Beijing (September 26, 2023) – In celebration of our long-term support for the Beijing Music Festival (BMF), and the Festival’s combined 25th and 26th anniversaries, UBS will present a special series of concerts and community programs to celebrate this enduring partnership. First, on September 26, 2023 at the Poly Theatre, UBS proudly presents a concert by Laufey, a talented jazz musician of mixed Chinese and Icelandic heritage, who will perform a piece accompanied by the China Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Yukuang Jin. On 6 October 2023, at the historical venue of the Temple of Heaven Divine Music Administration, UBS is thrilled to sponsor the Festival and showcase a music feast with celebrated tenor Warren Mok and pianist Yu Chen. UBS’s support for the Beijing Music Festival aims to promote musical talent in China and enhance cultural connections between musicians from around the world.

UBS has a long-standing mission to support public education, community engagement, and enhance cultural connections. In the lead up to this year’s edition, UBS will once again present a curated series of programs for our staff, community affairs partners, and local residents. UBS will host a Lunch & Learn event for staff and guest musician Laufey to share and exchange ideas and experiences about promoting music to the community. Secondly, in collaboration with the BMF, UBS Optimus Foundation’s grantee - Beijing New Sunshine Charity Foundation, UBS will arrange a series of community programs for children with health conditions. This series includes a special percussion music class brought by representatives from UBS and BMF for hospitalized children, followed by a backstage tour at the Poly Theatre for children who have completed or recovered from cancer treatment to enjoy the rehearsal of BMF 2023.

Eugene Qian, China Country Head of UBS AG & Chairman of UBS Securities Co. Ltd, said: ‘At UBS, we have a long-standing commitment to promoting culture, and we are so proud to continue our partnership with the Beijing Music Festival to showcase some of the most exceptional talents in the global music industry to audiences in China. Moreover, we are delighted to be continuing our dedication to support public education and engage the local community through our program initiatives.’

‘To perform modern jazz at this year’s Beijing Music Festival is such a privilege and honor. I am excited to share with audiences my music that is inspired by jazz, pop, and classical movements to bring back older genres of music to a younger generation.’ said Laufey.

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Notes to Editors

About UBS

UBS provides financial advice and solutions to wealthy, institutional and corporate clients worldwide, as well as private clients in Switzerland. UBS is the largest truly global wealth manager, and a leading personal and corporate bank in Switzerland, with a large-scale and diversified global asset manager and a focused investment bank. The bank focuses on businesses that have a strong competitive position in their targeted markets, are capital efficient, and have an attractive long-term structural growth or profitability outlook.

UBS is present in all major financial centers worldwide. It has offices in more than 50 regions and locations, with about 30% of its employees working in the Americas, 30% in Switzerland, 19% in the rest of Europe, the Middle East and Africa and 21% in Asia Pacific. UBS Group AG employs more than 72,000 people around the world. Its shares are listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange and the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE).

About UBS and Culture

UBS has been committed to supporting culture for many decades. UBS's partnership with the Beijing Music Festival underlines a long-standing commitment to supporting cultural and financial development in the region. Globally, UBS is also strongly engaged in contemporary art. At the core of this commitment is the UBS Art Collection, one of the world's most distinguished corporate art collections, comprising of over 30,000 artworks created by artists from more than 70 countries. Major contemporary art pieces from the UBS Art Collection are displayed on the premises by internationally acclaimed artists including: Chen Wei, Hong Hao, Ding Yi, and Anish Kapoor. Discover more at ubs.com/art.

About Laufey and concert on September 26

As a talented jazz musician of mixed Chinese and Icelandic heritage, Laufey made her debut on talent shows such as “Iceland‘s Got Talent” and “The Voice of Iceland” and rose to fame on TikTok with short videos and live broadcasts. Whether in crossover collaborations with the Philharmonic Orchestra or in sold-out performances at jazz festivals around the world, she has proved that she has the talent to match her fame. Inspired by the great female jazz singers of the 20th century such as Ella Fitzgerald and Billie Holiday, Laufey has created her own signature style and her concert on September 26 will perform a jazz piece accompanied by the China Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Yukuang Jin, providing audiences an opportunity to hear from the next generation of emerging talent.

About the concert on October 6

The concert on 6 October showcases the diversity of music through languages and cultures through the vocal and pianistic beauty, presented by singer Warren Mok and pianist Yu Chen. Pieces performed by the duo will include Hungarian composer Franz Liszt's Three Petrarch Sonnets in Italian, the works of Franz Schubert and Robert Schumann who represent the peak of German Romanticism, and Chinese songs that contrast music of both ancient and modern China. The three Chinese songs at the end of the concert demonstrates the contrasting music of ancient and modern China. The song "Ode to Beijing" is a special gift for the BMF and its audience.

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For enquiries about UBS and the Beijing Music Festival

Carol Lo
Email: carol@suttoncomms.com
T: +852 2528 0792
M: +852 9682 5273

For enquiries about UBS

Joanna Sin
Email: Joanna.sin@ubs.com
T: +852 2971 7950

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