THE region’s premier pre-professional Asian Youth Orchestra. will make its debut this month at the Dewan Filharmonik Petronas in Kuala Lumpur.
Four local musicians have made the cut for the AYO, whose ensemble of 100 members came from a selected group of musicians chosen through auditions held in Malaysia, Japan, Korea, China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam and the Philippines.
They are violinists Duncan Yeow and Michelle Khor Mei Zhuen, Jacky Khor Yhuen Zhuen (viola) and Tan Su Yin (percussion).
The orchestra offers aspiring young musicians opportunities for advanced study, performance and international concert touring with celebrated conductors and solo artistes.
Since its inaugural performances in 1990, the award-winning orchestra has performed over 300 concerts in Asia, Europe, the United States and Australia to a cumulative audience of more than one million.
Millions more around the world have seen and heard the orchestra on television.
It is a recipient of Japan’s Praemium Imperiale Grant for Young Artists, the country’s highest award for the arts.
The orchestra has had the privilege of performing alongside cellists Yo-Yo Ma and Alisa Weilerstein, violinists Gidon Kremer and Cho-Liang Lin, soprano Elly Ameling, pianists Alicia de Larrocha and Jean Louis Steuerman, and the Beaux Arts Trio.
It has performed under the direction of principal conductor James Judd, music director emeritus Sergiu Comissiona, Alexander Schneider, Tan Dun as well as its co-founders Yehudi Menuhin and Richard Pontzious.
For its DFP debut on Aug 9, the orchestra will perform Dvorák’s Carnival Overture, Sibelius’ Violin Concerto and Rachmaninov’s Symphony No. 2.
On Aug 10, it will present Prokofiev’s Symphony No. 1, Saint-Saens’ Introduction & Rondo Capriccioso, Sarasate’s Carmen Fantasy and Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 4.
At the baton is its artistic director Richard Pontzious and the concerts will feature guest artiste Stefan Jackiw on violin.
Jackiw is recognised as one of his generation’s most significant artistes, captivating audiences with playing that combines poetry and purity with an impeccable technique.
He made his European debut at 14 in London to critical acclaim, playing the Mendelssohn Violin Concerto with the Philharmonia Orchestra.
Born to physicist parents of Korean and German descent in 1985, Jackiw began playing the violin at 4. In 2002, he was awarded the prestigious Avery Fisher Career Grant.
The performance at DFP is part of the AYO’s 2011 tour which include stopovers in Singapore, Bangkok, Hanoi, Hong Kong, Beijing, Tianjin, Taipei and Tokyo.
The AYO’s tour sponsors include Cathay Pacific Airways, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporations and Fuji Xerox.
The Malaysian concerts are also sponsored by Technip Malaysia and Petronas Chemicals Group Berhad, and supported by Shook Lin & Bok. The official broadcaster is Astro and New Straits Times is the official newspaper.
All proceeds from ticket sales will be contributed to the Malaysian Heart Foundation to help fund its various efforts in battling heart and circulatory diseases.
Ticket buyers can request for tax exemption receipts. For details, call Box Office at 03-2051 7007.
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