Hong Kong Philharmonic's Korea Tour Postponed Due to COVID-19 Spread Concerns

Organizer PrestoArt "Rescheduling Tour with Hong Kong Philharmonic... Aiming for Completion Within the Year"

Yap Pan Tsubeden, Music Director (right), and the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra
[Photo by PrestoArt]

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Byung-hee] The Hong Kong Philharmonic's scheduled visit to Korea on the 10th of next month has been postponed due to concerns over the spread of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19).

Benedict Porr, CEO of the Hong Kong Philharmonic, stated in an email on the 19th, "We deeply regret having to postpone the Korea and Japan tour. Yap Fan Tsuveden, the artistic director of the Hong Kong Philharmonic and Hong Kong's cultural ambassador, was very much looking forward to this tour. However, the health of our members, staff, and audience must come first, which left us no choice but to make this decision. We hope the world will overcome the current situation as soon as possible, and the Hong Kong Philharmonic will do its best to reschedule this tour at the earliest opportunity."

Presto Art, the organizer of this performance, said, "We are currently negotiating the tour schedule again with the Hong Kong Philharmonic. We will do our best to hold the Korea concert within this year."

The Hong Kong Philharmonic gained attention as the first Asian ensemble to be selected as the "Orchestra of the Year 2019" by Gramophone, the world's most prestigious classical music magazine.

The Hong Kong Philharmonic was scheduled to perform in Tokyo and Osaka, Japan, starting from the 5th of next month, followed by concerts in Seoul, Daejeon, Gwangju, and Chuncheon in Korea from the 10th.