“Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra has been named orchestra of the year at the 2019 Gramophone Awards,” writes Imogen Tilden in Wednesday’s (10/16) Guardian (U.K.). “The category is the only one of the classical music magazine’s awards open to public vote; the orchestra and its Music Director Jaap Van Zweden triumphed in a shortlist of ten international orchestras, largely because of their ambitious and critically acclaimed recording of Wagner’s Ring cycle. Chair of the board of governors YS Liu thanked the Hong Kong government for their unfailing support since 1974 [the year the orchestra became fully professional]. ‘Please visit us. It is not as bad as you see on TV,’ he said…. The group is the first Asian orchestra to win the award… The Recording of the Year went to French pianist Bertrand Chamayou for his disc of Saint-Saëns piano concertos. Another pianist, Vikingur Ólafsson, was honored with the Artist of the Year title…. Other awards went to Scottish guitarist Sean Shibe for his ‘bracingly original’ softLOUD: music for acoustic and electric guitars…. Dame Emma Kirkby won the Lifetime Achievement Award; and Polish countertenor Jakub Jozef Orlinski was the recipient of the Young Artist of the Year Award.”
Amsterdam’s Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra announced on October 17 that Jaap van Zweden will receive the 2020 Concertgebouw Prize, awarded to musicians who have raised the Concertgebouw’s artistic profile. Van Zweden is music director of the New York Philharmonic as well as the Hong Kong Philharmonic.
Posted October 17, 2019
