Shun Hing Group, a keen supporter of and contributor to the local arts scene, announced its sponsorship of the Hong Kong Arts Festival for the 19th year. The sponsored programme this year was "Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin" (DSO), which was presented on 6 March 2009 in the Concert Hall of the Hong Kong Cultural Centre. The programme attracted some 2,000 spectators and was extremely well-received.

Classical music enthusiast Dr William Mong said, "This is the 19th consecutive year for Shun Hing Group to sponsor the Hong Kong Arts Festival, the grand cultural occasion in town. It is my great honor to witness the brilliant performance of the internationally acclaimed DSO. We will offer continuous support to a variety of marvelous cultural events with an aim of maximizing the accessibility of great music and facilitating cultural exchange, thereby raising Hong Kong's cultural profile in the international arena."

In the programme, Ingo Metzmacher, the world’s most prestigious conductor from Germany, led the DSO to play major symphonic works including Bruckner’s Symphony No. 7 in E, Wagner’s Prelude to Lohengrin, and to collaborate with Baritone Matthias Goerne to perform Mahler’s Kindertotenlieder.

DSO has a strong reputation for masterful interpretation of Austro-German music from the turn of the century, an era that marks the beginning of musical modernity. Ingo Metzmacher, one of the most sought-after and internationally acclaimed conducts of his generation, is known for his vivid interpretations and innovative programming. Lauded as one of the most outstanding Lieder interpreters in the world, Matthias Goerne is described as having “a wonderful voice, imagination to burn and a formidable technique”.