Programme ( ) 54 Johannes Brahms ( ) Schicksalslied, Op 54 ( ) ( ) ( ) Julian Anderson (1967- ) Beautiful Valley o

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2 Shun Hing Group s Gala Evening City of Birmingham Symphony Chorus with the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra Chorus Director/Conductor Simon Halsey Programme 9 Programme Notes 11 Lyrics 18 Chorus Profile 34 Biographies 37 Orchestra Profile 41 Cover photograph: Chorus Adrian Burrass Simon Halsey Michael Homberg Chorus Members Orchestra Members Concert Hall Hong Kong Cultural Centre Running time: approximately 1 hour and 45 minutes with a 20 minute interval To make this performance a pleasant experience for the artists and other members of the audience, PLEASE switch off your alarm watches, MOBILE PHONES and PAGERS. Eating and drinking, unauthorised photography and audio or video recording are forbidden in the auditorium. Thank you for your co-operation.

3 Programme ( ) 54 Johannes Brahms ( ) Schicksalslied, Op 54 ( ) ( ) ( ) Julian Anderson (1967- ) Beautiful Valley of Eden (a capella) from Four American Choruses Morten Lauridsen ( ) O Magnum Mysterium (a capella) Ralph Vaughan Williams ( ) Five Mystical Songs Easter I Got Me Flowers Love Bade Me Welcome The Call Antiphon: Let all the world in every corner sing Ashley Holland Baritone - Interval - ( ) 48 Gabriel Fauré ( ) Requiem, Op 48 Introitus et Kyrie: molto largo - andante moderato Offertoire: adagio molto - andante moderato - adagio molto Sanctus: andante moderato Pie Jesu: adagio Agnus Dei: andante - molto largo - andante Libera me: moderato - più mosso - moderato In Paradisum: andante moderato Ashley Holland Baritone Teresa La Rocca Soprano Rupert Gough Organ 9

4 Programme Notes Johannes Brahms 54 Schicksalslied (Song of Destiny), Op As in the Deutsches Requiem and much of his choral music, so too in this work Brahms is preoccupied with the lot of humankind, the transitory nature of our life on earth, and our alienation from the vastness of the universe. This time however he turned for his text not to Scripture but to the classical world of Greek mythology, and to Hölderlin s desolate contrast between the eternal bliss of Elysium and the wretchedness of our own relentless plunge towards the unknown. The work, written between 1868 and 1871, is cast in three sections: the first opens with a long, serene introduction that anticipates the blessedness of the gods, yet with an undertone of timpani triplets uneasily reminiscent of the second movement of the Requiem For all flesh is as grass which fades with the first chorus entry. The word-setting is beautifully unobtrusive yet absolutely right: listen for the shining harmony at Glänzende Götterlüfte, the simple arpeggiated pizzicato chords as the harpist touches her sacred strings, or the stillness of the ewiger Klarheit at the end of the second verse. The orchestra s closing phrase is almost complete when a disturbing dissonance leads to the second section, and to a tempestuous violence which, like the text, is denied any resting-place. Wie Wasser von Klippe zu Klippe is hurled out in wild syncopation, intensified when the text is repeated by being presented a tone higher, until the final line provokes a kind of musical emptiness, drifting apparently aimlessly towards the unknown. Yet for all his preoccupation with the pessimism of Hölderlin s text, Brahms (again as in the Requiem) is not bereft of hope, and even as it 11

5 sinks into oblivion, the second section turns to a restatement of the orchestral introduction, subtly transformed into a consoling postlude. A solo flute now carries the melody, the restless timpani have all but disappeared, the final phrase reaches its consummation unhindered by the earlier dissonance, and an uncharacteristic but effective touch the work closes in a radiant C major rather than the more sombre E flat of its opening. Programme Notes Robert Meikle Julian Anderson Beautiful Valley of Eden (a capella) from Four American Choruses 12 (2002) The texts of these four choruses are chosen from Ira D Sankey s popular American Gospel Hymn Book, from the mid-19th century, a volume much beloved by Charles Ives who quoted numerous Sankey tunes in almost all his mature works. There is something socially very moving about them, providing as they did a means of solace, comfort and hope in a better life for people whose lives were, on average, probably terrible. Some of the phraseology and turns of phrase may also have been an influence on American poets in the latter half of the 19th century. I hear pre-echoes of Emily Dickinson, at least, in the texts of both I m a Pilgrim and Beautiful Valley of Eden. In all four cases, the chosen texts generally avoid any specifically denominational religious references, as I wanted to focus on the social idea of collective hope and celebration. By contrast, Beautiful Valley of Eden (2002) is the most extended of the four choruses. Inspired by the text, I imagined a group of choruses

6 singing hymns simultaneously in different mountains across a valley. In Beautiful Valley of Eden, the chorus is split up into four groups, each singing at their own speed. In order to aid both singers and listeners in hearing the different speeds going on at once, the four sub-choruses correspond to the four standard voice parts of a chorus: the top group are sopranos, the second the altos, the tenors in the middle, and the basses in the lowest register each under their own sub-conductor. They are never synchronised save for the very last bar. Each part on its own is fairly easy to sing; however, their combination produces much more surprising harmonies. A system of cues between the chorus sections ensures the whole thing runs in order from beginning to end. The challenge here was two-fold: 1) to set the same text, line by line, in four completely different ways; 2) to ensure that no matter what happens the four parts always make harmonic sense against each other despite the fact that they are never singing at the same speed. The end result is intended not to convey complexity, but a sense of joyous collective celebration. Programme Notes Julian Anderson 2004 Julian Anderson Julian Anderson was born in London in 1967 and studied composition with John Lambert, Alexander Goehr and Tristan Murail. His first acknowledged work, Diptych (1990) for orchestra, won the 1992 Royal Philharmonic Society Prize for Young Composers and was subsequently nominated as the BBC entry in the 1996 International Rostrum of Composers in Paris. From 1996 to 2001 he was Composer in Residence with the chamber orchestra Sinfonia 21, and between 1999 and 2005 he was Composer-In-Association with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra. Anderson was Head of Composition at the Royal College of Music until 2005, and is now a professor of Composition at Harvard University. 13

7 Morten Lauridsen O Magnum Mysterium (O Great Wonder) (a capella) 1994 O Magnum Mysterium, commissioned by Marshall Rutter in honour of his wife Terry Knowles, has had several thousand performances throughout the world and been recorded dozens of times since its 1994 premiere by the Los Angeles Master Chorale. I have also arranged the work for solo voice and piano or organ (recorded on Lauridsen: Northwest Journey by Jane Thorngren, accompanied by the composer), men's chorus, and brass ensemble H Robert Reynold's stunning adaptation for symphonic winds was recently premiered in Minneapolis by the Thornton Wind Symphony. For centuries, composers have been inspired by the beautiful O Magnum Mysterium text depicting the birth of the newborn King amongst the lowly animals and shepherds. This affirmation of God s grace to the meek and the adoration of the Blessed Virgin are celebrated in my setting through a quiet song of profound inner joy. Programme Notes Morten Lauridsen Morten Lauridsen 1994 Morten Lauridsen s distinguished music has reached a permanent place in the standard choral and vocal repertoire, and is performed regularly by choruses and vocal artists throughout the world. His catalogue is most noted for six major vocal/choral cycles Les Chansons des Roses (Rilke), Mid-Winter Songs (Graves), Cuatro Canciones (Lorca), A Winter Comes (Moss), Madrigali: Six Firesongs on Italian Renaissance Poems and Lux Aeterna and his series of sacred a capella motets. Among these is the moving O Magnum Mysterium, which has had literally thousands of performances worldwide since its premiere in In addition to his residency with the Los Angeles Master Chorale, Lauridsen is Chair of the Composition Department at the School of Music, University of Southern California in Los Angeles, a faculty he joined in

8 Ralph Vaughan Williams Five Mystical Songs The success of the Tallis Fantasia at the 1910 Gloucester Three Choirs Festival, led to Vaughan Williams being invited to conduct a further premiere at the Worcester Festival the following year. For this occasion he completed and orchestrated a setting of five poems by George Herbert which he had been working on since 1906 under the title Five Mystical Songs. Herbert s mystical poetry with its rich religious imagery appealed strongly to Vaughan Williams who responded with music of intense lyricism. Easter opens with a striking rising phrase for the baritone, echoed immediately by the chorus, which is an apt musical simile for the exultant joy at the contemplation of the risen Lord. In the final verse of I Got Me Flowers, the chorus humming offsets the baritone, until they too join him for the triumphant affirmation of the last line. Similarly the chorus is used to brilliant purpose again in the final section of Love Bade Me Welcome where to a wordless ah they sing the plainsong chant O sacrum convivium, resulting in music of ravishing beauty. The Call has a disarmingly gentle melody which nevertheless has a strength reflecting the security of the power of faith expressed in the poem. In contrast to the reflective moods of the first four songs the Antiphon concludes the work with an outburst of energy and praise. Programme Notes by Andrew Burn - Interval - 16

9 Gabriel Fauré 48 Requiem, Op Of Gabriel Fauré s large-scale works, the Requiem is by far the most widely popular. Fauré drafted the initial ideas as early as 1877, but only completed a first version in The orchestral version we know today was not produced until The Latin text of the Requiem comes from the Roman Catholic liturgy for funerals. Fauré s setting however differs in a number of notable ways from the settings of earlier composers. The most obvious difference involves his selection of texts. Most 19th century requiems included the Dies irae, a lengthy sequence or hymn-like poem of several verses. This sequence describes in terrifying detail a cataclysmic scene in which the world dissolves into ashes before the eyes of a vengeful God. Berlioz and Verdi had both set this poem in a highly theatrical manner, employing brass fanfares to accompany a large chorus that announces the end of the world. In contrast, Fauré simply ignored this text preferring to concentrate on the other parts of the liturgy that better suited his purposes. Nonetheless, Fauré does not ignore the human fear of death. Indeed, the Libera me includes a quotation of the Dies irae text, but this frightening scene of destruction is surrounded by gentle pleas for mercy that soften its ferocity. Overall, the musical setting of this work eschews grandiose gestures in favour of vocal writing that evokes the sinuous flexibility of medieval chant. These melodies are supported by a muted instrumental palette enriched by mildly chromatic harmonies. In short, Fauré s Requiem presents death neither as a tragic end to life nor as an inevitability to which one must be stoically resigned. His view of death is one of fulfilment, the culmination of life in peace. Programme Notes by Michael McClellan 17

10 Lyrics Schicksalslied, Op 54 Text by Friedrich Hölderlin Ihr wandelt droben im Licht Auf weichem Boden, selige Genien! Glänzende Götterlüfte Ruhren Euch leicht, Wie die Finger der Künstlerin Heilige Saiten. Schicksallos, wie der schlafende Säugling, atmen die Himmlischen; Keusch bewahrt In bescheidener Knospe, Blühet ewig Ihnen der Geist, Und die seligen Augen Blicken in stiller Ewiger Klarheit. Doch uns ist gegeben, Auf keiner Stätte zu ruhn; Es schwinden, es fallen Die leidenden Menschen Blindlings von einer Stunde zur andern, Wie Wasser von Klippe Zu Klippe geworfen, Jahrlang ins Ungewisse hinab. 54 Song of Destiny, Op 54 Text by Friedrich Hölderlin You wander above in the light on soft ground, blessed genies! Blazing, divine breezes brush by you as lightly as the fingers of the players on their holy strings. Fateless, like sleeping infants, the divine beings breathe, chastely protected in modest buds, blooming eternally their spirits, and their blissful eyes gazing in mute, eternal clarity. Yet there is granted us no place to rest; we vanish, we fall - the suffering humans - blind from one hour to another, like water thrown from crag to crag, for years into the unknown depths. 18

11 2004 Beautiful Valley of Eden Beautiful Valley of Eden, Sweet is thy noonday calm, Over the hearts of the weary, Breathing thy waves of balm. Beautiful Valley of Eden, Home of the pure and blest, How often amid the wild billows I dream of thy rest, sweet rest! Over the heart of the mourner, Shineth thy golden day, Wafting the songs of the angels Down from the far away. There is the home of my Saviour Over the highlands of glory Rolleth the great new song. Beautiful Valley of Eden, Home of the pure and blest, How often amid the wild billows I dream of thy rest, sweet rest! The first complete performance in 2004 was commissioned for the 30th Anniversary of the City of Birmingham Symphony Chorus as part of the CBSO Composer-In-Association scheme. O Magnum Mysterium O magnum mysterium et admirabile sacramentum ut animalia viderent Dominum natum jacentem in praesepio. Beata Virgo cujus viscera meruerunt portare Dominum Christum. O Great Wonder O great wonder, and miraculous sacrament: that the animals see the Lord born lying in a manger. Blessed is the Virgin whose womb was worthy to bear the Lord Jesus Christ. 19

12 Five Mystical Songs 1. Easter Rise heart; thy Lord is risen. Sing his praise Without delays, Who takes thee by the hand, that thou likewise With him may st rise; That, as his death calcined thee to dust, His life may make thee gold, and much more, Just. Awake, my lute, and struggle for thy part With all thy art. The cross taught all wood to resound his name Who bore the same. His stretched sinews taught all strings, what key Is best to celebrate this most high day. Consort both heart and lute, and twist a song Pleasant and long: Or since all music is but three parts vied, And multiplied; O let thy blessed Spirit bear a part, And make up our defects with his sweet art. 2. I Got Me Flowers I got me flowers to strew thy way; I got me boughs off many a tree: But thou wast up by break of day, And brought st thy sweets along with thee. The Sun arising in the East, Though he give light, and the East perfume; If they should offer to contest With thy arising, they presume. Can there be any day but this, Though many suns to shine endeavour? We count three hundred, but we miss: There is but one, and that one ever. 20

13 3. Love Bade Me Welcome Love bade me welcome: yet my soul drew back, Guilty of dust and sin. But quick-ey d Love, observing me grow slack From my first entrance in, Drew nearer to me, sweetly questioning, If I lack d anything. A guest, I answer d, worthy to be here: Love said, You shall be he. I the unkind, ungrateful? Ah, my dear, I cannot look on thee. Love took my hand, and smiling did reply, Who made the eyes but I? Truth, Lord, but I have marr d them: let my shame Go where it doth deserve. And know you not, says Love, who bore the blame? My dear, then I will serve. You must sit down, says Love, and taste my meat: So I did sit and eat. 4. The Call Come, my Way, my Truth, my Life: Such a Way, as gives us breath: Such a Truth, as ends all strife: Such a Life, as killeth death. Come, My Light, my Feast, my Strength: Such a Light, as shows a feast: Such a Feast, as mends in length: Such a Strength, as makes his guest. Come, my Joy, my Love, my Heart: Such a Joy, as none can move: Such a Love, as none can part: Such a Heart, as joys in love. 21

14 5. Antiphon: Let all the world in every corner sing Let all the world in every corner sing, My God and King! The heavens are not too high, His praise may thither fly: The earth is not too low, His praises there may grow. Let all the world in every corner sing, My God and King! The church with Psalms must shout. No door can keep them out: But above all, the heart Must bear the longest part. Let all the world in every corner sing, My God and King! - Interval - 23

15 Requiem, Op 48 Introitus - Kyrie Choir, tenors Requiem aeternam dona eis Domine et lux perpetua luceat eis Sopranos Te decet hymnus, Deus in Sion et tibi reddetur votum in Jerusalem Choir Exaudi orationem meam ad te omnis caro veniet Kyrie eleison, Christe eleison Kyrie eleison. Offertoire Altos, tenors O Domine, Jesu Christe, Rex Gloriae libera animas defunctorum de poenis inferni et de profundo lacu O Domine, Jesu Christe, Rex Gloriae libera animas defunctorum de ore leonis ne absorbeat eus Tartarus ne cadant in obscurum. Altos, tenors, basses O Domine, Jesu Christe, Rex Gloriae ne cadant in obscurum. Baritone solo Hostias et preces tibi Domine, laudis offerimus tu suscipe pro animabus illis quarum hodie memoriam facimus Fac eas, Domine, de morte transire ad vitam Quam olim Abrahae promisisti et semini eus. Chorus O Domine, Jesu Christe, Rex Gloriae libera animas defunctorum de poenis inferni et de profundo lacu ne cadant in obscurum. Amen. Sanctus Sopranos, tenors, basses Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus Dominus Deus Sabaoth Pleni sunt coeli et terra gloria tua Hosanna in excelsis. Pie Jesu Soprano solo Pie Jesu, Domine, dona eis requiem dona eis requiem sempiternam requiem 24 Agnus Dei Tenors, choir Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi dona eis requiem Choir Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi dona eis requiem Tenors Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi dona eis requiem, sempiternam requiem. Choir Lux aeterna luceat eis, Domine Cum sanctis tuis in aeternum, quia pius es Requiem aeternam dona eis Domine, et lux perpetua luceat eis

16 Libera me Baritone solo Libera me, Domine, de morte aeterna in die illa tremenda Quando coeli movendi sunt et terra Dum veneris judicare saeculum per ignem Choir Tremens factus sum ego et timeo dum discussio venerit atque ventura ira Dies illa dies irae calamitatis et miseriae dies illa, dies magna et amara valde Requiem aeternam dona eis Domine et lux perpetua luceat eis Libera me, Domine, de morte aeterna in die illa tremenda Quando coeli movendi sunt et terra Dum veneris judicare saeculum per ignem. In Paradisum Sopranos In Paradisum deducant Angeli in tuo adventu suscipiant te Martyres et perducant te in civitatem sanctam Jerusalem Chorus Jerusalem Sopranos Chorus Angelorum te suscipit et cum Lazaro quondam paupere aeternam habeas requiem Chorus Aeternam habeas requiem 48 25

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18 Requiem, Op 48 Introitus Kyrie Choir, tenors Grant them eternal rest, O Lord, and may perpetual light shine upon them Sopranos Thou, O God, art praised in Zion, and unto Thee shall the vow be performed in Jerusalem. Choir Hear my prayer, unto Thee shall all flesh come. Lord have mercy, Christ have mercy, Lord have mercy Offertoire Altos, tenors Lord Jesus Christ, King of Glory, deliver the souls of all the faithful departed from the pains of hells and from the bottomless pit. Lord Jesus Christ, King of Glory, Deliver them from the lion s mouth, nor let them fall into darkness, neither the black abyss swallow them up. Altos, tenors, basses Lord Jesus Christ, King of Glory, neither the black abyss swallow them up. Baritone solo We offer unto Thee this sacrifice of prayer and praise Receive it for those souls whom today we commemorate. Allow them, O Lord, to cross from death into the life which once Thou didst promise to Abraham and his seed. Chorus Lord Jesus Christ, King of Glory, deliver the souls of all the faithful departed from the pains of hells and from the bottomless pit. Nor let them fall into darkness. Amen Sanctus Sopranos, tenors, basses Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of Sabbath heaven and earth are full of Thy glory Hosanna in the highest. Pie Jesu Soprano solo Merciful Jesus, Lord, grant them rest grant them rest, eternal rest. 27

19 Agnus Dei Tenors, choir O Lamb of God, that takest away the sins of the world, grant them rest Choir O Lamb of God, that takest away the sins of the world, grant them rest Tenors O Lamb of God, that takest away the sins of the world, grant them rest, everlasting rest. Choir May eternal light shine on them, O Lord, with Thy saints for ever, because Thou art merciful. Grant them eternal rest, O Lord, and may perpetual light shine on them. Libera me Baritone solo Deliver me, O Lord, from everlasting death on that dreadful day when the heavens and the earth shall be moved when thou shalt come to judge the world by fire Choir I quake with fear and I tremble awaiting the day of account and the wrath to come. That day, the day of anger, of calamity, of misery, that day, the great day, and most bitter. Grant them eternal rest, O Lord, and may perpetual light shine upon them. Deliver me, O Lord, from everlasting death on that dreadful day when the heavens and the earth shall be moved when thou shalt come to judge the world by fire. In Paradisum Sopranos May the angels receive them in Paradise, at thy coming may the martyrs receive thee and bring thee into the holy city Jerusalem Chorus Jerusalem Sopranos There may the chorus of angels receive thee, and with Lazarus, once a beggar, may thou have eternal rest. Chorus May thou have eternal rest. 28

20 Chorus Profile City of Birmingham Symphony Chorus

21 This musical organisation represents the large choir at its impressive best, a brilliantly versatile interpreter of great music. There is enormous power here, but there is also the ability to speak softly, to create colour, shading, nuance and subtle suggestion... It is as impressive in a whisper as it is at full volume. Christopher Dafoe, Vancouver Sun Since its debut in 1974, the City of Birmingham Symphony Chorus (CBSC) a body of unpaid professionals has become one of the finest of its kind, performing regularly with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra (CBSO) and now in regular demand from other world-class orchestras. Under the direction of Simon Halsey, its director for 23 years, it has been heard in all the UK s major concert venues and has toured extensively across Europe, North America and Australia. The CBSC is one of the four choruses of the CBSO, along with two symphony youth choruses and a community-based choir for young people; this extensive choral set-up is unique in Great Britain. Working with the CBSO and Sakari Oramo A huge range of challenging repertoire has been undertaken by the Chorus with the CBSO and its Music Director, Sakari Oramo. In 2001 CBSC performances included Britten s Peter Grimes, Bach s St Matthew Passion and the centenary concerts of Elgar s The Dream of Gerontius which the Chorus performed from memory. In 2004 performances of Elgar s The Dream of Gerontius at Symphony Hall and the Amsterdam Concertgebouw attracted immense critical acclaim. Working with other orchestras The Chorus is an extremely important cultural ambassador, both for the CBSO and for Birmingham. Featured amongst a wealth of prestigious engagements in the past few years was the CBSC s 2000 World Tour, the highlight of which was a performance of Mahler s Symphony of a Thousand at the opening of the Sydney Olympic Arts Festival. The CBSC is a regular visitor to Manchester to perform and record with the BBC Philharmonic. In May 2002 the CBSC literally shook the foundations of the Vienna Musikverein, as it accepted a unique invitation to record live for EMI Beethoven s 9th Symphony with the Vienna Philharmonic and Sir Simon Rattle. Roars of approval greeted the Chorus at the close of two spectacular performances of the work. In January 2004 the CBSC flew to Helsinki to join Sakari and the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra for the Finnish premiere of Elgar s The Dream of Gerontius, and in September the CBSC met with the Berlin Philharmonic to wow Prom and Birmingham audiences with a performance of Beethoven s 9th Symphony which attracted unanimous critical acclaim. The CBSC has over 20 recordings to its credit, including five award-winning releases. 35

22 S i H m o n a l s e y Chorus Director and Conductor Biographies Simon Halsey is one of Britain s leading conductors, renowned for his work with choirs. He has been Chorus Director of the City of Birmingham Symphony Chorus for 23 years, and under his direction the Chorus has become widely known as one of the world s greatest choirs. The Chorus has won many awards and toured extensively with Halsey, building strong relationships with the orchestras and festivals in Vienna, Salzburg, Leipzig and the BBC Proms. This season such dates include a performance of Verdi s Requiem at the BBC Proms with the BBC Philharmonic. As chorus master Simon Halsey has formed close partnerships with conductors including Sir Simon Rattle, Edo de Waart, Riccardo Chailly, Marek Janowski, Sakari Oramo, Kent Nagano, Claudio Abbado and Esa- Pekka Salonen. His other posts are Principal Conductor Choral Programme of the Northern Sinfonia, and Chief Conductor of the Berlin and Netherlands Radio Choirs. He is Artistic Director and founder of the dynamic European Voices, formed at the invitation of Sir Simon Rattle. Halsey has worked on countless major recording projects with the CBSC, many of which have won major awards including several Gramophone Awards and Preis der Deutschen Schallplattenkritik. Following last year s world premiere at Symphony Hall, this season Halsey will record Julian Anderson s Four American Choruses and English Choral Favourites. Other landmark recordings include Beethoven s 9th Symphony, in a live recording with the City of Birmingham Symphony Chorus and Vienna Philharmonic under Sir Simon Rattle. 37

23 Ashley Holland Baritone Ashley Holland is one of the most sought after young baritones for the 19th century Italian repertory. Following his recent highly-successful debut as Don Pedro in Donizetti s Maria Padilla with the Minnesota Opera, he was immediately invited back for the role of Orazio in their new production Orazi e Curiazi in Holland studied at Warwick University and as a postgraduate at the Royal Northern College of Music. In 1995 he was the English representative in the Cardiff Singer of the World Competition and in 1998 he won the RANIERI I cestelli competizione dell opera in Hamburg. For several seasons Ashley Holland was a principal baritone at the English National Opera. Other engagements have included concert performances with Mark Elder and the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, his first Don Giovanni for the Calgary Opera and his debut with Semper Opera Dresden as Ford in a new production of Falstaff. He also sings in concerts with major orchestras around the world. 38

24 Teresa La Rocca Soprano Teresa La Rocca completed a drama and music degree at Adelaide University. She appeared in the movie Shine and was a Young Artist with the State Opera of South Australia. La Rocca has performed many principal roles with the major opera companies of Australia including Norina in Don Pasquale, Parasha in Stravinsky s Mavra, Yum Yum in The Mikado, and Despina in Così fan tutte, all for State Opera of South Australia. Her roles performed for Opera Australia include Queen of the Night in The Magic Flute, Musetta in La Bohème and in The Marriage of Figaro. She has performed as a guest artist with many other orchestras including the Sydney Symphony Orchestra and Adelaide Symphony Orchestra. Patrick Togher Artists Management 2005 Rupert Gough Organ Rupert Gough has been Assistant Organist at Wells Cathedral since 1994 where he accompanies and assists in directing the nine sung services every week. With the choir he has performed all over the world, on the radio, and on television. Rupert Gough enjoys a busy career as recitalist, conductor and accompanist. As a recitalist he has performed widely in Europe and America. Gough also teaches organ at Wells Cathedral School. He has established a successful organ and violin duo with his wife Rachel. In 1998 Gough founded the Wells Cathedral Chamber Choir and this professional ensemble (now also known as the Sheldon Consort) has established a reputation for high standards and exploring lesser known aspects of the English repertory. 39

25 Orchestra Profile Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra /05 In the few months since Edo de Waart took over the HKPO, he has transformed it, and their performance now sounds like that of a world-class orchestra. This is truly a miracle. - Leo Lee, Yazhou Zhoukan, February 2005 The Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra is rapidly emerging as Asia s leading orchestra, since the internationally renowned Edo de Waart joined the Orchestra as Artistic Director and Chief Conductor in the 2004/05 season. Throughout the last three decades, the Orchestra has grown into a formidable ensemble of Chinese and international talents, attracting world-class artists to perform on the same stage. Apart from giving over 100 performances annually, many of which are highly anticipated events in the city s cultural calendar, the Orchestra performs more than 70 free orchestral and chamber concerts for 70,000 primary and secondary school students a year. It also joins hands with the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts to help nurture aspiring professionals. 41

26 Chorus Members City of Birmingham Symphony Chorus Chorus Director Associate Conductor Assistant Conductor Chorus Manager Chorus Administrator Simon Halsey David Lawrence Julian Wilkins Elen Huws Elis Mike Flower Sopranos Sally Bateman Nikki Bawcutt Sarah Beedle Heledd Bennett Joynson Louisa Blankson Kay Bodley * Catherine Byers Heather Cole Julie Coley * Tanya Cutts Helen Davies Pamela Davies Kathy Deakin * Lisa Elkington-Bourne Lynne Evans Nancy Gillio-Terry Naomi Goldsworthy Lucy Griffiths Prue Hawthorne * Robyn Jennings Diana King * Annabel Kings Sheila Koch Katherine Lawson Valerie Matthews * Dawn Mullard Catherine Panting Sarah Rees Sally Ryan Jennifer Scholes Victoria Shirtliff Emily Smith Yvonne Sutton Sarah Tambling Emma Thickens Diane Todd Isobel Towers Linda Ward Naomi Wellings Alison Wright 42

27 Altos Yvonne Allen Anne Almond Janet Bellinger * Tracy Bowden Kathleen Campbell * Christine Chadwick Helen Chamberlain Deborah Dakin * Catherine Duke Sarah Ennis * Louise Fullbrook Christine Giles Alison Haynes Barbara Hulse Susan Lawrence Catherine Marriott Jennifer Mason * Josephine Mesa Bandres Lorna Morris Lesley Nickell * Barbara Parker Elizabeth Parkin Alison Sadler Heather Somerfield Christine Trethowan Sally Walker Christina Warner * Gillian Yates Alison York Tenors David Barber Charles Barwell Richard Cook Peter Davies Michael Delany Michael Ennis Michael Foster Paul Glossop Steve Harper Simon Judge Robin Lewis David Lorimer Howard Marriott Bradley Minchin William Nealon * Tenors Ron Powell * Harold Raitt David Richardson Allen Roberts Paul Sheldon Victor Smith Michael Whitewood * Jon Wilson Alan Winwood Basses Steve Ash John Bayley * Philip Beynon Paul Bodley * Martin Brown * Paul Chambers Mark Checketts Chun Fai Cheuk Michael Claridge * Robert Cleal Julian Davey Michael Dernie Dominic Edgar David Ennis Richard Fullbrook Stephen Gibbs Thomas Henderson Peter Leppard Stuart Mitchell Martin Monks Chris O Grady Andrew Packer * Andrew Parker Richard Prew Phillip Rawle * Michael Smith Gordon Thornett * Christopher Wellings Alan White * Holders of CBSC Long Service Award The City of Birmingham Symphony Chorus is represented by Intermusica Artists Management Ltd for their 2006 Hong Kong tour. 43

28 Orchestra Members Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra Artistic Director and Chief Conductor Conductor Laureate Resident Conductor Hong Kong Philharmonic Conducting Fellowship 2005 Edo de Waart David Atherton Harmen Cnossen Chau Cheung First Associate Concertmaster Leung Kin-fung Second Associate Concertmaster Wong Sze-hang Third Associate Concertmaster Zhu Bei First Violins Mao Hua Cheng Li Cheng Chi-man Chow Lap-chung Scott Homer Mao Yiguo Rachael Mellado Ni Lan Pak Ling Christine Wong Kar-yee Zhang Xi Zhou Tengfei Second Violins Fan Ting Leslie Ryang Moon-sun Katrina Ma Miyaka Suzuki Tomoko Tanaka Mao William Davidson Ricardo de Mello Gallant Ho Ka-chun Russell Kan Wang-to Mo Kwok-fai Sarah Nordlund Martin Poon Ting-leung Shen Rong Alisa Yan Yuqing Violas Kaori Wilson Li Ming Alice Rosen Chan Shing-keung Cui Hong-wei Fan Yan Ethan Heath Luk Chin-kau Pak Ming Sun Bin Zhao Yu 44

29 Cellos Double Basses Eddie Zong Xiaoqian Jiang Xinlai Feng Rong Samuel Ferrer Jeffrey Lehmberg George Lomdaridze Jonathan Van Dyke Xue Yu Hui Yu-sing (on sabbatical leave) Flutes Piccolo Oboes * * Cor Anglais Clarinets E E Clarinet Richard Bamping Chen Yi-chun Anna Kwan Ton-an Cheung Ming-yuen Timothy Frank Li Ming-lu Patrick Sohn Tae-jin Yalin Song Erik Williams Megan Sterling Donna Orbovich Linda Stuckey Linda Stuckey Huang Zheng Michael Wilson Christopher Chen Christopher Chen Andrew Simon John Schertle Michael Campbell John Schertle Bass Clarinet Michael Campbell Bassoons Contra Bassoon Horns Trumpets Trombones Bass Trombone Tuba Timpani Percussion Kam Shui Vance Lee Adam Treverton Jones Adam Treverton Jones Mark Vines Chow Chi-chung May Van Norman Homer Lee Siu-lam Takako Kawase Jonathan Clarke Christopher Moyse Douglas Waterston Jarod Vermette Maciek Walicki Denson Paul Pollard Paul Luxenberg James Boznos Adrian Stefanescu Raymond Leung Wai-wa Sophia Woo Shuk-fai Harp Christopher Sidenius Keyboard Shirley Ip Extra Players Kristian Winther (Guest Associate Concertmaster) CarlaMaria Theresa Rodrigues (Guest Principal Viola) Principal * Co-Principal Assistant Principal 45