Chen Sa
Due to the fact that many parts of the world are still affected by the novel coronavirus pandemic, the special edition of Macao International Music Festival (MIMF), themed “Music October”, organized by the Cultural Affairs Bureau (IC, from its Portuguese acronym), will present 11 programmes and 7 outreach activities from October. This year’s Festival will focus on concerts by Chinese performers and local rising musicians, offering the public rich and diverse music programmes and activities. The Festival aims to bring music to each and every corner of the city, connecting and communicating with the world through music, inspiring people and shaking off the gloom through the power of culture.
Concert “Chen Sa” Piano Recital opens the Festival; paying tribute to music masters by transcending time
This year’s Festival will kick off with the concert “Chen Sa” Piano Recital. In the recital, internationally acclaimed Chinese pianist Chen Sa will perform solo piano masterpieces of the Classical and Romantic periods with her sophisticated and delicate technique, including Beethoven’s piano sonatas and Schumann’s short pieces.
This year marks the 110th anniversary of the death of Austrian composer and conductor Gustav Mahler. World-renowned bass-baritone and winner of the BBC Cardiff Singer of the World competition, Shenyang, will join hands with four young musicians, namely Liao Xi, Liu Liyuan, Zhang Jingzhuo and Wei Yun, to present the concert “Dreamful Youth”, featuring classical pieces by Gustav Mahler.
In the meantime, on occasion of the 100th anniversary of the death of French composer Saint-Saëns, the Festival specially presents the concert “Tribute to the Classics – Piano Trio to Commemorate the Centenary of Saint-Saëns’ Death”. Violinist Chen Xi, cellist Zhu Mu and pianist Jaya Sun will present Saint-Saëns’ Piano Trio No. 2 in E Minor, op. 92 and Tchaikovsky’s Piano Trio in A Minor, op. 50, allowing the audiences to experience the music style of the Romantic period.
A magnificent musical feast of Chinese and Western music; innovation in the transmission of Lingnan music
The Macao Orchestra will join hands with violinist Liu Ming, who won the Nestlé Cup-Young Musician Award at the Beijing Music Festival twice, to present Saint-Saëns’ Violin Concerto No. 3 in B Minor, op. 61 in the concert “Virtuosity and Pastoral Music”. Meanwhile, the Orchestra will also perform Beethoven’s Symphony No. 6 in F Major, op. 68, presenting the beauty of pastoral scenery with music.
Under the baton of the national first-class conductor Liu Ju, the Macao Chinese Orchestra will join hands with violinist Xie Nan and guzheng virtuoso Su Chang to present the concert “East-West Connection in Music”, featuring violin concerto The Butterfly Lovers, guzheng concerto Ru Shi and the Nanyang-style music piece The Sisters’ Islands, offering the audience a magnificent musical feast of Chinese and Western music.
The concert “Contemporary Meets Tradition – Cantonese Music Assembly” will gather young musicians from the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area to present a combination of traditional Cantonese music and new arrangements of compositions and singing. Several famous Cantonese music pieces such as Thunder in the Drought and The Toll of the Temple Bell and Macao’s premiere Cantonese musical piece Sunset Clouds in Autumn will also be presented, leading the audience into the realm of Lingnan music.
Grand Song of the Dong Ethnic Group at Company of Jesus Square; rising stars showcase their musical talent
The concert “Grand Song of the Dong Ethnic Group in Congjiang, Guizhou” by Congjiang Ethnic Art Troupe from Guizhou, will be held at Company of Jesus Square. Inscribed on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2009, the Grand Song of the Dong Ethnic Group narrates the history, culture and knowledge of the Dong people and their belief in the unity of humans and nature, and expresses romantic love and moral values.
The concert “Bravo Macao!” offers local young musicians a platform to showcase their talents and artistic achievements. This year, six rising stars, namely Wong Sin I, Melody Ho, Chio Chin Hou, Ha Iek, Cheong Tin Ut, and Ng Sok Kun, will share the stage to show their talents.
Concerts “Music and Movie Nights” are presented for the first time, offering pleasant outdoor music
This year’s Festival specially presents “FIMM-tastic Weekend: Music and Movie Nights” at Tap Siac Square for three consecutive nights, featuring the screening of “Fado on Big Screen: Cuca Roseta MEU”, “London Symphony Orchestra with Sir Simon Rattle on Big Screen”, and the movies In The Tracks Of - Special Edition, Silent Cinema - Rockfield: The Studio on the Farm and Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, allowing the audience to enjoy outdoor music in the autumn breeze.
Tickets for the Macao International Music Festival are available at the Macau Ticketing Network from 10am on 25 September (Saturday). In order to offer the public a convenient ticketing service, IC introduces diverse ticketing channels, including ticketing service at the outlets and online booking, simultaneously this year, so as to further encourage residents to experience the convenience of e-governance. An online reservation system has been set up for the first day of ticket sales. This year’s MIMF counts with the support of the Macao Government Tourism Office, TDM – Teledifusão de Macao, Air Macau and Sands® Resorts Macao. For enquiries, please contact IC through tel. no. 8399 6699 during office hours. 24-hour ticketing hotlines: 2855 5555 (Macao), 2380 5083 (Hong Kong) and 139 269 11111 (Mainland China). Ticketing website: www.macauticket.com. For more information about the MIMF programmes, please visit the Festival’s website at www.icm.gov.mo/fimm, or follow the WeChat account “IC_Art_Macao” or the respective page “Macao International Music Festival” on Facebook.
IC will strictly follow the relevant anti-epidemic guidelines of the Health Bureau and implement appropriate measures for cultural activities. All participants must wear face masks, undergo body temperature checks, and present a valid “Macao Health Code” to the personnel on-site. All participants should maintain social distancing and appropriate personal hygiene at the venue.
