Bright Sheng has just finished a 3-hour rehearsal with the Asian Youth Orchestra in Hong Kong. You can detect a hint of tiredness in his voice, but it's overlaid with a definite tone of achievement, and excitement even, for what lies ahead.
"We've been putting in more or less that amount of practice time every day recently and I think we're ready to give it our first shot," said Sheng, winner of the prestigious MacArthur Genius Grant. The orchestra kicked off a 23-day, record 17-concert series, including seven in Japan, Saturday at Kyoto Concert Hall.
"This is the first time I have been involved in the Asian Youth Orchestra, but I think its cause and its mission are very strong," said Sheng, a world-renowned composer and guest conductor for the group's 13th tour. "To have all these Asian people working and making music together young people from Taiwan and mainland China holding hands, for example is just remarkable.