Harmonica and Jazz Piano Meet in New Classical Concerto

Description

For its 2026–27 season, Hong Kong Sinfonietta has boldly anointed two surprisingly non-conventional performers to serve in the ceremonial position of artist associate: genre-jumping harmonica virtuoso Cy Leo and virtuoso jazz pianist Daniel Chu. Your first chance to hear how this novel partnership plays out is at the world premiere of Time (in-)Linear, a new piece commissioned for the occasion from Hong Kong composer Alice Yeung. Subtitled A Concerto for Chromatic Harmonica, Jazz Piano & Orchestra, the piece will see Leo and Chu perform as soloists, interacting with the orchestra in real-time — the latter promising his entire performance will be improvised. As part of the role, both artist associates will also perform a solo concert alongside the orchestra at the 55th Hong Kong Arts Festival in March 2027.

Conducted by music director Christoph Poppen, the 27 June concert will also see the orchestra perform Hadyn’s brief Symphony No. 64 “Tempora Mutantur” and Beethoven’s off-brand, uplifting Symphony No. 2.