Spotlight

Interview with Anthony Wong, principal clarinettist of the CCOHK.

Where are you from and how long have you been in Hong Kong?

I was born and grew up in Hong Kong. I went to New York, stayed there for eighteen months to complete my Master's degree and returned to Hong Kong in 1999.

What do you enjoy most about playing in the CCOHK?

I like the varied and interesting programming which the orchestra presents.

Which CCOHK guest artist has made the biggest impression on you?

Claude Delangle, the French saxophonist.

Which CCOHK concert has been the most memorable for you?

One is "Grandpa & The Bear". The music is just great! Moreover the concert gave me the wonderful opportunity of working with the renowned conductor Anthony Inglis and the narrator Jim Chim. The climax of the concert was when the composer Howard Blake, who was in the audience, got invited to come and conduct the orchestra in an encore from "Granpa".

Another unforgettable concert is "Bird Symphony" which featured Rautavaara's "Cantus Arcticus". This work contains a lot of challenging passages for the woodwinds and was fun to play!

How did you come about choosing the clarinet?

My first instrument was in fact the piano. When I was in secondary school, the school organized some instrumental classes for the students. At first I wanted to learn the violin or the flute, but the only orchestral instrument provided by the school apart from the brass instruments was the clarinet. So........

Name one of the most important milestones in your music career.

Being chosen to play in the Asian Youth Orchestra after I completed my first year of studies in the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts. It was both a wonderful and eye-opening experience which enabled me to perform in many different countries around the world, play with renowned soloists such as Alicia de Larrocha, Cho-liang Lin and Anne Akiko Meyers and to study with clarinettist Stanley Hasty. Being a member of an orchestra comprising a hundred young musicians playing large-scale works such as Mussorgsky's "Pictures at an Exhibition" was unforgettable!

What message do you have for our friends?

Please attend all our concerts, as every concert is unique. Please also give us your feedback and comments. They are invaluable!

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