After Ma Wai-him, principal suona of the Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra, and the six-member fusion jazz band Jazzclectic took their curtain call at Shenzhen Concert Hall last night, the enchanted audience began to stream out, humming the catchy melodies that had become instant earworms.

Ma Wai-him (front center), principal suona of the Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra, performs with the six-member fusion jazz band Jazzclectic at the chamber hall of Shenzhen Concert Hall yesterday evening. Photos courtesy of Shenzhen Concert Hall 

Ma and his collaborators performed not only traditional Chinese tunes like “Colorful Clouds Chasing the Moon” and “Jasmine Scent” (a rearrangement of “Jasmine Flower”), but also classical Western pop pieces such as “Careless Whisper” and the viral hit “APT.” originally by Bruno Mars and Rose.

A native Hong Kong artist, Ma also plays the flute, guanzi (a Chinese double-reed instrument), sheng (a Chinese multi-reed mouth organ), clarinet, and other wind instruments. Born into a musical family, he grew up immersed in pop, rock, reggae, soul, jazz, and many other music genres.

“Suona is actually a versatile instrument that blends well with bands despite its distinct timbre,” Ma told Shenzhen Daily in an interview yesterday afternoon.

Before joining Jazzclectic, Ma worked with The Majestic G, an original funk/soul group. He agrees that a Chinese instrument player needs a repertoire deeply rooted in tradition, but must also create original works and rearrange Western music and pop to engage contemporary audiences.

“In today’s fast-paced world, under the pressures of work and life, people prefer something modern that they can relate to,” he explained, adding that their previous performances of “APT.” always had audiences singing along.

Last night’s concert was part of a program co-curated by Shenzhen Concert Hall and Hong Kong’s Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD).

Hong Kong-based Rhythmaker performs a Beautiful Sunday concert on July 6.

In the program’s “Family Fun” series, part of the Beautiful Sunday public benefit events hosted by the concert hall, Hong Kong-based Rhythmaker transformed everyday kitchenware into instruments, inviting children to explore rhythm through familiar tunes like a medley of Disney animation themes. 

The series also featured the Romer String Quartet performing timeless classics by Piazzolla, Haydn, Puccini, Smetana, Debussy, and Glazunov.

The LCSD, which began collaborating with Guangdong cities on cultural and art events in 2018, is also co-producing a Cantonese opera with the Shenzhen Cantonese Opera Troupe, revealed senior manager Tracy Ngai.

“We had a successful three-concert project with Shenzhen Concert Hall last year and plan to follow it up with more concerts, both public benefit and commercial shows,” she said, adding that co-creating original works and promoting Chinese traditions will be LCSD’s focus.

“We aim to present programs with unique Hong Kong flavors, especially those that will engage local audiences across the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area,” Ngai added. The agency has introduced original productions like Shenzhen’s dance drama “Wing Chun” to Hong Kong audiences.

Upcoming highlights

In case you missed LCSD’s previous shows, here are three more concerts scheduled for the rest of the year:

Sept. 6: McDull’s classical adventure

Conductor Yip Wing-sie.

World-renowned conductor Yip Wing-sie will lead the Hong Kong Sinfonietta in performing beloved classical pieces including Rimsky-Korsakov’s vivid “Flight of the Bumblebee,” Grieg’s iconic “In the Hall of the Mountain King” from “Peer Gynt Suite,” Elgar’s sweet and poignant “Salut d’Amour,” the second movement of Beethoven’s “Symphony No. 7 in A Major,” and Mussorgsky’s “Pictures at an Exhibition” reorchestrated by Maurice Ravel.

Hong Kong Sinfonietta will perform beloved classics accompanied by McDull animation snippets.

Designed for family audiences, this 75-minute concert without intermission will be accompanied by scenes from the McDull movies shown on a big screen. McDull, a lovable cartoon pig created by Brian Tse and Alice Mak, has starred in award-winning animated films that prominently use classical music as soundtracks and adapted songs.

Heartwarming scenes will help young listeners better appreciate the classical compositions.

Oct. 7: An East-meets-West strings concert

Led by renowned violinist Yao Jue, the Hong Kong String Orchestra will perform Chinese composer Ye Guohui’s “Cantonese Opera Fantasia,” a Hong Kong pop medley, and selected Western classical works.

Yao Jue (front center) performs with the Hong Kong String Orchestra.

Yao’s virtuosic violin and emotional interpretations will evoke the voice of a Cantonese opera diva in Ye’s composition, inspired by traditional and contemporary music from Guangdong’s coastal cities. The concert will also feature Grieg’s “Holberg Suite” and Bartók’s “Romanian Folk Dances.”

Dec. 5: Chamber music extravaganza

Cellist Trey Lee.

Cellist Trey Lee and the Musicus Soloists Hong Kong (MSHK) will perform beloved classical pieces including Beethoven’s “Violin Sonata No. 9,” dedicated to violinist Rodolphe Kreutzer, and Astor Piazzolla’s “The Four Seasons of Buenos Aires.”

Directed and initiated by Lee, MSHK is an inventive collective showcasing Hong Kong’s leading emerging artists — young musicians who are alumni of prestigious North American and European conservatories and laureates of international competitions.