oboe Concerto in A minor

Sibelius
Symphony No 5 in E-flat, Op 82

ABOUT THE ARTIST / ORGANISER

One of Hong Kong’s flagship orchestras, Hong Kong Sinfonietta has brought music closer to the community, and achieved significant local and international recognition for its passionate performances and innovative programming. Since 1999, Hong Kong Sinfonietta has collaborated with an illustrious array of international musicians and groups, including in recent years Ilya Gringolts, Martin Helmchen, Sergei Nakariakov, Jean-Guihen Queyras, Krzysztof Penderecki, Mariinsky Ballet, Bolshoi Ballet, The Royal Ballet, English National Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, New York City Ballet, Stuttgart Ballet and Tanztheater Wuppertal Pina Bausch.

The orchestra is a regular guest at international arts festivals and has toured 41 cities around the world. As an avid believer of keeping music alive and contemporary, Hong Kong Sinfonietta commissions and performs new works every year and ventures into new initiatives, recently receiving wide acclaim for its Back On Stage concert film series, as well as the Tiny Galaxy Concerts online series featuring performances recorded at a fascinating hostel in Hong Kong. In 2021, the orchestra co-curated the “Life is Art” film festival with MOViE MOViE, while continuing to break down barriers between music and audience with free chamber concerts held regularly at Hong Kong City Hall.