Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra
The Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra is an orchestra in Hong Kong whose history can be traced to 1947; from 2015 to 2018 the orchestra presented Wagner's "Ring Cycle" tetralogy of opera concerts and, with the related live recording, won "Orchestra of the Year" at the 2019 Gramophone Classical Music Awards.
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About the artist
The Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra is an orchestra in Hong Kong whose history can be traced to the Sino-British Orchestra founded in 1947. The Sino-British Orchestra was renamed the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra in 1957, formally registered that same year, and became professional in 1974. Official information dated March 19, 2026 states that HK Phil is a registered charity and a venue partner of the Hong Kong Cultural Centre.
From 2004 to 2012, Edo de Waart served as Artistic Director and Chief Conductor of HK Phil. Jaap van Zweden formally took up the post of Music Director of HK Phil from the 2012/13 season through the 2023/24 season. An official release dated August 31, 2026 states that HK Phil welcomes Music Director Tarmo Peltokoski; Peltokoski formally assumes the post from the 2026/27 season, having served as Music Director Designate in the preceding season. Official information dated March 19, 2026 lists 余隆 as Principal Guest Conductor. 廖國敏 has served as Resident Conductor since December 2020.
The institutional profile on the HK Phil website states that the orchestra presents more than 150 concerts in a 44-week season and attracts more than 200,000 music lovers each year; the same page states that the Swire Group has been HK Phil's Principal Patron since 2006.
The HK Phil website states that from 2015 to 2018 the orchestra presented the "Ring Cycle" tetralogy of opera concerts one by one over four consecutive years, completed in January 2018 under Jaap van Zweden with the orchestra, chorus, and singers. The live recording of that set of performances was later released, and the complete "Ring Cycle" CD box set was issued in November 2018. HK Phil won "Orchestra of the Year" at the 2019 Gramophone Classical Music Awards; official notes state that the award corresponds to HK Phil's live recording of Wagner's complete "Ring Cycle" issued by Naxos.
An official HK Phil release records that the orchestra's first collaboration with a pop singer was the fundraising concert "Music Extravaganza", held at the Hong Kong Coliseum in 1983 after the venue opened.
HK Phil completed a tour of Japan and South Korea in mid-October 2025.
Overview
- Formed
- 194779 yr to date
- Formed in
- Hong Kong
- Active
- 1947 – present
- Aliases
- 香港管弦乐团, 香港管弦樂團, 港乐, 港樂, HK Phil
Catalogued works & releases
No catalogued works yet.