The International Cello Academy (ICA) is one of the few events in Europe dedicated to cellists from around the world. While presented in the form of a festival, its primary mission is educational, bringing together musicians of different backgrounds through masterclasses, workshops, and performances. The programme spans a wide range of repertoire, from Baroque and jazz to contemporary music, showcasing the versatility and richness of the cello.

This year’s ICA Finale Concert celebrates cultural exchange and artistic collaboration. As a continuation of the bilateral partnership between the Narodowe Forum Muzyki (National Forum of Music, NFM) and the Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra (HKCO), the Polish Cello Quartet, which visited Hong Kong in 2025, will reunite with HKCO musicians to present this unique cross-cultural programme in Poland.

The HKCO String Quintet will perform Queen Wang Zhaojun by Luk Wai-chun, a work inspired by the legendary story of Wang Zhaojun, one of the most celebrated figures in Chinese history. The concert will also feature two commissioned works jointly performed by the HKCO musicians and the Polish Cello Quartet: Cangjie by Polish composer Tomasz Skweres and Distant Mountain by Hong Kong composer Ng Cheuk-yin. Inspired by the legendary inventor of Chinese writing, Cangjie explores themes of culture, communication, and the origins of civilisation through a contemporary musical language.

The Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra's performance is supported by the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office, Berlin, of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China.