User:Brahms9
Macao Orchestra (澳門樂團)
[edit]The Macao Orchestra (Portuguese : Orquestra de Macau, Chinese : 澳門樂團) is a professional orchestra based in the Macau SAR of the People's Republic of China. Consisting of approximately 60 members from Asia, Europe, North America and Australia, the orchestra performs symphonic, chamber and educational concerts around Macau. The orchestra also tours mainland China 2 or 3 times per year and in 2007 performed in Jakarta, Indonesia.
In Macau, the orchestra performs at the Macau Cultural Centre, San Domingo Church, Macau Tower and Dom Pedro V Theatre. The orchestra is run as a division of the Macau Cultural Institute (Instituto Cultural), the arts arm of the Macau government.
Formed in 1983 by Father Aureo de Castro as the Macao Chamber Orchestra, the orchestra underwent a series of reviews and expansions, becoming a full time professional ensemble in 2003. The current Musical Director and Principal conductor is Lü Jia (呂嘉), who has held this position since the beginning of the 2008-09. Lü Jia's predecessor, En Shao (邵恩) (2003-2008), was the first Music Director and Principal Conductor of the Macao Orchestra in it's present form.
Soloists who have appeared with the orchestra include Lang Lang (郎朗), Yundi Li (李云迪) and Pinchas Zuckerman.