One of the world’s most respected musician ensembles, the 12 Cellists from the Berliner Philharmonic Orchestra, will make their Hong Kong debut at the Concert Hall of the Hong Kong Cultural Centre on July 9 as a highlight of the city’s star-dubbed “Great Music 2025” series.

Commencing at 8pm, the concert will open with Julius Klengel’s classic piece Hymnus, to be followed by commissioned works like Boris Blacher’s Blues, Espagnola, Rumba Philharmonica.  

The program will also include Fauré’s Pavane, Op. 50, Jean Françaix’s Aubade – Presto and Stephan Koncz’s Swing on Dvořák.

An array of arranged works – from classical music, tango music, jazz and spirituals to French chansons and film scores – will be staged to highlight the cellists’ remarkable versatility across genres.

Tickets to the performances are available at Urbtix (www.urbtix.hk) and through telephone bookings (31661288), with prices ranging from HK$350 ($44.60) to HK$1,150.

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A free pre-concert talk in Cantonese by local musician Jimmy Shiu Shu-sing will be held at 6:45 pm on July 9.

Dubbed as an “orchestra within an orchestra”, the cello ensemble founded in 1972 has frequently performed in Germany and around the world, captivating audiences of all ages with a unique blending of seriousness and humor, depth and lightness.

As cultural ambassadors, the cellists had accompanied Germany’s president on foreign visits and had won the ECHO Klassik Awards – Germany’s major classical music award – three times with their albums frequently among classical music rankings.

Presented by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government, the “Great Music 2025” returns this year from June to November, showcasing the city as a cultural exchange hub through performances by prominent musicians.  

Huang Yawen contributed to the story.