Premiere Performances of Hong Kong (PPHK) brings internationally celebrated artists to Hong Kong for solo recitals, chamber music and community outreach.
Since 2012, the organisation has partnered with Musica Viva Australia to bring its world-class education programme to Hong Kong schools via the Chamber Music in Schools Programme.
The programme introduces students to chamber music through high-quality professional performances, exposing them to different kinds of music (classical, jazz, world music etc) and musical instruments (brass, wind etc) and broadening their vision as global citizens as they listen to and explore musical styles and cultures from other parts of the world.
Chamber Music in Schools Programme
As of July 2018, Premiere Performances’ Chamber Music in Schools programme has arranged school tours 14 music ensembles (12 from Musica Viva Australia and two from Premiere Performances) and made nearly 300 school visits, reaching 3,000 teachers and 80,000 students.
Each Chamber Music in Schools ensemble visits at least 15 schools across Hong Kong per tour, providing in-school concerts and chamber music workshops.
Each ensemble offers an educational and interactive one-hour performance for up to 300 students. Along with to the live performance, participating music teachers are given an Education Kit, providing a range of pre- and post-performance activities to maximise the impact of the performance.
In addition, a free workshop specially designed for music teachers is hosted by a music education specialist from Musica Viva Australia once a year for all participating teachers.
Programme development
In 2013, Premiere Performances recognised the need for a Cantonese programme for local schools. An open audition was arranged to recruit local young talents to join this programme and a woodwind ensemble, Viva! Pipers, was formed as a result. The five members received extensive training from professional musicians from Musica Viva Australia to help them deliver high-quality educational performances. To facilitate high demand from local schools, a second ensemble, Fiesta Brass, was formed in 2016.
Local ensembles
Viva! Pipers (woodwind quintet)
Viva! Pipers is an ensemble of talented musicians from Hong Kong who have received overseas training. The group’s performances have been carefully developed to showcase a range of musical styles and genres and to be engaging and fun. Since the ensemble’s first school tour in April 2015 – as of the end of the 2017/18 school year – they have given nearly 70 performances at kindergartens, Primary and Special Needs schools and visited more than 20,000 students. They have also given public concerts at Sha Tin Town Hall, Ngau Chi Wan Civic Centre and Tuen Mun Town Hall and community concerts at Hysan Place and Exchange Square. Viva! Pipers performs in both Cantonese and English.
Fiesta Brass (quintet)
Fiesta Brass is an ensemble of five outstanding young Hong Kong musicians who are passionate about performing. The group was formed in 2017 and is the second ensemble established by Premiere Performances after the successful launch of Viva! Pipers in 2014. The members are receiving professional training from international ensembles and music specialists from Musica Viva Australia. Fiesta Brass gave their first school tour in March 2018. They gave a total of 20 performances and reached 6,000 Primary students and 200 teachers. They also gave a community concert at the Asia Society in January 2018. Fiesta Brass performs in Cantonese only.
