Musicus Soloists

Bauhaus @ Hong Kong

Ensemble of emerging artists explores the influence of German music and architecture

Bauhaus began in Weimar in 1919, in the wake of the First World War.  The total upheaval of our understanding of humanity and society and the subsequent need for a new way of thinking engendered Bauhaus’ cosmopolitan, avant-guard and international principles.  It was exactly those principles that forced Bauhaus, its visionaries and teachers, into exile a decade later.

The principles of Bauhaus, its craftsmanship and artistry, its architecture and the music it inspired, spread far and wide across the globe.  Bauhaus permeates Hong Kong, and Hong Kong’s musicians pay tribute to that history with this concert programme, which paints a musical picture of the socio-historical and aesthetic aspects of the growth and influence of Bauhaus.

The main concert venue, City Hall Concert Hall, is a prime example of Bauhaus in the city.  It is there, amongst other venues that Hong Kong has welcomed so many international artists to perform, yet rarely would they share the stage with Hong Kong’s own musicians. In 2010, Musicus Society, a premier arts organization in the city, took up the challenge of addressing this imbalance. With its activities, it aims to promote cross-cultural collaboration and nurture next-generation musicians. Its recently formed elite chamber ensemble, Musicus Soloists Hong Kong (MSHK), is a platform for ongoing artistic conversation and cultural diplomacy. Through performances and collaborations with preeminent international artists in Hong Kong and abroad, MSHK gives phenomenally talented young artists the opportunity to develop their leadership and interpretative skills in ensemble and chamber music playing.

Musicus itself, and its Artistic Director and cellist Trey Lee have been recognized internationally for their excellence.  In 2022 Musicus Society won the Star of Outstanding AchievementAward from the World Heritage Institute/UNESCO.  Trey Lee was awarded the Bronze Bauhinia Star from the Government of Hong Kong for the promotion of classical music and education.  In this series of concerts, MSHK welcomes guest leaders Florian Donderer (first violinist of Signum Quartet and previously the longstanding concert master of the Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen), Sebastian Krunnies (violist of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra) and Konstantin Pfiz (former solo cellist of Mahler Chamber Orchestra).

MUSICUS SOLOISTS HONG KONG , Ensemble 

FLORIAN DONDERER, guest concertmaster and -artistic director 

TREY LEE, cello 

Moderation: Trey Lee and Peter Benz (new Präsident of Bauhaus-Universität Weimar) 

Program: 

Paul Hindemith: Five Pieces for String Orchestra op. 44 

Igor Strawinsky: Three Pieces for String Quartet 

Astor Piazzolla: „Las Cuatro Estaciones Porteñas“ for cello and string orchestra