Program Notes: "Faith" 2017.01.08 — Bach & Lotti

信念 Faith: Bach & Lotti

LOTTI 洛提

Crucifixus a 8, from Missa Sancti Christophori 八聲部《釘十字架》，選自《聖基道霍彌撒曲》 Missa Sapientiae 《智慧彌撒曲》 *** Intermission***

BACH 巴赫

Christmas Oratorio BWV248 Part V “Ehre sei dir, Gott, gesungen” 《聖誕節神劇》BWV 248 第五部 「主，你的光榮當被歌頌」

Hong Kong Voices Conductor| Grace Chiang Organ| Felix Yeung Soprano| Joyce Law Mezzo-soprano| Dominique Chan Tenor| Justin Li Baritone| Alan Tsang Concertmaster/Violin solo| Matthew Leung Oboe d’amore solo| Matthew Chin 8 January 2017 (Sunday) 19:30 Yip Kit Chuen Concert Hall, Diocesan Boys’ School

Crucifixus a 8, from Missa Sancti Christophori

Antonio Lotti (1667-1740)

The Italian Baroque composer Antonio Lotti (1667 – 1740) was born in Venice, and he first served as chorister at St. Mark’s Basilica, Venice’s main church, and became second organist there in 1692, before employed as principal organist in 1704. Lotti’s duties included that of a composer, and he wrote a large amount of music for St. Mark’s services. Meanwhile he also wrote secular works, including solo works, madrigals and operas such as Alessandro Severo in 1717, which brought him success and caught the attention of the Electoral Prince of Saxony, which led to his appointment to be opera Kapellmeister at the Court of Dresden.

Lotti was granted leave to go to Dresden to compose an opera for the city, and from 1717-1719 it was the only period of time of some length that he was away from Venice, bringing with him his wife, the librettist, and musicians of the basilica. In 1736, Lotti was made maestro di cappella at St. Mark’s, a position he remained until his death in 1740. Lotti composed in a variety of forms, such as masses, motets, madrigals, operas, and instrumental music, and was also a notable teacher, with Domenico Alberti, Benedetto Marcello, and Johann Dismas Zelenka among his pupils.

Considered his most famous of work, the Crucifixus a 8 broke the rules of conventional harmony with unprepared dissonances, tritones and the like. Originally a part of the Credo in F major for four voices accompanied by strings and organ continuo, it was composed when he was at Dresden.

This Crucifixus was excerpted by Johann Friedrich Rochlitz to be included in the 1838 collection of sacred music. Opening with basses framing a C minor triad, the voices come in one after another in exquisite suspensions and resolutions, and evolving into the descending syncopated scales on “passus” before coming together at “et sepultus est”.

Crucifixus etiam pro nobis sub Pontio Pilato; passus et sepultus est.

For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate, he suffered death and was buried.

English translation of The Roman Missal © 2010 International Commission on English in the Liturgy Corporation.

Missa Sapientiae: Kyrie & Gloria KYRIE 1. Kyrie eleison I (chorus) 2. Christe eleison (SATB soli) 3. Kyrie eleison II (chorus) GLORIA 4. Gloria in excelsis Deo (SATB soli & chorus) 5. Laudamus te (chorus)

Antonio Lotti (1667-1740) 6.

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Gratias agimus tibi (chorus) Domine Deus, Rex cœlestis (soprano solo) Domine Fili (ATB soli) Domine Deus, Agnus Dei (chorus) Qui tollis peccata mundi (chorus) Qui sedes (chorus) Quoniam tu solus Sanctus (SABB soli) Cum Sancto Spiritu (chorus)

Lotti wrote 12 concert settings of the Kyrie, 14 of the Gloria, and 5 of the Credo. During the time, the convention in Venice was that when the first three sections of the mass were long, the remaining would be sung to plain song, and it was rarely composed together as a “missa.” Hence it was left to Lotti’s pupil, Zelenka, to compile Lotti’s mass sections together and give them titles such as Missa Sapientiae, Missa Sancti Christophori (Kyrie, Gloria and Credo in F major – where we can find the Crucifixus a 8).

Lotti is thought to have influenced Johann Sebastian Bach, George Frideric Handel, and Johann Dismas Zelenka, all of whom had copies of Lotti's mass, the Missa Sapientiae. This mass set in G minor includes the Kyrie and Gloria, with the text divided into many separate movements. In Zelenka’s copy however, which he adapted around 1730s for performance at the Catholic Chapel of the Palace of Dresden, he provided a more colourful wind instrumentation, and it was from this version that Bach made a copy of the mass; the oboes doubled the tutti strings, a woodwind part is added to the dialogue between the high strings and the bass instruments in “Laudamus te,” and in “Domine Deus, Rex coelestis” Zelenka used a transverse flute (ancestor of the modern flute).

Despite the use of a larger ensemble, the style of Lotti’s music is one of restraint. Instead of overwhelming the listener, he asks the performers and listeners to reflect on the subtle details and meditate on the text of the mass, very much in the spirit of Palestrina.

I. Kyrie Kyrie, eleison.

Christe, eleison Kyrie, eleison.

I. Kyrie Lord, have mercy.

Christ, have mercy.

Lord, have mercy.

II. Gloria Gloria in excelsis Deo, et in terra pax hominibus bonae voluntatis.

Laudamus te, benedicimus te, adoramus te, glorificamus te.

Gratias agimus tibi propter magnam gloriam tuam.

Domine Deus, Rex cœlestis.

Deus Pater omnipotens.

Domine Fili Unigenite, Jesu Christe.

Domine Deus, Agnus Dei,

II. Gloria Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to people of good will.

We praise you, we bless you, we adore you, we glorify you.

We give you thanks for your great glory.

Lord God, heavenly King.

O God, almighty Father.

Lord Jesus Christ, Only Begotten Son. Lord God, Lamb of God,

Filius Patris.

Qui tollis peccata mundi, miserere nobis; qui tollis peccata mundi, suscipe deprecationem nostram.

Qui sedes ad dexteram Patris, miserere nobis.

Quoniam tu solus Sanctus, tu solus Dominus, tu solus Altissimus, Jesu Christe.

Cum Sancto Spiritu: in gloria Dei Patris. Amen.

Son of the Father.

You take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us; you take away the sins of the world, receive our prayer.

You are seated at the right hand of the Father, have mercy on us.

For you alone are the Holy One, you alone are the Lord, you alone are the Most High, Jesus Christ With the Holy Spirit, in the glory of God the Father. Amen.

English translation of The Roman Missal Š 2010 International Commission on English in the Liturgy Corporation.

Christmas Oratorio BWV248 Part V “Ehre sei dir, Gott, gesungen”

Johann Sebastian Bach (1685 -1750)

Weihnachts-Oratorium, BWV248, V: Ehre sei dir, Gott, gesungen 1. Chorus: Ehre sei dir, Gott, gesungen 2. Evangelist: Da Jesus geboren war zu Bethlehem (tenor) 3. Chorus: Wo ist der neugeborne König der Jüden (chorus & alto) 4. Chorale: Dein Glanz all Finsternis verzehrt 5. Aria: Erleucht auch meine finstre Sinnen (bass) 6. Evangelist: Da das der König Herodes hörte (tenor)

7. Recitative: Warum wollt ihr erschrecken? (alto) 8. Evangelist: Und liess versammeln alle Hohepriester (tenor) 9. Trio: Ach, wenn wird die Zeit erscheinen (soprano, alto, tenor) 10. Recitative: Mein Liebster herrschet schon (alto) 11. Chorale: Zwar ist solche Herzensstube

The three works that Bach called “oratorios,” the Christmas Oratorio, the Easter Oratorio and Ascension Oratorio, were composed between 1734 and 1735. For Bach, oratorios have the same place in the Lutheran liturgy as the cantata; the only difference between them is that the oratorio have a self-contained “plot” or take the form of narration with dialogue. All three works are essentially based on parodies of secular cantatas, the Christmas Oratorio in particular, from nos.213-5 among other works. However, there is much new music in the Christmas Oratorio, especially in the choruses and the chorales, that it becomes essentially a separate work.

Christmas Oratorio was composed for the Christmas church festival at Leipzig in 1734 and was meant to be sung across six days of service: on Christmas Day, the two days after Christmas, the Feast of Circumcision, the Sunday after New Year, and the Feast of the Epiphany. The structure of the work was typical of the church cantata of Leipzig at the time, which includes recitatives, arias, choruses and chorales. What sets this apart from the usual cantatas is the use of the Evangelist to narrate the biblical story, while the chorus and soloists reflect on the events that occurred. The author of the libretto is not known, though it’s believed to be Picander, Bach’s collaborator at Leipzig on many occasions. The text recounts the coming of Christ, the Nativity, the visit of the shepherds, the adoration, the circumcision, the visit of the wise men, the treachery of Herod, and the flight into Egypt.

Part V of the Oratorio focuses on the wise men from the Orient, the star in the East, and the anxiety of King Herod, and it was to be sung at the first Sunday after New Year (but before Epiphany). The opening da capo chorus features two oboe d’amore, strings and continuo, and is imbued with playful rhythm and a dance-like character, while singing praises to the Lord and giving thanks for His wondrous blessings. After a recitative by the Evangelist, the chorus sings of the coming of the wise men, interjected by two accompanied recitatives for alto. The chorale that follows speaks of the brightness of the light that cast away all darkness, and leads into the bass aria that asks the Lord to illuminate our hearts. This aria was parodied from the aria for Soprano and flute in the secular Cantata BWV215, and now accompanied by oboe d’amore obbligato. Three subsequent recitatives narrate the reception of the Good News by King Herod and the people of Israel, leading into the terzetto in B minor with violin solo and continuo, as the believers pray for Jesus’s coming. After a short recitative for alto with two oboe d’amore, the final chorale returns to the opening tonality and concludes the cantata with a solid proclamation of faith, that the light of Christ will shine in our hearts no matter how unworthy humanity may be.

1. Chor Ehre sei dir, Gott, gesungen, dir sei Lob und Dank bereit'.

Dich erhebet alle Welt, weil dir unser Wohl gefällt, weil anheut unser aller Wunsch gelungen, weil uns dein Segen so herrlich erfreut.

1. Chorus Let honour be sung to You, o God, praise and thanks be prepared for You. All the world exalts You, since our well-being was Your pleasure, since today all our wishes have come to pass, since Your blessing so gloriously delights us.

2. Rezitativ Tenor (Matthäus 2:1) Evangelist: Da Jesus geboren war zu Bethlehem im jüdischen Lande, zur Zeit des Königes Herodis, siehe, da kamen die Weisen vom Morgenlande gen Jerusalem und sprachen:

2. Recitative Tenor (Matthew 2:1) Evangelist: In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, asking:

3. Chor (Matthäus 2:2) & Rezitativ Alt Chor (Die Weisen): »Wo ist der neugeborne König der Jüden ? « Alt: Sucht ihn in meiner Brust, hier wohnt er, mir und ihm zur Lust!

Chor (Die Weisen): »Wir haben seinen Stern gesehen im Morgenlande und sind kommen, ihn anzubeten. « Alt: Wohl euch, die ihr dies Licht gesehen, Es ist zu eurem Heil geschehen! mein Heiland, du, du bist das Licht, das auch den Heiden scheinen sollen, und sie, sie kennen dich noch nicht, als sie dich schon verehren wollen.

Wie hell, wie klar muß nicht dein Schein, geliebter Jesu, sein!

3. Chorus (Matthew 2:2) & Recitative Alto Chorus (Wise Men): “Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews?”

Alto: Seek Him within my breast, He lives here, to His and my delight!

Chorus (Wise Men): “For we observed his star at its rising, and have come to pay him homage.”

Alto: Happy are you, who have seen this light, it has appeared for your salvation!

My Savior, You, You are the light, that shall shine also for the heathens, and they, they do not yet know You, yet they already wish to honor You. How bright, how clear must your radiance be, beloved Jesus!

4. Choral Georg Weissel: Nun, liebe Seel, nun ist es Zeit, fünfte Strophe (1642) Dein Glanz all Finsternis verzehrt, die trübe Nacht in Licht verkehrt.

Leit uns auf deinen Wegen, daß dein Gesicht und herrlichs Licht wir ewig schauen mögen!

4. Chorale Georg Weissel: Now, beloved soul, now is the time, Verse 5 (1642) Your radiance destroys all darkness, the troubled night is transfigured with light.

Lead us on Your paths, so that Your face and glorious light might always be visible to us!

5. Arie Baß Erleucht auch meine finstre Sinnen, erleuchte mein Herze durch der Strahlen klaren Schein!

Dein Wort soll mir die hellste Kerze in allen meinen Werken sein; dies lässet die Seele nichts Böses beginnen.

5. Aria Bass Illumine my dark thoughts as well, illumine my heart through the rays of your clear brilliance!

Your word shall be the brightest candle for me in all my doings; this will never let my soul initiate evil.

6. Recitativ Tenor (Matthäus 2:3) Evangelist: Da das der König Herodes hörte, erschrak er und mit ihm das ganze Jerusalem.

6. Recitative Tenor (Matthew 2:3) Evangelist: When King Herod heard this, he was frightened, and all Jerusalem with him.

7. Rezitativ Alt Warum wollt ihr erschrecken?

Kann meines Jesu Gegenwart euch solch Furcht erwecken?

O! Solltet ihr euch nicht vielmehr darüber freuen, weil er dadurch verspricht, der Menschen Wohlfahrt zu verneuen.

7. Recitative Alto Why are you afraid?

Can the presence of my Jesus awaken such fear in you?

O! Should you not rather much more rejoice over this, since He has promised through this to renew the happy destiny of humanity.

8. Rezitativ Tenor (Matthäus 2:4-6) 8. Recitative Tenor (Matthew 2:4-6) Evangelist: Und ließ versammlen alle Hohepriester Evangelist: And calling together all the chief priests und Schriftgelehrten unter dem Volk und erforschete and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where von ihnen, wo Christus sollte geboren werden. Und the Messiah was to be born. They told him, “In sie sagten ihm: »Zu Bethlehem im jüdischen Lande: Bethlehem of Judea; for so it has been written by the denn also stehet geschrieben durch den Propheten: prophet: Und du Bethlehem im jüdischen Lande bist mitnichten die kleinest unter den Fürsten Juda; denn aus dir soll mir kommen der Herzog, der über mein Volk Israel ein Herr sei. «

‘And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who is to shepherd my people Israel.’”

9. Arie (Terzett) Sopran Alt Tenor Ach, wenn wird die Zeit erscheinen?

Ach, wenn kömmt der Trost der Seinen?

—Schweigt, er ist schon würklich hier!— Jesu, ach so komm zu mir!

9. Aria (Trio) Soprano Alto Tenor Ah, when will the time appear?

Ah, when will the comfort of the faithful come?

—Hush, He is truly already here!— Jesus, ah, then come to me!

10. Rezitativ Alt Mein Liebster herrschet schon.

Ein Herz, das seine Herrschaft liebet und sich ihm ganz zu eigen gibet, ist meines Jesu Thron.

10. Recitative Alto My beloved already reigns.

A heart that loves His governance and gives itself utterly to Him as His own, is my Jesus' throne.

11. Choral Johann Franck: Ihr Gestirn, ihr hohlen Lüfte, neunte Strophe (1655) Zwar ist solch Herzensstube wohl kein schöner Fürstensaal, sondern eine finstre Grube; doch, sobald dein Gnadenstrahl in denselben nur wird blinken, wird es voller Sonnen dünken.

11. Chorale Johann Franck: Ye stars, ye hollow winds, Verse 9 (1655) Indeed such a heart's closet may be no ornate princely chamber, rather a dark pit; yet, as soon as Your beams of grace only peep within it, it seems to be full of sunshine.

Translation © Pamela Dellal, courtesy of Emmanuel Music, Boston, MA www.emmanuelmusic.org. Used by permission.

Scripture quotations are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible © 1989 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission.

Grace Chiang, Conductor Grace graduated from the Music Department, the Chinese University of Hong

Kong, studying voice with Chan Siu-kwan. Upon graduation, she was awarded the Hong Kong Jockey Club Music Scholarship to read for a Master’s degree in Music, majoring in Historical Musicology at Royal Holloway, University of London, where she continued her vocal studies under the guidance of Christian Immler. An active performer, Grace has appeared as soloist in works as Copland’s In the Beginning, Handel’s Messiah, J. S. Bach’s St. John Passion and cantatas, Mozart’s Litaniae de Venerabili Altaris Sacramento, and Mendelssohn’s St. Paul. Her interests extend to contemporary music, often performing works by Hong Kong composers; Grace collaborated with the Chinese Music Virtuosi in premiering Chan Hing-yan’s Schmetterlingsträumen Lieder at the Musicarama 2010, and appeared with the Hong Kong New Music Ensemble, performing works by Lam Bun-ching at the 2012 Macau International Music Festival. Grace took part in conducting masterclasses and workshops of maestros Stephen Layton, Rolf Beck, and James Jordan.

She returned to serve at her alma mater, and led the girls’ choir to win Gold Medals at the 2012 Cincinnati, USA and the 2014 Riga, Latvia World Choir Games. Grace conducts Hong Kong Voices among various choral ensembles, and recently appeared in performances such as Howells’s Requiem, Mozart’s Vesperae solennes de confessore, J. S. Bach’s motets and Magnificat BWV243.

Felix Yeung, Organ Award-winning conductor Felix Yeung currently combines his office as Director of Music at St John’s Cathedral and Provincial Music Director of Hong Kong Sheng Kung Hui. He is also Music Director of Die Konzertisten, one of Hong Kong’s foremost chamber choirs. Felix was given the Award for Young Artist (Music) in 2015 by Hong Kong Arts Development Council. He is also a 2015 recipient of Jebsen & Co. Choral Arts Youth Scholarship and the title ‘World Youth Choral Artist’, awarded by World Youth and Children Choral Artists’ Association. Notable performances with Die Konzertisten include Bach’s St Matthew Passion, Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas, Buxtehude’s Membra Jesu Nostri, Fauré’s Requiem, Bernstein’s Chichester Psalms, Lauridsen’s Lux Aeterna, and Howell’s Requiem. In Counterpoint Music Festival 2014, Felix led the choir to perform with the world-renowned countertenor, Iestyn Davies, who made his Asia debut. He also prepared the choir for an acclaimed performance of Handel’s Messiah in 2015. Led by British conductor Jonathan Cohen, the concert featured Hong Kong’s first-ever baroque orchestra, Cammer Musicus. Felix was chorusmaster for the Hong Kong Arts Festival Chorus in the dance-opera Iphigenia auf Tauris in 42nd Hong Kong Arts Festival.

Felix is an Associate of the Royal Academy of Music, where he obtained an MMus with distinction under the tutelage of conductors Patrick Russill and Paul Brough. He was awarded the Academy’s coveted premier prix, the DipRAM, for outstanding performance in his final recital, and has obtained the LRAM diploma in choral conducting pedagogy. Upon finishing his graduate studies, Felix became the first Pettman Organ Scholar at the London Oratory, and worked closely with the Oratory Junior Choir for all of their rehearsals and services, as well as assisting in the Oratory’s major Latin liturgies. Felix read music at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, where he was also music director of the Hong Kong Youth Choir.

Joyce Law, Soprano achieved a Bachelor Music degree in Hong Kong Baptist University with first honor

and outstanding award in 2012, majoring in Voice performance and pedagogy. With the professional guidance of Ms. Chan Siu Kwan, she achieved the Singing Diploma (LTCL—Recital) with distinction in 2010. Joyce sang in a 2010 Master class held by Dame Emma Kirkby in Hong Kong. She also participated in the Westminster Choir College Chamber choir in 2012 and conducted in the conducting master class coached by Dr. Dirk Garner. In 2015, Joyce further achieved a Master degree of Music (Voice Performance) in Royal Holloway, University of London, under the guidance of Ms. Elaine Pearce. She also received Choral Scholarship to be the Choral Scholar of the renowned The Choir of Royal Holloway. Joyce actively participated in different vocal and ensemble workshops conducted by the King’s Singers, the ensemble-in-residence of Royal Holloway.

Joyce has also performed for HM the Queen and other British Royal family members at the Buckingham Palace, Royal Albert Hall, and the Magna Carta 800th Anniversary in 2014-2015. Joyce has been selected as Hong Kong SingFest vocalist and participated in master classes under the Barton of Maestro Helmuth Rilling, Maestra Wing-Sze Yip, and Maestro Stephen Coker in 2012, 2013 and 2015 respectively. Joyce was also invited to perform in the new chamber opera Heart of Coral, commissioned and produced by the 41th Hong Kong Arts Festival.

Dominique Chan, Mezzo-soprano Dominique obtained her Postgraduate Diploma in Performance (Voice) from the Leeds College of Music. She was an active competitor in Mrs. Sunderland Music Festival and Rothwell Music Festival during her stay in the UK. Winning awards included Huddersfield Amateur Operatic Society (2009) and the highest honor - The Kirkwood Rosebowl from Rothwell Music Festival (2012). Her operatic roles include Hansel in Hansel and Gretel, Gertrude in Roméo et Juliette, Emilia in Otello, Empress in The Poisoned Kiss, Rosettte in Manon and Leader in The Tsar Has His Photograph Taken. She has also performed a number of major vocal works as a soloist with various orchestras, such as Handel’s Messiah, Mozart’s Requiem and Mendelssohn’s Elijah. In 2015 July, Dominique was selected as one of the ten young vocalists under the Jockey Club Opera Hong Kong Young Artist Development Programme.

Justin Li, Tenor Justin started his vocal training since the age of 15 with Tenor David Quah. At the age of 17, he studied in London and was coached by mezzo-soprano Catrin Johnsson and vocal coach David Harper. He has appeared as the tenor soloist in various concerts such as Mozart Mass in C minor and Bach Magnificat in D during his stay in London, and has won the UK Spring Grove Music Festival Young Voices category in 2006.

Returning to Hong Kong in 2007, Justin has then won the oratorio and art song competitions and was awarded the Miss Barbara Fei Vocal Scholarship Open Class and the Harry Ore Memorial Prize in the 61st Hong Kong Schools Music Festival. He was also the winner of the Art song category of the 4th Hong Kong Youth Singing Festival. He has been an active member of the Hong Kong Young People's Chorus and a cappella singing group I Cantanti. He has passed his LTCL diploma for music recital for vocal in 2008 with distinction. Since then, Justin has been frequently invited as the tenor soloist in performances held by the Hong Kong Young People's Chorus and the Hong Kong Voices, including works such as Saint-Saëns Christmas Oratorio de Noël and Bach St. John Passion in 2014, where he made his debut as the role of the evangelist. He has been working on various Bach Cantata projects together with Die Konzertisten and SingFest Choral Academy in 2016.

Alan Tsang, Baritone Baritone Alan Tsang graduated from the Royal College of Music in London, and was

previously a Choral Scholar at St Martin-in-the-Fields, Trafalgar Square. In field of opera Alan has appeared as Colline La bohème, Ceprano Rigoletto, Aeneas Dido and Aeneas, Masetto Don Giovanni, Abimelech Samson et Dalila, Melchior Amahl and the Night Visitors, Grenu Ciboulette, Bernardino Benvenuto Cellini, Oreste Iphigénie en Tauride and Geronimo Il matrimonio segreto. An experienced soloist he has performed with conductors Paul Spicer, Sir Charles Mackerras, Sir David Willcocks, Peter Schreier, Stephen Layton, Jonathan Cohen, and more recently, Kuok-man Lio, Jan Michael Horstmann, Felix Yeung. On concert platform Alan has sung cantatas

by Bach, Monteverdi Vespers, Requiem mass by Fauré, Brahms and Mozart, Handel Messiah, Israel in Egypt and Dettingen Te Deum, Tippett A Child of Our Time, Chilcott St John Passion, sacred works by Purcell, Beethoven, Haydn and Mozart. A keen recitalist, he has particular interests in the English, German and French repertoire.

He has recorded a recital of songs by Fauré for RTHK. With Die Konzertisten, he has portrayed Christus in their performances of both St Matthew and St John Passions by Bach. As DK’s vocal coach he has prepared the choir for their productions of St Matthew Passion, B Minor Mass, concerts of Requiem by Faure, Chilcott, Rutter, Jenkins, as well as masterclass on Bach’s motets with Prof Georg Christoph Biller. Alan has performed for the Government of HKSAR in both London and Singapore, and at the 1st July Flag-Raising ceremony. For four consecutive years he has also taken on singing a variety of national anthems for HKSevens at the Hong Kong Stadium. Alan currently teaches singing at the Chinese University of Hong Kong. He serves as Assistant Director of Music at St John’s Cathedral, conductor of the Choir of St James’ Church, and the Combined Choir of the annual Ecumenical Prayer Week.

Matthew Leung, Concertmaster/Violin solo Matthew Leung graduated from the Royal College of Music

with the Master of Music degree (M.Mus, Violin Performance). As the recipient of the Joan Weller Award, he studied violin performance under Yossi Zivoni, and chamber music with members from the Chilingirian Quartet. Graduating from the Music Department of the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Matthew has studied under Mr. Wong Wai Ming, and was awarded the Yamada Music Scholarship, the Class Scholarship of Chung Chi College, and was placed on the Dean’s List of the Faculty of Art. He is the holder of DipABRSM, LTCL, and FTCL Diplomas in violin performance. Matthew has been the violinist of the City Chamber Orchestra Hong Kong since his graduation from the Royal College of Music, taking part in chamber concert of varied style which ranges from tango music to contemporary works. He is an active musician who maintains close relationship with various choral groups and festival which include Die Konzertisten, Hong Kong Voices, SingFest, and the Cathedral Choir of St. John’s Cathedral, frequently participating as the concertmaster and the violinist. With his fondness for Baroque music, Matthew has also joined performances of the Early Music Society of Hong Kong on authentic instruments. In addition to his performing career, Matthew has also been active as a music educator and conductor. Currently being the conductor of the Choir, Symphony Orchestra and the String Orchestra of St. Paul’s College, he had led these groups to many prizes including champions, the Hong Kong Children’s Choir Trophy, and the St. John’s Cathedral Trophy of the Hong Kong Schools Music Festival, as well as Gold Awards of the Hong Kong String Interflow. Matthew is currently serving on the committee of the Hong Kong Schools Speech and Music Association. As a member of the Kowloon Methodist Church, he has been taking part in the music ministries of the church.

Matthew Chin, Oboe d’amore solo Matthew Chin Lok-man is studying music performance in The Hong

Kong Academy for Performing Arts, majoring in oboe in the class of Mr. Yiu Song-lam. Chin has begun his oboe training with Mr. So Hon-tou since the age of 14, and then under the tutelage of Mr. Kwan Sheung-fung.

Chin actively performs as the oboe player with various local ensembles. Since 2010, he has been an oboe player of the Hong Kong Youth Symphony Orchestra. In 2013 and 2015, he was nominated as the oboe player of the Hong Kong Youth Symphonic Band and visited Korea and Taiwan on tour. Besides, he has performed with the Hong Kong Festival Orchestra, Ponte Singers & Orchestra, Hong Kong Chamber Orchestra, SAR Philharmonic Orchestra, the Hong Kong Medical Association Orchestra and the Hong Kong Youth Windophilics. In 2016, he is selected by Musicus Society to perform with the Tapiola Sinfonietta. In the same year, he performed as a soloist with the Academy Symphony Orchestra. Chin was honoured the Breguet Trey Lee Performing Arts Scholarship in 2016.

Hong Kong Voices SOPRANO

ALTO

TENOR

BASS

Dorothy CHAN Linda CHAN Esther CHIANG* Vivien FOK Lorraine LAU Connie LAW Deirdre LEE Yoko SAWADA Gisele TSANG Jennie WONG Sheep YING

Margaret CHAN Olivia CHAU Kitty CHEW Winnie CHOI Jess HO Mimi HO Mandy LO LEE Ho-yee Karen LEUNG Annie YUEN

Adrian CHAN CHOI Chak Hon Francis LEUNG Ben NG Anthony WONG Keith WONG William WONG

Donald CHAN King CHAN Raymond HAN Tony LING Thomas TANG* Davis YIU

VIOLIN I

VIOLIN II

Matthew LEUNG* Graham JONES

LUO Wei Min Amy YAU

VIOLA LAM Tim Wai Elvira CHEUNG

CONTINUO

OBOE/OBOE D’AMORE

ORGAN : Felix YEUNG CELLO : Jamie JIM BASSOON : Tiffany AU

Matthew CHIN* Charles YUK

*soloists

Hong Kong Voices is a chamber choir established in 2000. Aspired to bring choral music closer to the Hong Kong people, we cultivate the ability of music appreciation among our singers, and offer our audience an artistic experience that both delights and inspires. Our repertoire spans from the Renaissance to the modern era, including many acclaimed Baroque and Classical choral works, most recently Bach’s St John’s Passion and Mozart’s Vesperae Solennes de Confessore. We often introduce some lesser-known choral masterpieces to the audience, most notably we gave the Hong Kong premiere of Schoenberg’s Friede auf Erden in 2005. We also infuse our programme with works by Asian and Hong Kong contemporaries as a tribute to our unique cultural heritage, including commissioned works Ten Years (2007) and Carmina Burana (2015) by George Lam, a Hong Kong born composer now residing in New York. We have collaborated with many leading local artists such as pianist Stephen Wong, soprano Yuki Ip and counter-tenor Ray Chan, as well as many young and rising musicians and vocalists. We perform regularly with our professional instrumental partners, and had joined the Hong Kong Sinfonietta in performances of Haydn’s Little Organ Mass and Fauré’s Requiem.

We believe that music lives beyond the concert hall, hence we collaborate with Claying’s Studio (http://www.claying.net/studio/hkv.html) which has captured all our live concerts since 2010. We also appeared in multimedia productions such as Samson Young’s music theatre Electric Requiem – God Save the Queen (2009, recorded live in DVD) and his first Europe solo exhibition at Kunsthalle Düsseldorf on Muted Situations #5 - Muted Chorus (2016). Ken Lam, currently Music Director of the Charleston Symphony Orchestra, has been our Artistic Director since 2001. Grace Chiang, renowned Hong Kong choral conductor and soprano, is appointed as Principal Conductor of the choir in 2015.

Acknowledgement Platinum Sponsor Agatha Tsui Anonymous Gold Sponsor Believing Music Can Silver Sponsor Anonymous

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We would like to express our gratitude to the following entities and friends: Venue: Diocesan Boys’ School (Felix Shuen, Jennifer Chow) Media: Stand News (Yeung Tin Shui), RTHK (Jonathan Douglas), Timable, Music Valley Helpers: Gloria Chan, Charlotte Ho, Myra Lam, Dora Lau, Stephanie Lau, Rita Wu Photographer: Tang Ho Ching Recording: Aaron Ying http://www.claying.net/studio/hkv.html Design: Jonathan Mak Danise Wong, Pinsent Masons, SingFest