Music | Philadelphia and Macau orchestras tighten ties

Members of the Philadelphia Orchestra, Macao Orchestra and Shenzhen Symphony Orchestra perform “Ode to Humanity”

It’s been 41 years since the Philadelphia Orchestra became the first Western ensemble to play in China. Since then, American and Chinese musicians have worked towards building an enduring relationship, which the U.S. orchestra is now hoping can take center stage in Macau.
On Wednesday, members of the Shenzhen, Philadelphia and Macau orchestras came together to deliver an “Ode to Humanity” in a performance held at The Venetian Macao.
The Times spoke to members of the Macau and Philadelphia orchestras ahead of the concert, as both ensembles expressed a desire to further their cooperation and to transform it into a long-term relationship.
“It’s a very logical relationship that the Philadelphia Orchestra has with China, because if the Philadelphia Orchestra represents a premier cultural organization, we’re coming to the birthplace of culture. China is, in fact, where the idea of the human expression was born,” Paul Arnold, second violinist of the Philadelphia Orchestra, recalled.
Craig Hamilton, Philadelphia Orchestra’s vice president of Global Initiatives and Government Relations, added, “This is the year in which we began to have a more official relationship with the Macau region, as we’ve come to perform and have done some community residency activities.”
The Philadelphia Orchestra, whose assistant conductor is Macau-born Lio Kuokman, came to the city last summer for a two-night concert, which was supported by The Venetian Macao and the Cultural Affairs Bureau. Having returned this week for a concert and community residency activities, both orchestras stressed that this is the beginning of a journey that will further their relationship, and will tighten ties between American musicians and those who are building musical careers in the Pearl River Delta region.
“We’ve been working with our Macau friends to solidify that, and do something bigger. Macau could even be a hub city for these types of collaborations,” said Mr Hamilton.
As one the “big five” American orchestras, the Philadelphia ensemble acknowledges the need to constantly challenge itself, encouraging its musicians to collaborate and grow stronger from cooperating with other orchestras across the globe.
Mr Hamilton added, “What we are trying to do is to find creative partners who want to think outside the box, and who are willing to experiment and do different things.”
From the Macau Orchestra’s point of view, such a relationship can help a relatively young ensemble build up its own tradition and sound.
“Last year, we had a concert side by side, and it was very successful (…) The Macau Orchestra is quite young, only about 11 years old. But because of our culture and support for the arts, we want to give tonight’s [Wednesday] audience a unique concert, a fusion concert,” said Ka Wong, manager of the Macau Orchestra.
Rosie Turner, an Australian national who joined the Macau Orchestra as second trumpet in 2011 upon finishing her degree at the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia, shared a similar opinion, stressing that the local ensemble “is very young and takes time to establish a tradition.”
That is why collaborations with the Philadelphia Orchestra can help propel musicians in the right direction: “It’s very interesting to work with an orchestra that has such a long tradition, and with musicians who are confident of their position and music.”
Mr Wong recalled that Wednesday’s concert was also a symbol of what Macau is: a cultural melting pot. “It’s above all a fusion concert: this is Macau, a city that welcomes lots of cultures. You see a church and you walk ten minutes to find a temple. This is Macau,” he stressed.
“Ode to Humanity – A symphony concert with over 100 choristers” brought together musicians from Shenzhen, Philadelphia and Macau, who delivered a seven-part performance that paid tribute to Confucianism and the five elements (Ren, Yi, Li, Zhi, Xin), which represent benevolence, righteousness, etiquette, wisdom and integrity.
Lio Kuokman, who was appointed Philadelphia Orchestra’s assistant conductor last summer, acknowledged that incorporating an ancient Chinese belief system into this unique performance is particularly hard to translate into words. “It’s something so deep… in our Chinese culture. And, at the same time, we’re performing with Western orchestra music. Artists from different backgrounds come together. I don’t think we can get any better with this kind of unique performance,” he stressed.
Lio was born in Macau, and his interest for music flourished at quite a young age. He was four years old when a classical music concert sparked a sudden interest in him to become a conductor. As a teenager, Lio moved to neighboring Hong Kong, where he attended the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts. Later, from Julliard in New York, he went on to attend Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia.
Having worked as an assistant conductor since last summer, Lio is also an inspiration to youngsters who are living in the Pearl River Delta and are eager to pursue careers in music. “Lio became an ambassador for other young people. As human beings, we look for heroes, and, in many ways, someone like Lio becomes a hero and inspiration for young people,” said Paul Arnold.
He added that although Chinese musicians haven’t been exposed to Western music with the same intensity as those living in the West, China “now has many of the greatest players in the world.”
“Ode to Humanity” was a special opportunity for both orchestras, said Mr Arnold, adding that the American ensemble can help spread the word that “there’s talent in China.” “That’s part of our mission, and that’s why we took the ‘Ode to Humanity.’ It can even become part of our repertoire that we [showcase] around the world,” he said.
The performance was supported by the Cultural Affairs Bureau and was part of the Pearl River Delta Residency Week, which is sponsored by The Venetian Macao again this year.
Throughout the Residency Week, the Philadelphia Orchestra will tour around Macau, Shenzhen, and Hong Kong.

orchestra plays for caritas

Returning to Macau this week, the Philadelphia Orchestra took part in a series of community events. Three of the ensemble’s cellists, John Koen, Derek Barnes and Alex Veltman, performed for elderly citizens at Caritas’ care center in Taipa.
About 50 elderly residents living in the center attended the cellist trio’s concert. Participating in the Pearl River Delta Residency Week, the Philadelphia Orchestra also exchanged thoughts and experiences with local music organizations, such as the Macao Youth Symphony Orchestra Association and the Macao Band Directors Association.