Hong Kong’s Musicus Fest 2024 in Hong Kong
In 2010, a group of music enthusiasts in Hong Kong founded the Musicus Society. Under the artistic direction of Trey Lee, the organization has become an integral part of the cultural life of this Asian metropolis over the last 15 years.
Today, the Musicus Society has its own chamber ensemble, which regularly performs in Asia and Europe. It supports young musicians from Hong Kong in starting their careers and runs other programs, such as ‘Heritage’, which organizes chamber concerts in historic buildings across Hong Kong. The annual highlight of the Society’s activities is the Musicus Fest, a mini-festival that includes a young artist’s recital, a children’s concert, a chamber music concert, and a performance by an international symphony orchestra.
This November, during Musicus Fest, I had the opportunity to hear a recital by young pianist Zach Cheong (30 November, Hong Kong City Hall). The thoughtfully curated program featured works ranging from Bach, Beethoven, Chopin, Schubert, and Rachmaninoff to Ravel. The pieces revolved around themes of love and death. Of course, he is a young pianist just beginning his professional career, but his playing showed technical confidence and a certain subtlety. The phrasing was light yet expressive, and the structure and style of the pieces were clear.
Sinfonia Varsovia opened the festival with a community concert (29 November, Academic Community Hall, Hong Kong Baptist University) for secondary school children and university students. The program was ambitious, featuring Orawa by Wojciech Kilar, Mała Suita by Witold Lutosławski, and Symphony No.1 in D major, Op.25 (Classical) by Prokofiev. Playing without a conductor and led only by concertmaster Adam Siebers, the musicians proved that Slavic music runs in their veins. They skilfully handled rhythms and tempos, delivering an energetic interpretation of the pieces. Community concerts like these are an essential part of the Musicus Society’s activities.
The highlight of Musicus Fest 2024 was the performance by Sinfonia Varsovia at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre (1 December). The concert featured Dvořák’s Cello Concerto in B minor, Op.104, and Symphony No.7 in D Minor, Op.70, as well as Lutosławski’s Little Suite. The musicians performed under the baton of Alexander Liebreich, with Trey Lee as the soloist.
Dvořák’s Cello Concerto is undoubtedly one of the masterpieces of the cello repertoire. This late work (premiered in 1896) by the Czech master is characterized by virtuosity as well as symphonic grandeur. When writing the concerto, Dvořák was at the peak of his career. One can feel that this is the work of a mature composer — nothing is accidental here. The clear, concise structure, rich orchestration, and subtle solo passages make this one of the most significant concertos of the Romantic era. Trey Lee impressed not only with flawless technique but also with deep emotional involvement. From the very first notes, it was evident that he fully believed in the music he was performing. His interpretation ranged from lyrical, singing lines in the Adagio to sharper, more dramatic tones in the final Allegro. His legato playing was particularly sweet and charming. Lee avoided any pathos. Instead, the artist created a slightly nostalgic atmosphere. His interpretation was balanced, avoiding excess and exaggeration. Lee’s performance was marked by clear and distinct phrasing, always respecting the structure of the piece rather than imposing his ego. His playing combined precision with poetry.
The conductor chose moderate tempos. This was not a rushed Dvořák; on the contrary, under Liebreich’s baton, the music had room to breathe. In this piece, Sinfonia Varsovia was not merely an accompaniment to the soloist but an equal partner, contributing its own interpretation. The orchestra adopted a rather dark tone, giving Dvořák’s work a somewhat melancholic mood.
Lutosławski is one of Poland’s most important composers, and his Little Suite is a great example of his style. The dances that the composer heard in Machów, a village in southern Poland, form the foundation of this composition. Each of the four movements is based on a different dance or folk song. Nonetheless, all of them are sophisticatedly transformed into a modern version of a Haydn symphony. From a formal perspective, Little Suite is an example of perfect composition. It is a concise, clear piece, masterfully orchestrated to transform simple folk themes into a refined, rich orchestral structure. Sinfonia Varsovia has not only performed Lutosławski’s works multiple times but also worked with the composer in the past. This was evident in their performance. The Little Suite sounded light and natural, with the musicians effortlessly shifting rhythms and tempos. Their performance was playful and vibrant.
In the second part of the concert, Symphony No.7 in D minor was performed. This work, which premiered in 1885, is widely regarded as the culmination of Dvořák’s Slavic style. Sinfonia Varsovia played with emotion, capturing the Slavic character of the piece. Under Liebreich’s baton, Dvořák’s work possessed a muscular, dark tone.
Sinfonia Varsovia presented a sound typical of orchestras from Eastern Europe. It was somewhat dark, heavy, and at times earthy. The brass section lacked perfect clarity, and articulation could be improved, but the musicians played with energy and passion.
As an encore, Sinfonia Varsovia performed Orawa by Wojciech Kilar together with local children studying music. Inspired by folk music from the Polish mountains, Orawa features hypnotic rhythms and dynamic contrasts. The local music students captured the essence of the piece beautifully.
The audience responded enthusiastically to Sinfonia Varsovia’s performance at the Concert Hall of the Hong Kong Cultural Centre. The age structure of the audience in Hong Kong is different from that in Europe. While in Europe the dominant group of music lovers is retired people, here the concerts are attended by many children and young people.
Jacek Kornak