Legendary 12 Cellists of the Berliner Philharmoniker to make HK debut in July

The 12 Cellists of the Berliner Philharmoniker, famed as “an orchestra within an orchestra,” will make their Hong Kong debut next month, offering the city’s music enthusiasts an unforgettable acoustic feast.

As part of the "Great Music 2025" launched by the government, the cello ensemble will perform a diverse repertoire ranging from classical music, tango music, jazz, and spirituals to French chansons and film scores.

The upcoming concert will open with "Hymnus," the seminal piece that prompted the formation of this ensemble in 1972, followed by their first commissioned work, Boris Blacher's "Blues, Espagnola, Rumba Philharmonica."

The programme also includes Fauré's "Pavane, Op. 50", Jean Françaix's "Aubade - Presto" and Stephan Koncz's "Swing on Dvořák".

The audience will also enjoy an array of arranged works, featuring beloved French chansons "Pigalle" and "Sous le ciel de Paris", two spirituals "Nobody Knows" and "Let My People Go", as well as Piazzolla's tango work "Engeltrilogie".

Meanwhile, the 12 Cellists will also perform film scores from the movie "Titanic", "Clap Yo' Hands" that featured in the film "Funny Face", and the jazz classic "Caravan" that has been used in numerous films. 

The concert is scheduled to take place at 8pm on July 9 (Wednesday) at the Concert Hall of the Hong Kong Cultural Centre. Tickets priced from HK$350 to HK$1,150 are now available at URBTIX.

Additionally, a complimentary pre-concert talk entitled "When Cellists Come Together" will be held at 6.45pm on the same day.

The 12 Cellists frequently perform in Berlin and internationally, embarking on large-scale tours. They have also accompanied the German president as cultural ambassadors for Berlin. 

Their albums regularly make the classical music charts and were recognised with the ECHO Klassik Awards in 2001, 2005, and 2017.