How to enjoy classical music? Add art. Concert explores new ways to make the genre accessible to young people

On August 6 and 7, the Hong Kong Sinfonietta presents a concert programme in which the audience will be shown artworks as the music is played

The art is intended to evoke new feelings among concertgoers about the music being played in the programme, part of a series to make classical music accessible

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Yip Wing-sie is the music director Emeritus of the Hong Kong Sinfonietta. She will guide the audience through a selection of classical music accompanied by art during two concerts called “Seeing Beyond the Sound & Notes”. Photo: Hong Kong Sinfonietta

Published: 5:15pm, 4 Aug 2022

Synaesthesia is a brain condition that allows a person to see musical notes – but even without it, the eyes and the ears can work together to produce a deeper appreciation of music.

On August 6 and 7, the Hong Kong Sinfonietta will present “Seeing Beyond the Sound & Notes”, a concert programme in which the audience will be shown artwork designed to bring out new ways of understanding music.

The concerts are part of the orchestra’s long-running “Short-cut to Classical Music” series aimed at making classical music accessible and enjoyable by mixing it with different modes of artistic expression, such as dance, theatre and visual art, says Yip Wing-sie, its music director emeritus.

“For some people, music is just a mess of sound,” says Yip. “We want to include different kinds of music in our programme to let people know that if you have to have some kind of image in your head when you’re appreciating music, that’s fine.”

Works such as this one by artist Vivian Ho will be shown as part of a Hong Kong Sinfonietta concert programme. Photo: Hong Kong Sinfonietta

There will be regular concertgoers who would much rather sit down quietly and enjoy the music, but Yip says it is different for the younger generations who have grown up with smartphones.

She believes many young people would not have the patience needed to sit through a two-hour concert if there was nothing visually stimulating to go with the music.