Mentioning the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra (HK Phil) always brings to mind the powerful orchestral music and the energetic Orchestra musicians. What is even more impressive is the elegance and delicacy that belong to the orchestra. Despite being one of the “foremost classical orchestras in Asia,” HK Phil continues to demonstrate a vibrant artistic culture and musical vitality, hosting various music events, collaborating to present classical and pop crossover concerts, which are highly appreciated by music lovers!
And coinciding with the 50th anniversary of the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra, the orchestra announced that they will be holding three concerts titled “HK Phil 50th Anniversary: Friends of Strings” at the Hong Kong Coliseum, where they will be joined by several popular music stars. The guest performers include the music diva **Sandy Lam**, singer **Lun Wing Leung**, legendary songstress **Elisa Chan**, and **Liza Yeh**, as well as young singers **Jay Fung**, **Cloud Wan**, and **Oscar Tao**. Singers from different eras will come together with the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra to recreate the glory of past years.
When the legendary meets the new generation, who knows what kind of sparks will fly at this concert? Will it be a battle or a collaboration? Why not listen to what Elisa and Jay Fung have to say?
Two generations, two passions
Seeing Elisa and Jay Fung sitting together may remind you of the scene where they sang “Mamma Mia” together on a TV show. Jay Fung also recalls their first meeting with Elisa 12 years ago, still fresh in his memory.
“When I participated in the singing competition, Elisa was one of the judges, so Miss Chan Chan witnessed my debut,” Jay Fung said. Elisa immediately responded, “When I was a judge, the moment I saw Jay, I knew he was the champion in my heart. Because I really like his singing style, and he is a very sincere and pure musician, who can create his own music and sing in a very updated way, with flair.”
And this master-disciple joint performance, the last time was in 2021, this kind of collaboration is indeed rare, so being invited by the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra is a dream come true opportunity for them. In their conversation, you can feel a sense of mutual understanding and appreciation between them. Perhaps not everyone knows that they both come from a competitive background. What was difficult back then may have been how to stand out from a crowd of experts in the competition, but today, the challenge is how to create their own path, or even maintain their passion.
Elisa said, “Having been in this industry for so long, I have collaborated with many senior, peer, and junior singers. I feel that singers at different stages all have their own musical styles or requirements. I see myself as a mediator, an observer, able to accept the passion and musical direction of new artists, as well as respect their creativity and energy. At the same time, I also deeply respect the experience of senior or peer singers, like tasting wine. Therefore, I absorb the strengths and experiences of each singer.”
Although I lack experience compared to my predecessors, Jay Fung frankly stated, “Being able to perform on the same stage as Miss Chan Chan is an honor, because I feel that Miss Chan Chan’s performance can make people feel her passion for music, and it has infected me, making me want to enjoy and have fun on this stage.”
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The Charm of Cantonese Songs
At this concert, there will be different combinations performing various Cantonese songs. Elisa and her friend, Yip Lai Yee, will interpret many well-known classic Cantonese songs, including famous TV drama theme songs; while Jay Fung, Cloud, and Oscar will also present fans with many classic works.
When it comes to Cantonese songs, Jay Fung also recalls Elisa’s advice during a competition, urging him to practice Cantonese, which left a deep impression on him. Elisa laughed and said, “People usually say I’m mean, but I didn’t scold you, did I? Haha. Although his Cantonese is not very accurate or fluent, Jay is a sincere singer, so as someone with experience, I just wanted to give him some advice because I know that he will have to sing Cantonese songs in the future, and this conversation proves that I value him.”
Although music is a common language with notes, and the emotion of art knows no boundaries, if Hong Kong is the base, Cantonese songs are indispensable. Therefore, mastering Cantonese has become a required course for Jay Fung. Not only must he understand the nine tones and six pitches, but pronunciation must be accurate because slight differences in pronunciation can lead to completely different meanings.
Learning Cantonese is difficult, and singing Cantonese songs is even more challenging. It requires both rhyme and accurate pronunciation, testing the skills of lyricists and singers. However, Cantonese songs have held a special place around the world for many years, indicating their appeal. As singer-songwriters, they must feel the charm of Cantonese songs, right?
Jay Fung paused for a moment and said, “For me, the charm of Cantonese songs lies in the melody, because songs from other places may only use four chords to connect the entire song, but Cantonese songs have many melodies, many possibilities and variations, which is very special; secondly, the lyrics, compared to foreign language songs, the meaning or vocabulary used are more simple, so I think Cantonese songs have a strong storytelling element.”
Elisa also agrees: “I think Cantonese songs should be viewed in different layers and stages. For example, the early authentic Hong Kong Cantonese songs, such as those by Sam, Wai Gor (James Wong), and Uncle Jim (James Wong), represent a unique Cantonese song pattern, different from foreign music. In contrast, the later Cantonese songs have incorporated many elements from Japan, Europe, and even recent years’ K-pop, leading to evolution. Therefore, Cantonese songs have gone through different periods and cultures, blending many global elements, but the lyrics remain unchanged. Because lyrics belong to a specific regional or local culture and language, and the inherent meaning of Chinese itself is more visual and image-oriented, so the narrative will be stronger. I think this is the uniqueness of Cantonese songs.”
Talking about classics
However, this concert is not only related to Cantonese songs, but more importantly, the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra will collaborate with local pop singers to reinterpret classic hits, paying tribute to Hong Kong pop music. Speaking of tribute, it is curious how they, who have been passionate about music and creation for many years, have listened to a lot of different music and created many beloved “classic” works. So, what makes them “classic”? Which song is a classic in their hearts?
“I think classics are those that you can immediately recognize when you hear them,” Jay Fung paused and began to list, “I came into contact with Cantonese songs because my dad likes to listen to them, such as Alan Tam, Jacky Cheung, and of course, there are many from Miss Chan Chan, like ‘A Thousand Suns.’ Elisa also added, “The classic hits of Sandy Lam are countless to me, like ‘Grey,’ ‘Still,’ and ‘No Result,’ while Lo Yung Leung has ‘The Person Behind the Piano,’ ‘Heart Still Cold,’ and as for Frances Yip, not to mention, it’s definitely ‘Shanghai Beach’…”
After everyone shared, Elisa seriously analyzed, “I think there are different ways to study classics. As a musician, we will have more subjective thoughts on music, such as philosophy, theory; but as an ordinary person, classics are just a part of his life, an unshakable episode. For me, I think there are too many songs that can have a profound impact, even on the direction of music or thinking.”
Elisa concluded, “From a musical perspective, I think classics are timeless. Even with different eras and elements added, they have their own evolving, can always move forward, discover many colors and dimensions, cross different eras; while another kind of classic is when you lock in a certain era or something in your life, creating a very good element or effect between you and it, so everyone’s classics in life are very different.”
Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra 50th Anniversary Chamber Music Series
Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra has facilitated this music extravaganza, with exceptional performers scheduled to take the stage. It’s been years since the band last performed at the Hong Kong Coliseum, and even Elisa and Jay Fung are eagerly anticipating it.
Although Elisa has collaborated with wind ensembles many times before, this is her first time performing at the Hong Kong Coliseum. She said, “After all, live music is rare nowadays. Even though there are occasional performances with a band accompaniment, most of the time it’s just backing tracks. Every time I turn around, there’s no one behind me, but not this time. Behind me is a group of orchestral musicians. In such a large venue, seeing them all dressed in Tuxedos with their music, it’s truly rare. This is definitely a dream come true for a live singer!”
Speaking of this, Elisa and Jay Fung then fantasized about the scene and feeling of performing together – enjoying playing and listening on stage, and interacting with the audience… Jay Fung couldn’t hide his excitement, while Elisa couldn’t help but say, “I feel like something is welling up in my heart! Really!”
And this time, the music is conducted by the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra’s resident conductor Liao Kwok Man, with Ho Ping Shun serving as the music director of the concert, aiming to use orchestral music to present a different style of Cantonese songs. At a previous media event, Liao Kwok Man and Lun Wing Leung performed a section of Debussy’s “Petite Suite” on the spot, setting the stage for a brilliant and resounding performance. “This time, we hope to pay tribute to the late greats by using a world-class, Hong Kong-based orchestra to rearrange their music in a classic direction, incorporating modern elements, and enhancing it with the power of the orchestra. So our music director, Ho Ping Shun, mentioned the difficulty of the task, as the late greats are already legends in the music world, their music is very distinctive. How can we add new elements without losing its classic sophistication? So this time, it’s about repackaging, and it’s a part that I am very excited about!” Elisa explained earnestly.
It can be seen that the collaboration in this concert is not only between the two of them, but also the interaction between the whole band, singers, and audience. These sparks have occasionally emerged during interviews, and I believe that the sparks to come will definitely be extraordinary, bringing more surprises to everyone. As Elisa described: both “rare” and “hard to come by”, but also “unforgettable”.
China Life (Overseas) Proudly Presents: HK Phil 50th Anniversary String Concert
Date: April 27 – 29, 2024
Time: 8:15 PM
Location: Hong Kong Coliseum
Ticket Price: HK$1080｜$780｜$480
(Tickets available for purchase at Urbtix)
Conductor Liao Guomin
Music Director Ho Ping-shun
Singers Chen Jieling, Feng Yunqian, Sandy Lam, Lun Yongliang, Tu Yulin, Yun Haoying, Yip Lai Yee
crédit
Chen Jieling
Hair: Jam Ng
Makeup: Ellen Tam
Jay Fung
Hair: JamieLeeHair
Makeup: San Chan
Wardrobe: INITIAL
Venue provided: FWD House 1881
