Celebrating the 15th Anniversary of Musicus Society in Musicus Fest 2025: Musical Encounters Between Hong Kong and the World
09.01.2025
(1 September 2025, Hong Kong) Musicus Society, an organization dedicated to promoting cross-cultural classical music collaborations internationally, announces Musicus Fest 2025, celebrating Musicus Society’s 15th anniversary. The 2025 Musicus Fest features 10 concerts between 1 November and 15 December, at various Hong Kong venues, including a special presentation at Shenzhen Concert Hall in mainland China. The festival showcases outstanding local and international artists, among whom is cellist Trey Lee, the artistic director and co-founder of Musicus Society. He is joined by the English Chamber Orchestra – one of the most recorded chamber orchestras in the world – and by Musicus Soloists Hong Kong, comprising some of the best emerging artists from all over the world.
Artistic Director Trey Lee says, “For the last 15 years, Musicus has consistently celebrated the cross-cultural collaboration of music, bringing artists from Hong Kong and around the world together for unforgettable concert experiences. This year, I’m delighted to perform with the English Chamber Orchestra once again, and to present Musicus Soloists Hong Kong, acclaimed guest co-leaders and award-winning soloists. With our performers and audiences, I look forward to Musicus's continued growth as an international meeting point for cultural exchange, celebrating timeless music from the repertoire.”
Musicus Fest 2025 opens on 1 November with Trey Lee and the English Chamber Orchestra, following their album Seasons Interrupted, last year’s climate change-themed major release on Signum Records that features world-premiere recordings of new arrangements by Trey Lee. It was the Hong Kong-born, Juilliard-trained cellist’s first collaboration with the esteemed ensemble. The concert, at Concert Hall (Hong Kong City Hall), highlights Piazzolla’s vibrant The Four Seasons of Buenos Aires, in Trey Lee’s arrangement for solo cello and chamber orchestra, as featured on the album. The program also includes a string version of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 6, Pastoral, and Tchaikovsky’s “Chant d’automne,” from The Seasons. These works capture the essence of nature and the changing landscapes across the four seasons, inviting audiences on a captivating musical journey. Local students from the Ensemble Training program will perform excerpts from Boccherini’s String Quintet in E and Gustav Holst’s St. Paul’s Suite side-by-side with the musicians of the English Chamber Orchestra.
The second concert of the English Chamber Orchestra, Harmonic Hour on 2 November, is guided by the friendly host Franchesca Wong and interspersed with easy-to-follow demonstrations. The concert features Hoi Yan-lok as solo violist. Introducing works by Beethoven, Telemann and more, it is inspired by the orchestra’s own outreach programs that aim to demystify classical music.
The performances by Musicus Soloists Hong Kong, the city’s leading chamber ensemble, are a highlight of the festival. Founded and directed by Trey Lee, Musicus Soloists Hong Kong is Musicus Society’s homegrown string ensemble, bringing together international prizewinners on promising career paths around the world. The group brings two programs to Shenzhen Concert Hall (in mainland China, 5 December) and Hong Kong City Hall (7 December) under the leadership of the Finnish violinist Minna Pensola. Angela Chan and Jacques Forestier, the joint winners of the 2024 Joseph Joachim Violin Competition, will join Musicus Soloists Hong Kong in Baroque masterpieces by Locatelli and Tartini for the festival’s grand finale on 7 December. The programs include Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5 and Vivaldi’s Concerto for Violin and Cello, as well as Satie’s Gymnopedies Nos. 1 & 3 arranged for strings, featuring the flow artist Chris Lam, who uses crystal balls and eight-rings, fusing visual arts, theater and music in an explosion of movement and emotion.
Musicus Fest 2025 also brings back Marco Polo’s Musical Encounter of East and West, its ever-popular family concert designed to introduce various Chinese and Western musical instruments to children. There will also be educational and outreach activities that include master classes and ensemble training, a series of highly anticipated Hong Kong Jockey Club Community Project Grant: Musicus Heritage Stories concerts held at unique venues in Hong Kong, and Next Generation Virtuosi, a viola recital by Hoi Yan-lok, the 2025 Musicus Young Artist Audition winner.
Ticketing and Sponsorship Information
Tickets for concerts at Hong Kong City Hall and Tuen Mun Town Hall are available at URBTIX (www.urbtix.hk). More information is available at www.musicussociety.org.
Financially supported by the Art Development Matching Grants Scheme of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Musicus Society gratefully acknowledges its major sponsors Bank of China (Hong Kong) and The Tung Foundation, its donors and partners for Musicus Fest 2025. The Hong Kong Jockey Club Community Project Grant: Musicus Heritage Stories program is funded by The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust.
English Chamber Orchestra tour management by Maestro Arts.
For media enquiries, please contact Musicus Society:
Sze Wai Ho, Senior Manager (Marketing)
Telephone: (+852) 3758 2726 | Email: szewai.ho@musicussociety.org
Sherlock Lam, Marketing and Development Manager
Telephone: (+852) 3758 2734 | Email: sherlock.lam@musicussociety.org
Artistic Director Trey Lee says, “For the last 15 years, Musicus has consistently celebrated the cross-cultural collaboration of music, bringing artists from Hong Kong and around the world together for unforgettable concert experiences. This year, I’m delighted to perform with the English Chamber Orchestra once again, and to present Musicus Soloists Hong Kong, acclaimed guest co-leaders and award-winning soloists. With our performers and audiences, I look forward to Musicus's continued growth as an international meeting point for cultural exchange, celebrating timeless music from the repertoire.”
Musicus Fest 2025 opens on 1 November with Trey Lee and the English Chamber Orchestra, following their album Seasons Interrupted, last year’s climate change-themed major release on Signum Records that features world-premiere recordings of new arrangements by Trey Lee. It was the Hong Kong-born, Juilliard-trained cellist’s first collaboration with the esteemed ensemble. The concert, at Concert Hall (Hong Kong City Hall), highlights Piazzolla’s vibrant The Four Seasons of Buenos Aires, in Trey Lee’s arrangement for solo cello and chamber orchestra, as featured on the album. The program also includes a string version of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 6, Pastoral, and Tchaikovsky’s “Chant d’automne,” from The Seasons. These works capture the essence of nature and the changing landscapes across the four seasons, inviting audiences on a captivating musical journey. Local students from the Ensemble Training program will perform excerpts from Boccherini’s String Quintet in E and Gustav Holst’s St. Paul’s Suite side-by-side with the musicians of the English Chamber Orchestra.
The second concert of the English Chamber Orchestra, Harmonic Hour on 2 November, is guided by the friendly host Franchesca Wong and interspersed with easy-to-follow demonstrations. The concert features Hoi Yan-lok as solo violist. Introducing works by Beethoven, Telemann and more, it is inspired by the orchestra’s own outreach programs that aim to demystify classical music.
The performances by Musicus Soloists Hong Kong, the city’s leading chamber ensemble, are a highlight of the festival. Founded and directed by Trey Lee, Musicus Soloists Hong Kong is Musicus Society’s homegrown string ensemble, bringing together international prizewinners on promising career paths around the world. The group brings two programs to Shenzhen Concert Hall (in mainland China, 5 December) and Hong Kong City Hall (7 December) under the leadership of the Finnish violinist Minna Pensola. Angela Chan and Jacques Forestier, the joint winners of the 2024 Joseph Joachim Violin Competition, will join Musicus Soloists Hong Kong in Baroque masterpieces by Locatelli and Tartini for the festival’s grand finale on 7 December. The programs include Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5 and Vivaldi’s Concerto for Violin and Cello, as well as Satie’s Gymnopedies Nos. 1 & 3 arranged for strings, featuring the flow artist Chris Lam, who uses crystal balls and eight-rings, fusing visual arts, theater and music in an explosion of movement and emotion.
Musicus Fest 2025 also brings back Marco Polo’s Musical Encounter of East and West, its ever-popular family concert designed to introduce various Chinese and Western musical instruments to children. There will also be educational and outreach activities that include master classes and ensemble training, a series of highly anticipated Hong Kong Jockey Club Community Project Grant: Musicus Heritage Stories concerts held at unique venues in Hong Kong, and Next Generation Virtuosi, a viola recital by Hoi Yan-lok, the 2025 Musicus Young Artist Audition winner.
Ticketing and Sponsorship Information
Tickets for concerts at Hong Kong City Hall and Tuen Mun Town Hall are available at URBTIX (www.urbtix.hk). More information is available at www.musicussociety.org.
Financially supported by the Art Development Matching Grants Scheme of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Musicus Society gratefully acknowledges its major sponsors Bank of China (Hong Kong) and The Tung Foundation, its donors and partners for Musicus Fest 2025. The Hong Kong Jockey Club Community Project Grant: Musicus Heritage Stories program is funded by The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust.
English Chamber Orchestra tour management by Maestro Arts.
For media enquiries, please contact Musicus Society:
Sze Wai Ho, Senior Manager (Marketing)
Telephone: (+852) 3758 2726 | Email: szewai.ho@musicussociety.org
Sherlock Lam, Marketing and Development Manager
Telephone: (+852) 3758 2734 | Email: sherlock.lam@musicussociety.org