Cross-cultural concert
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BANKING

Cross-cultural concert

"It's turned out to be what we think is a perfect balance of our cultures and backgrounds - both China and Scotland," says Ian Wilson, Standard Chartered's general manager for Hong Kong, China and north-east Asia.

The Scot is speaking of the former colonial bank's decision to mark the handover of Hong Kong's sovereignty with a special concert. After nearly a year of musing about what would be most fitting, a bicultural gala entitled An International Tribute to Hong Kong and China will take place this month in Hong Kong's City Concert Hall.

The need to plan politically sound handover celebrations is paramount in the run-up to Britain's departure from the territory. Standard Chartered seems to have struck an almost sublime balance.

Mendelssohn's The Hebrides Overture opens the concert, harking back to the day in 1853 that James Wilson from Hawick, Scotland, founded the bank. This will be played by the Scottish Chamber Orchestra. Jahja Ling will conduct. He is of Chinese descent. An entente cordiale is then reinforced with Vivaldi's four-violin concerto in B minor - two of the four violinists are from the Shanghai Conservatory of Music, two from the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts.

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