The Philharmonia of the Nations made a triumphant debut in Hong Kong four years ago, bringing their mini-United Nations of musicians to local audiences. So, their return on Tuesday is much anticipated.
Founder Justus Frantz has an impressive classical pedigree. Born in Poland to a musical family, he gravitated towards the keyboards from the age of four. At a time when most children were still learning how to add, he was counting in rhyme and metre. 'Everyone in my family loved music,' says Frantz. 'It was out of the question that I play any instrument but the piano, which I loved most of all.'
He shot to fame in 1967, when he won an international music competition sponsored by a German television station. The 23-year-old Frantz was granted a scholarship to take master classes under pianist and composer Wilhelm Kempff. At the time, Frantz was one of the youngest artists to achieve such an accolade from the German National Scholarship Foundation.
Two other leading musical figures also marked the development of his career. In 1970, he joined the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, under the baton of Herbert von Karajan. Five years later, he moved to the New York Philharmonic Orchestra, where he was influenced by its maestro, Leonard Bernstein.
The Philharmonia of Nations is Bernstein's brainchild. Frantz expanded on Bernstein's credo to 'make music as friends' by gathering an orchestra of performers who return to their countries at the end of the tour. During the season, the musicians represent more than the prowess they demonstrate on their respective instruments. They also represent the best of their countries.
'The idea came about in 1989, when the Berlin Wall fell,' says Frantz. 'I organised, together with Bernstein, two concerts in Berlin. An orchestra with musicians from the US, France, Britain and Israel, playing Beethoven's Ninth Symphony. We both decided that this should not be a singular event. Some years later, in 1995, I founded the Philharmonia of the Nations.
'The United Nations was its inspiration. Musicians come from over 50 nations, and our rehearsal process is shorter than in any other orchestra I know,' he says. 'Before a tour starts, our orchestra comes together in Germany for rehearsal of three or four days. This orchestra is together for about 180 days and 120 concerts.'
