The Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra will present the world’s first symphonic work performed in a concert hall and the metaverse on May 5 and 6 at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre. The 60-minute performance will feature music composed by Hollywood film composer Elliot Leung and an immersive art experience created by award-winning Hong Kong-based new media artist Henry Chu.
The concert, titled ‘Chow Sang Sang Jewellery Proudly Sponsors: Metaverse Symphony’, will feature three performances, followed by a virtual debut in The Sandbox metaverse. The world premiere of The Metaverse Symphony, which is also the inaugural programme of the HK Phil’s Arts Tech programme, will be conducted by Gerard Salonga.
‘Symphony no. 1, The Metaverse’ is based on Leung’s personal experience of what it means to be alive in Hong Kong in the data-driven 21st century. The concert will open with ‘Through the Fog, Into the Darkness’, another new work by Leung. The HK Phil will also perform alongside bite-sized sound recordings submitted by the public in the third movement.
To complement the symphony, Chu will create an immersive experience using generative art and transmedia to explore how symphonic music, digital fine art, and technology intersect. Live data and pre-recorded footage will be delivered to the artist’s real-time custom-made software to generate visuals that will be unique in every concert.
The Metaverse Symphony will also make its virtual debut in The Sandbox metaverse this summer as a fully immersive Web3 experience. It will be a multiplayer interactive experience that will take place in a recreation of Hong Kong’s Statue Square on The Sandbox. The audience will get the chance to take part in quests and time trials, which will help them learn about the composer, the music, and the transformation of technology in the 21st century.
Header image credits: Hong Kong Philharmonic via Facebook
