The 12 Cellists of the Berliner Philharmoniker, known as “an orchestra within an orchestra,” will perform in Hong Kong for the first time next month. Their appearance promises to offer music lovers in the city a memorable listening experience.
The concert is part of the government’s “Great Music 2025” initiative. The cello group will present a varied programme that includes classical songs, tango, jazz, spirituals, French chansons, and film music.
The show will begin with “Hymnus,” the piece that inspired the group’s creation in 1972. It will be followed by Boris Blacher’s “Blues, Espagnola, Rumba Philharmonica,” the ensemble’s first commissioned work.
Other highlights include Fauré’s “Pavane, Op. 50,” Jean Françaix’s “Aubade – Presto,” and Stephan Koncz’s “Swing on Dvořák.”
The audience will also hear arranged versions of popular French songs like “Pigalle” and “Sous le ciel de Paris.” Two spirituals, “Nobody Knows” and “Let My People Go,” will be featured alongside Piazzolla’s tango piece “Engeltrilogie.”
In addition, the 12 Cellists will perform well-known film scores. These include music from the movie “Titanic,” “Clap Yo’ Hands” from “Funny Face,” and the jazz standard “Caravan,” which has appeared in many films.
The concert will take place at 8 pm on July 9 (Wednesday) at the Concert Hall of the Hong Kong Cultural Centre. Tickets are priced from HK$350 to HK$1,150 and are available at URBTIX.
Before the concert, a free pre-show talk called “When Cellists Come Together” will be held at 6:45 pm on the same day.
The 12 Cellists regularly perform in Berlin and abroad, often touring internationally. They also act as cultural ambassadors for Berlin, having accompanied the German president on official visits.
Their recordings often rank high on classical music charts. The group has won the prestigious ECHO Klassik Awards in 2001, 2005, and 2017.
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