Payare and OSM Announce New Asia Tour

Oct 22, 2026

A foremost cultural ambassador for Montreal, Quebec and Canada on the world’s leading stages, the Orchestre symphonique de Montréal (OSM) unveils a major Asian tour for February 2027, its 62nd to date. After recent tours in South Korea, Europe and the United States, this new destination will represent the Orchestra’s seventh tour under Rafael Payare’s direction.

Says Payare:

“Our Asia tour will open an exciting new chapter in our shared journey, with first-time visits under my direction to Hong Kong, Beijing, Shanghai, Busan, and Tokyo. Above all, these tours are an opportunity to share with new audiences the energy, artistic chemistry, and distinctive voice we have cultivated over the years, through programs that showcase the OSM’s remarkable richness, versatility, and character.”

From February 17 to March 3, the OSM heads to Asia for seven concerts in Hong Kong, Beijing, Shanghai, Busan, Seoul, and Tokyo. Except for Seoul, where the OSM performed in July 2022, these cities will be hosting the OSM under Rafael Payare’s direction for the first time. The programs feature major works from the symphonic repertoire and concertos showcasing internationally renowned soloists, as well as a strong Quebec presence with La Traversée by Montreal composer Denis Gougeon, the latter work receiving its Asian premiere at five of the tour’s six concerts. In Hong Kong, Shanghai, Busan, Seoul, and Tokyo, the orchestra will perform Dmitri Shostakovich’s monumental Symphony no. 8, while audiences in Hong Kong and Beijing will hear Richard Strauss’ symphonic poem Ein Heldenleben.

This tour opens with an artistic encounter between East and West: Prelude and Village Opera—an excerpt from Chinese composer Ye Xiaogang’s Symphony no. 5: Lu Xun—will be featured at the tour’s first concert in Hong Kong, which also inaugurates the 55th Hong Kong Arts Festival. The celebration of intercultural dialogue will continue with La Traversée by Montreal composer Denis Gougeon. Through this work and the participation of Canadian pianists Bruce Liu and Jaeden Izik-Dzurko—both past laureates of the OSM Competition—the Orchestra reaffirms its commitment to supporting emerging artists, promoting Quebec and Canadian creative work, and showcasing Montreal’s musical excellence on the world’s greatest stages.

Several prominent artists will join the Orchestra over the course of the tour. Montreal pianist Bruce Liu will perform Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto no. 2 in Hong Kong, Busan, and Seoul, while Canadian pianist Jaeden Izik-Dzurko will appear in Hong Kong as the soloist in Beethoven’s Piano Concerto no. 4. In Beijing and Shanghai, pianist Haochen Zhang will perform Beethoven’s Piano Concerto no. 4 and Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto no. 2. Finally, in Tokyo, violinist Leonidas Kavakos will join the OSM in Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto.

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