Hailed by the Financial Times as a festival with a “finely hewn sense of craft,” Intimacy of Creativity returns for another innovative season from 23.4.2018 to 6.5.2018!

Intimacy of Creativity explores the creative process after public, in-depth Open Discussions on the campus of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST), which presents the festival. The revised compositions will be formally presented at Preview Concerts at HKUST, and World Premiere Concerts held at the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts and Hong Kong City Hall.

Founder and Artistic Director Bright Sheng (HKUST IAS Jockey Club Helmut and Anna Sohmen Professor-at-large) is joined by Distinguished Guest Composer Robert Beaser, chair of the composition department of The Juilliard School; Ensemble-in-Residence, the critically-acclaimed Israeli Chamber Project; Guest Artists Gilad Hochman, recipient of the Israeli Prime Minister’s Prize; Yael Manor, noted Israeli contemporary pianist; Phil Whelan, narrator and celebrated host of RTHK Radio 3’s Morning Brew; Pius Cheung, noted marimba soloist and percussionist; Benjamin Moermond, principal bassoon of the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra, George Lomdaridze, principal double bass of the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra; Alexander Walden, Principal Trombone of the Sichuan Symphony Orchestra; and Guangyu Dong, noted trumpeter.

After an international call-for-scores for which nearly 130 applicants, the following composer fellows will have their works featured: Nick DiBerardino (USA), Jordan Kuspa (USA), Nicole Murphy (Australia), Meilina Tsui (Kazakhstan/Hong Kong), and SiHyun Uhm (South Korea).  One Composer Fellow may also be selected to have their piece featured by the Israeli Chamber Project alongside the music of Bright Sheng during their 2018-19 season in Israel, as part of a larger programming partnership with Intimacy of Creativity 2018-19.