Now in its 14th year as the University of Hong Kong's pillar of arts advocacy and music learning, HKU MUSE is proud to announce its 2026/27 concert season with a stellar lineup of distinguished soloists and chamber musicians to perform at the HKU Grand Hall, celebrated for its unparalleled acoustics.
HKU MUSE 2026/27 Season Highlights:
● The anticipated Hong Kong debut of Cuarteto Casals in its 30th anniversary season will revisit works from its inaugural season and present the Asia premiere of Elisenda Fábregas' Fiery earth, a work written for and co-commissioned by the Quartet.
● Back to Bach Series returns with a spotlight on two string virtuosos. Berlin Phil Principal Viola Diyang Mei presents Bach's complete Cello Suites in a rare viola performance, while celebrated violinist Antje Weithaas brings unmatched insight and brilliance to the complete Sonatas and Partitas for solo violin. Each journey spans nearly three hours, inviting audiences into music of profound intimacy, architectural brilliance, and enduring beauty.
● Following a triumphant 2025/26 season of five sold-out concerts, the Piano Laureate Series features recitals by Yulianna Avdeeva, First Prize Winner of the 2010 International Chopin Piano Competition, and the Hong Kong debut of Kevin Chen, First Prize Winner of Arthur Rubinstein, Geneva, and Liszt Competitions.
● Listening Between the Lines returns featuring renowned writer Ma Ka-Fai's final instalment of his acclaimed Hong Kong Trilogy. The author's captivating narration on stage will be accompanied by LENK Quartet in a programme curated by Yuan-Pu Chiao.
● Continuing its fruitful partnership with the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra and joined by the Hong Kong Philharmonic Chorus and the HKU Chamber Singers, HKU MUSE will present "The Night of the Ninth", a special programme commemorating the 200th anniversary of Beethoven's death.
Details of other programmes and concerts will be announced soon.
Season Opening
Cuarteto Casals Hong Kong Debut
(9 October 2026, HK DEBUT)
Founded in 1997 in Madrid, Cuarteto Casals stands among the most celebrated string quartets of our time. In the 2026/27 season, the ensemble marks its 30th anniversary with a long-awaited Hong Kong debut. Bridging three centuries of musical innovation, the Quartet will present the core repertoire of its first season: Haydn's dramatic Op. 20, No. 5, and Schubert's profound 'Death and the Maiden'. They will also present the Asia premiere of Fiery earth by prolific Spanish-American composer Elisenda Fábregas, a work dedicated to Cuarteto Casals, who co-commissioned it jointly with the Fundació Orfeó Català-Palau de la Música Catalana.
Back to Bach Series
Berlin Phil Principal Viola: Diyang Mei Plays the Complete Bach Cello Suites
(31 October 2026, HK RECITAL DEBUT)
One of the most distinguished violists of his generation, Diyang Mei made history in 2022 when he was appointed First Principal Viola of the Berliner Philharmoniker, becoming the first Chinese musician to join the orchestra. Returning to HKU MUSE, he presents a rare three-hour recital of Bach's complete Cello Suites. Performed on the viola, these iconic works reveal a distinctive richness of sound, offering fresh perspectives on these beloved masterpieces.
Antje Weithaas Plays Bach: The Complete Sonatas & Partitas for Solo Violin
(14 March 2027, HK DEBUT)
Recently named the OPUS Klassik 2025 "Instrumentalist of the Year", German violin virtuoso Antje Weithaas is acclaimed worldwide for her musical insight and technical mastery. Her distinguished career spans over three decades, launched by First Prizes at the Kreisler, Bach Leipzig, and Joseph Joachim Hannover Competitions. In her Hong Kong debut, she will perform Bach's complete Sonatas and Partitas in a single three-hour evening, offering Hong Kong audiences a rare chance to experience a tour de force that reveals the violin in its most intimate and transcendent form.
Piano Laureates in Concert
A Quiet Offering: Yulianna Avdeeva in Recital
(6 December 2026)
Yulianna Avdeeva, First Prize Winner of the 2010 International Chopin Piano Competition and juror for the Competition's 2025 edition, has captivated audiences worldwide with her commanding virtuosity and distinctive artistic voice. Her programme is framed by a subtle play on the number 12, from Boulez's 12 Notations to Chopin's 12 Etudes, with Ravel's luminous sound world in between. The centrepiece is the Hong Kong premiere of Dai Fujikura's Quiet Offering, part of its international premiere tour.
Transfigurations: Kevin Chen in Recital
(30 January 2027, HK DEBUT)
At just 21, Kevin Chen has already won First Prizes at the Rubinstein, Geneva, and Liszt Competitions, as well as Second Prize at the 2025 Chopin Competition. His highly anticipated Hong Kong debut explores an arc of transfigurations, from Beethoven and Mendelssohn's variations and Liszt's reimagining of An die ferne Geliebte, to the mystic intensity of Scriabin, culminating in his own arrangement of Liszt's Les Préludes, a testament to his distinctive voice and imagination.
Listening Between the Lines
Once Upon A Time in Hong Kong by Ma Ka-Fai × LENK Quartet
(10 April 2027)
Hong Kong writer Ma Ka-Fai is no stranger to fans of contemporary Chinese literature. His Hong Kong Trilogy, Once Upon A Time in Hong Kong, weaves the tangled feuds among Hong Kong's underworld figures. With his public charisma, the author will present the fierce and provocative finale of the Trilogy in his own voice on stage. Enhancing this intimate storytelling is LENK Quartet, featuring Nancy Loo (piano), Kitty Cheung (violin), Linus Fung (clarinet), and Eric Yip (cello). They will perform a selection of classical music curated by Yuan-Pu Chiao.
HK Phil × HKU MUSE
HK PHIL × HKU MUSE: The Night of the Ninth
(6–7 March 2027)
In commemoration of the 200th anniversary of Beethoven's death (March 1827), the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra, the Hong Kong Philharmonic Chorus, and the HKU Chamber Singers will recreate the historic concert heard in Vienna on 7 May 1824, when Beethoven unveiled his Ninth Symphony to the world at the Theater am Kärntnertor. The concert opens with the majestic Consecration of the House Overture, continues with three movements from the Missa solemnis, and concludes with the beloved 'Ode to Joy' Finale from the Ninth Symphony, presented as they were on that historic night. Together, these works form a rare portrait of Beethoven's final creative decade and his enduring affirmation of joy amid adversity.
Additional details can be found at muse.hku.hk
