"HKCC & Friends" Concert - Harmony Across 2 Cities

Co-presented by The Hong Kong Children's Choir (HKCC) and the Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra (HKCO), and featuring the Hamburg Girls' Choir (Germany) as guest choir, "HKCC & Friends" Concert - Harmony Across 2 Cities was successfully held on the afternoon of 1 March 2026 at the Theatre, Sheung Wan Civic Centre. We were honored to have Dr Annika Bolten-Drutschmann, German Consul General, among the audience.

HKCC Concert Choir, Intermediate 2C and 3D and the Hamburg Girls’ Choir, performed under the baton of Kathy Fok, Music Director and Principal Conductor of HKCC, and Gesa Werhahn, Conductor of the Hamburg Girls’ Choir, with accompaniment by Corina Lin and Jakob Deiml. Together with the chamber ensemble from the Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra under the leadership of Chew Hee-chiat, Assistant Artistic Director and Resident Conductor of the HKCO, a spectacular programme of cross-cultural performances was delivered.

The HKCO ensemble opened the concert with a vibrant arrangement of the jazz classic Spain, creatively blending folk music elements with lively melodies through zhongruan and erhu solos. Highlights of the concert included the Hong Kong premiere of Dragon Boat by Dr Steve Ho, HKCC’s Composer in Residence. Performed by HKCC Concert Choir with Pipa soloist Wang Kai-han and Percussionist Miao Shih-jhe from HKCO, the work vividly depicted the excitement and energy of a dragon boat race through magnificent choral singing combined with pipa and percussion, immersing the audience in the dynamism of traditional Chinese culture. Returning to Hong Kong since 2017, the Hamburg Girls’ Choir captivated the audience with pure, harmonious a cappella singing, German folk songs, and classic choral works. A highlight was their lively performance of the Indonesian folk song Hela Rotan, accompanied by a tug-of-war prop, conveying a powerful message of unity, mutual support, love and understanding across differences. The audience was deeply impressed by the unique artistry of this top German girls’ choir. Led by conductor Wesley Lam and accompanist Burnett Yuen, HKCC Intermediate 2C and 3D members performed Edelweiss and Fisherman’s Song, which carries the wisdom of Hong Kong’s boat‑dwelling culture. The last part of the concert was a joint performance of a vibrant and expressive contemporary choral work, Fire. Elements, composed by Katerina Gimon, is a four-movement work, with each movement featuring music based on one of four elements: earth, air, fire and water. Fire describes the energetic, explosive and sometimes horrific power of this elemental force. The concert concluded with a tender joint performance of the German lullaby Guten Abend, Gut’ Nacht, filling the venue with warmth and sweetness.

Through diverse musical styles and harmonious melodies, the concert embodied the theme “Harmony Across 2 Cities”. The performance received enthusiastic applause, offering the audience an unforgettable artistic experience.