Performer: Jaap van Zweden

From the very first bars of Britten’s Violin Concerto, Augustin Hadelich impresses in Britten's Violin Concerto, yet Jaap van Zweden's Brahms 4 appears misaligned. 

With Jaap van Zweden on the podium, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra makes a memorable festival debut, offering a fresh take on a high-powered classic.

Soloists, orchestra and chorus fully contribute to a powerful rendition of Mahler's Second Symphony, but it serves as a reminder of issues that have marked van Zweden's Mahler during his New York tenure. 

Presenting all nine symphonies and the song cycles over ten days in Amsterdam, the Mahler Festival features the Royal Concertgebouw, Budapest Festival, NHK Symphony, Chicago Symphony and Berlin Philharmonic Orchestras.

After an abrupt end to the season, Jaap van Zweden and his orchestra look forward to a new season fuelled by hope and resilience.

Whether discovering new works or revisiting classics, the 2018-19 Hong Kong Philharmonic season has plenty to offer.