Festival Artists
- September 27, 2023
- Posted by: admin
- Category:
Piano
Pianist Kun-Woo Paik made his debut at age ten performing Grieg’s Piano Concerto with the Korean National Orchestra. In the following years, he made a name for himself by performing several premieres, such as Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition. At the age of 15, he moved to New York to study with Rosina Lhévinne at The Juilliard School, and he also studied in London, with Ilona Kabos, and in Italy, with Guido Agosti and Wilhelm Kempff. Paik is the winner of the 1971 Naumburg Piano Award and Gold Medalist at the Busoni International Piano Competition. His international career took off following his first New York appearance, performing Ravel‘s complete piano works at the Lincoln Center, as well as his orchestral debut at the Carnegie Hall.
In 1974 Paik made his European debuts with 3 consecutive recitals at the Wigmore Hall in London, followed in 1975 by a recital at the Berlin Philharmonie. Since then, he has closely collaborated with conductors such as Lorin Maazel, Mariss Jansons, Long Yu, Sir Neville Marriner, Wolfgang Sawallisch, Jiří Bělohlávek, Mikhail Pletnev, Dmitri Kitaenko, James Conlon, John Nelson and Eliahu Inbal and performed with orchestras such as the New York Philharmonic, St. Petersburg Philharmonic, London Symphony, BBC Symphony(Last Night of the Proms 1987), Orchestre de Paris, Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin, Hungarian National Philharmonic, Oslo Philharmonic, Rotterdam Philharmonic, RAI Italia, Warsaw Philharmonic, and English Chamber Orchestra.
Paik’s numerous recordings include Scriabin, Liszt, complete works for solo piano by Mussorgsky, and complete works for piano and orchestra by Rachmaninov (under Vladimir Fedoseyev for BMG). His complete Prokofiev Piano Concertos recording received both the “Diapason d’or” of the Year in 1993 and “Nouvelle Academie du disque” Award in France.
As an exclusive Decca artist, to celebrate J. S. Bach’s year in 2000, he recorded Busoni’s Transcriptions of Bach’s organ works followed by an album of Fauré’s Piano works, which won all the major prizes in France.
In 2005, Kun-Woo Paik started a new project to record all 32 Sonatas by Beethoven for Decca. First volume (Sonatas No. 16~26) was released in August 2005. In 2007 and 2017, Kun-Woo Paik gave 8 consecutive recitals performing all Beethoven’s 32 sonatas in China and in Korea with great popular success, to celebrate the completion of his recording of Beethoven’s masterpieces. In 2019, after the release of his recording of Complete Chopin Nocturnes by Deutsche Grammophon, he held recitals under the title of ‘ Kun-Woo Paik and Chopin’ in 15 cities in Korea. Paik also successfully completed another series of recitals named ‘Kun-Woo Paik and Schuman‘ in 2020 to celebrate the release of his recording of Schumann’s works by Deutsche Grammophon.
In September 2022, he released a recording of Granados‘s Goyescas, inspired by works of Spanish artist Francisco Goya, with Deutsche Grammophon. Paik visited the San Fernando Royal Academy of Fine Arts Museum in Madrid, Spain, to look at Goya’s paintings once more before recording the album as well as to perform Granados‘s Goyescas.
Kun-Woo Paik lives in Paris and is the Artistic Director of the Emerald Coast Music Festival in Dinard(France) and was made the ‘Chevalier de l’ordre des arts et des lettres’ by the French Government in 2000.
Recipient of the Ten Outstanding Young Persons Award 1978, Ms. Nancy Loo is one of Hong Kong’s most versatile artists. She currently teaches piano at The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts and The Chinese University of Hong Kong. She is often invited to host music talks and master classes, and to serve as a juror for piano competitions.
Loo attended the Juilliard School on scholarship, where she studied with Adele Marcus. After graduating with a Master’s degree, she studied with Vlado Perlemuter in Paris and Guido Agosti in Italy. She was First Prize winner at the Fourth Rina Sala Gallo International Competition in Monza, and has won awards in many other international competitions, including the Marguerite Long International Competition in Paris.
As a pianist, Loo has given solo recitals and performed with orchestras in England, Europe, North America and Asia. Locally, she has appeared in the Hong Kong Arts Festival Orchestra and the Hong Kong Sinfonietta.
Harp
Harpist Lavinia Meijer is one of the most diverse harpists of the 21st century. An exclusive Sony Classical International Artist, she has performed in some of the leading concert halls in the world, including Carnegie Hall New York, Berlin Philharmonie, Amsterdam Concertgebouw, Musikverein Vienna, Palais des Beaux Arts Brussels, Bronfman Auditorium Tel Aviv and Seoul Arts Center.
Lavinia is passionate about broadening the possibilities of the harp. She experiments with electronic music, theatrical music, jazz and avant garde work by composers like Ludwig Ellis-Leone, Garrett Byrnes, Paul Patterson, Carlos Michans and Konstantia Gourzi, and has collaborated with artists such as Iggy Pop, Philip Glass, Laurie Anderson, Sufjan Stevens and Ludovico Einaudi.
She is one of few classical artists to have had an impact on European rock album charts. In addition to being awarded two gold albums, her Channel Classics recording of Metamorphosis / The Hours and her Sony Classical album Passaggio, have both achieved platinum sales. Her many recordings feature music as varied as Handel, Bach, Scarlatti, Takemitsu, Dessner, Muhly, Piazzola, Ravel and Debussy. Lavinia appears as a featured artist on Brittany Howard’s 2020 Grammy-nominated solo album Jamie, and on the 2020 Sony Classical release Peaceful Choir, in collaboration with World Choir for Peace. Lavinia’s 2022 solo album Are You Still Somewhere? received the Edison Classical Album Award (the Dutch equivalent of The Grammys). Her latest multi-album recording project, featuring single releases throughout 2023, is inspired by the four seasons and covers music from more than three centuries, including her own original compositions.
In April 2021, Lavinia gave the world premiere of a new harp concerto by Jaap NicoHamburger with the Residentie Orkest in The Hague. The piece was commissioned by the Government of the Netherlands and the United Nations to mark the 75th anniversary of the International Court of Justice. Additional accolades include an invitation to perform at the PyeongChang Winter Music Festival to celebrate the 2018 Winter Olympics in South Korea.
Lavinia is an Ambassador for Save a Child’s Heart.
Violin
Lauded as one of the most prominent violinists of today, Ju-Young Baek enjoys an extensive international career. Many of world’s important venues such as Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center in New York, Philadelphia’s Kimmel Center, Kennedy Center in Washington D.C., Suntory Hall in Tokyo, have presented her in recitals as well as a soloist, with the NHK Symphony, London Philharmonic, Philadelphia Orchestra, Budapest Festival Orchestra, China National Orchestra, Finnish Radio Orchestra, Singapore Symphony, Seoul Philharmonic, KBS Symphony Orchestra among others. Also active as a chamber musician, Ms. Baek has performed at the festivals of Marlboro, Ravinia, Aspen, Great Mountains, Naantali, Bridgehampton, as well as Casals Festival in France, Beethoven Festival in Poland and YCA CHANEL Festival in Tokyo. She was the leader of the Sejong Soloists, and one of the founding members of Chamber Music Society of Kumho Art Hall, and now leads ensemble OPUS, a chamber music ensemble based in Seoul.
Winner of numerous prizes of prestigious international competitions, Ms. Baek is a laureate of Indianapolis, Paganini, Sibelius, Long-Thibaud, and Queen Elisabeth International Competitions, to name a few. Her career was launched after winning 1st prize at YCA Auditions in New York City and the Astral Artists of Philadelphia. Her orchestra solo debut at Lincoln Center with New York Chamber Orchestra was highly praised by Kurt Masur, then Music Director of New York Philharmonic.
In 2007, Ju-Young Baek gave a record-making performance in which all 12 of Bach and Ysaye solo violin works were performed in one day.
Violinist Ju-Young Baek released her first CD in Japan with Brahms and Bruch concerti to critical acclaim, followed by another solo violin repertoire album consisted of Bartok, Bach, Isang Yun, Schnittke, also published in Japan. Her recording of Penderecki and Szymanovski violin concerti with Royal Philharmonic was released in London, which received rave reviews. In 2020, in celebration of Beethoven’s 250th birthday, Ju-Young released a complete Beethoven Violin Sonatas recording, under Sony Label.
Ms. Baek holds degrees from The Curtis Institute of Music, The Juilliard School, and Conservatoire National Superieur de Paris. She was appointed as the youngest violin professor in 2005 at the Seoul National University, which made national headlines in Korea.
Dan Zhu is widely recognized as one of the leading musicians of his generation on the international stage today, praised as “an artist of affecting humility and beautiful tone production” by The Strad magazine, performing internationally in North America, Europe, and Asia. His recent triumphant performance with the Boston Symphony at the Tanglewood Festival has been raved by the critics as “truly brilliant, compelling, and polished”. He has appeared with world class orchestras under the direction of Maestros Christoph Eschenbach, Zubin Mehta, Krzysztof Penderecki, Jacek Kaspszyk, Uroš Lajovic, Alexander Rahbari, En Shao, Carl St.Clair, Muhai Tang, Ralf Weikert, Long Yu among many others, and has been invited to perform at renowned festivals, such as Salzburg Festspiele, Verbier, Kuhmo, Marlboro, Enescu, Schleiswig-Holstein, Prades-Casals, Ravinia, and Spoleto.
Dan Zhu’s latest seasons highlights of duo recitals with Christoph Eschenbach on Mozart and Beethoven sonatas at the Kennedy Center and at NCPA in Beijing; with pianist Gerhard Oppitz at Enescu Festival; with Kun Woo Paik on Brahms sonatas for violin & piano; solo appearance includes with Zubin Mehta and the Orchestra Maggio Musicale Fiorentino; with Camerata Salzburg at the Salzburg Festspiele; with the Philadelphia Orchestra on Tan Dun’s concerto with the composer conducting the performance at Kimmel Center; Recital at Verbier Festival; Concerto tour with Tokyo Symphony Orchestra in China; Chamber music series at Théâtre des Champs-Elysées; K.A.Hartmann “Concerto Funebre” with Korean Chamber Orchestra at Seoul Arts Center; China premiere of Bright Sheng’s violin concerto “Let Fly” with the composer conducting Hong Kong Philharmonic.
As an active chamber musician, he has collaborated with pianists Philippe Entremont, Peter Frankl, Richard Goode, Lang Lang, Jean-Yves Thibaudet, and other instrumentalists includes Joshua Bell, Henri Demarquette, Nobuko Imai, Mischa Maisky, Paul Meyer. His recital in Hamburg was acclaimed by Die Welt as “distinctive dramaturgy of contrasts, crystalline tones with intensity and sensitivity”, duo recital with pianist Michel Dalberto in Paris was praised as “the fluent subtlety at his very ease in the score of constantly renewed imagination” by Concert Classic. Since 2020, together with violist Diemut Poppen and cellist Danjulo Ishizaka formed string Trio 3D, their performances have been highly raved by Luzerner Zeitung.
A native of Beijing, Zhu made his first public appearance at the age of nine, performing Mendelssohn’s violin concerto with the China Youth Chamber Orchestra. At age twelve he was admitted by the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing, where he studied with Xiao-zhi Huang. Four years later he was awarded full scholarship to study with Lucie Robert at Mannes College of Music in New York, where he made his Carnegie Hall debut with Tchaikovsky violin concerto at the age of eighteen. His mentors have included Ivry Gitlis, Gerard Poulet, and Aaron Rosand. As recording artist, Dan Zhu has appeared on several international labels, such as BIS, Cascavelle, CPO, Naxos, ORF. His latest world premiere recordings of Bright Sheng’s violin concerto “Let Fly” and Boris Papandopulo’s epic violin concerto, praised as “Mr. Zhu is most eloquent and musical, his tone succulent” by the American Record Guide. He has been invited to give masterclass and lecture at Sibelius Academy, Tanglewood Festival, Princeton University, Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, Fontainebleau School of Fine Arts and Music.
Dan Zhu has collaborated with numerous leading composers of our time on concert stages and in recordings, including George Benjamin, Gyorgy Kurtag, the late Krzysztof Penderecki and Gian-Carlo Menotti, Wolfgang Rihm, Tan Dun, Bright Sheng, and Xiaogang Ye. He is also a dedicated member of the Nature Conservancy and the Antarctic Forum in the environmental field, has been on three expeditions to the Antarctica, and the first violinist in the history performed on the continent in 2013. Since 2021, he is the founder and artistic director of Festival Etruscan Bloom in Florence, Italy. Follow Dan Zhu’s music journey at www.danzhumusic.com
Critically acclaimed Canadian violinist Jing Wang is one of the most versatile and dynamic violinists of his generation. Since his solo recital debut in Marseilles, France at the age of six, Wang has garnered prizes in top international competitions, including the first prize at the 2007 Irving M. Klein International Strings Competition. In 2003, Wang was awarded the “Young Soloist of the Year” by Les Radios Francophones Publiques, a broadcast network of four countries including France, Canada, Switzerland, and Belgium. As a part of the award, Wang’s first CD album including works by Beethoven, Ravel and Gershwin was released in Europe.
Wang has appeared as a soloist with major orchestras in Europe and North America, including Czech Radio Philharmonic, the Moscow State Symphony Orchestra, l’Orchestre National de Lorraine, l’Orchestre de Picardie, the Metropolitan Orchestra of Montreal, and the Montreal Symphony Orchestra. He has played with the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Zubin Mehta and in November will perform with China Philharmonic under Maestro Osmo Vanska. He has collaborated with renowned conductors such as James DePreist, Claus Peter Flor, Yoav Talmi, Jacques Lacombe, Joseph Rescigno and Anne Manson.
Wang’s chamber music performances and solo recitals at major venues, such as National Arts Centre in Ottawa, and Lincoln Center, received critical acclaim and his performances are heard frequently on CBC Radio-Canada. Additionally, Wang is one of the founding members of Ensemble75, a chamber music series based in Dallas, Texas.
Under Maestro Graeme Jenkins, Wang was the Concertmaster of the Dallas Opera from 2010-2013. He previously served as guest Concertmaster for the Kansas City Symphony under Maestro Michael Stern and the San Antonio Symphony under Maestro Sebastian Lang-Lessing. Appointed by Maestro Jaap van Zweden, Wang is currently Concertmaster of the Hong Kong Philharmonic since 2013. He plays a 1757 G.B. Guadagnini “Ex-Brodsky” violin, loaned generously by an anonymous benefactor.
Aimee Sung is the violinist and founding member of the Dawning Quartet. She is on the violin faculty of the Chinese University of Hong Kong and the University of Hong Kong.
Sung graduated from the Indiana University Bloomington School of Music on the Hong Kong Sir Edward Youde Memorial Scholarship for Overseas Studies. She was among the last batch of students of the late Russian violinist, Nelli Shkolnikova, and studied baroque violin with Stanley Ritchie.
She was awarded the Dean’s Award and Faculty Award. Upon graduation, she undertook further studies with Xiang Chen and master-classes with Michael Frischenschlager, Paul Roczek and Alex Kerr.
Sung has performed on concert stages worldwide, including Austria, Italy, Sweden, the United States, Japan, mainland China. In 2022, she was invited to perform Wieniawski Violin Concerto No.2 with Chung Chi Orchestra. Other concert appearances included performances at Mozarteum Festival in Salzburg, Hong Kong Arts Festival, Le French May Arts Festival, “Sound of Art” Concert Series of Hong Kong Museum of Art, and Musica del Cuore Concert Series. As an active chamber musician, Sung has collaborated with RTHK Quartet, La Réunion Musicale, SIU2 and was also invited to perform in a piano trio recital in Osaka, Japan, to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of the city of Kawanishi.
Wu graduated from The Chinese University of Hong Kong with BA in Music and Master of Music.
Presently, Wu is the strings instructor of the CUHK Chung Chi Orchestra, he is also the concertmaster of Hong Kong Ponte Orchestra and Ponte Orchestra London.
Viola
Hong Kong-native Andrew Ling is a concert violist and violinist, conductor, and music educator. Currently Principal Violist of the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra (HK Phil), Andrew has garnered acclaim for his orchestral playing and solo recitals worldwide. His appearances as concert soloist have included the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra, the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra, the Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra, and the China Film Orchestra.
A versatile and an all-round musician, Andrew has brought his musicianship to conducting engagements with the HK Phil, the Pan Asia Symphony Orchestra, Kunming Nie Er Symphony Orchestra and Finland’s Seinäjoki City Orchestra and Kuopio Symphony Orchestra. Handpicked to conduct the HK Phil in rehearsal for Christoph Eschenbach and the late Lorin Maazel, he has worked alongside some of the world’s foremost conductors, including Jaap van Zweden, Edo de Waart, Jun Märkl, and Leonard Slatkin. Ling was the finalist of the Besançon International Conducting Competition 2017.
Andrew’s journey with music began at six, where he studied violin with the late Professor Lin Yaoji at the Central Conservatory of music, Beijing. He went on to pursue Violin Performance at Indiana University under Henryk Kowalski, Mauricio Fuks, Alan de Veritch and the late Ik-hwan Bae, and was a protégé of Cho-Liang Lin at Rice University.
A successful musician and a much sought-after art educator, upon his return to Hong Kong, Andrew remains active in the classical music scene. He is often seen playing solo, chamber and conducting. After returning to Hong Kong, Andrew continued his career as a concert musician and conductor. He has played with many renowned musicians including Yu-Ja Wang, Cho-Liang Lin, Jaime Laredo, Ning Feng, Michael Guttman and The Shanghai Quartet etc.
Outside the concert hall, Andrew is passionate about cultivating the next generation of musicians. He holds teaching positions at The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, Hong Kong Baptist University and Hong Kong Chinese University, and has also served as director of The Robert H.N. Ho Family Foundation Orchestral Fellowship Scheme.
Andrew is the recipient of Certificate of Commendation from Secretary of Home Affairs of Hong Kong in 2012. He has become the Music Director of Pan Asia Symphony Orchestra since September 2023.
Andrew plays on a violin and viola made by Gaetano Sgarabotto.
An active chamber musician in the United States, Europe and Asia, Caleb Wong is the violist of Cong Quartet. The Quartet is part of the Nederlandse Strijkkwartet Academie (NSKA) and they were also the Ensemble-in-Residence then Artist-in-Residence of the Chinese University of Hong Kong from 2019-2022. With the quartet, Caleb was a top prizes winner of the Salzburg Mozart International Chamber Competition in Tokyo. Kreutzer International Music Competition and Virtuoso & Belcanto Festival Chamber Music Competition. He also took part & performed in many chamber music festival with the quartet including the Robert Mann String Quartet Institute & the Juilliard String Quartet Seminar in New York, the Ashkenasi Kirshbaum Chamber Music Seminar at The Heifetz International Music Institute, Musique à Flaine, Madeline Island Chamber Music and the Intensive String Quartet seminar at Music Academy Hörpu in Iceland.
Caleb has studied & worked closely with the Pacifica, Borromeo, Dover, Juilliard and Shanghai Quartet, and members of the Cleveland, Danel, Guarneri, Jerusalem, Tokyo & Vermeer String Quartet among others. Caleb was the violist of the Alpensia Quartet in South Korea sponsored by Artsylvia Foundation before forming the Cong Quartet. He was also a finalist in competitions such as the Washington International Competitions, Storioni Competition & Hong Kong Generation Next Arts Competition. He has also performed as a guest artist in universities such as Bard College, Texas Christian University, the University of North Texas, Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music in Singapore.
As an orchestral musician, Caleb was previously a member of The Orchestra Now (TŌN) in New York, and played with many orchestras in the US including New York Philharmonic. During his time in New York, Caleb performed regularly in world famous venues like the MET museum, Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center, and recorded with labels such as Naxos and Sorel Classics. He has also subbed in many ensembles in Europe namely the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra and English Chamber Orchestra.
Caleb received his musical education in Hong Kong, London, Indiana, New York and the Netherlands. His most important teachers were Kaori Wilson of Hong Kong Philharmonic, Kazuhide Isomura of Tokyo String Quartet and Edward Gazouleas, the Artistic Director of Curtis Institute of Music. His other influential mentors include Ivan Chan, Stephen Wyrczynski, Michael Tree, Mai Motobuchi & Mara Gearman.
Cello/ Double Bass
A
native from Hong Kong, Yan-Ho Cheng studied the cello under the tutelage of Ming-Yuen Cheung, Joliana Lai, Hiu-Lo Tung and later Prof. Ray Wang. He graduated from the Chinese University of Hong Kong with a Bachelor of Arts in Music and the Jacobs School of Music of Indiana University with a Master degree in Cello Performance under the guidance of Peter Stumpf.Yan Ho also worked as the assistant of Susan Moses at Indiana University String Academy and furthered his studies in quartet performance with Luc-Marie Aguera, Marc Danel, Ivan Chan and the Pacifica Quartet.
Yan Ho has performed extensively throughout his career as the founding cellist of Cong Quartet which won the Adolf Betti Award of the Virtuoso & Belcanto’s Chamber Music Competition 2022 in Italy, the Grand Prize in the 2019 Salzburg Mozart International Chamber Competition in Tokyo and the 2nd prize in the 2021 Kreutzer International Competition in Belgium. The Cong Quartet was the 2021-2022 Artist in Residence for the Master of Arts Programme of the Chinese University of Hong Kong , in which they also held the role of the Ensemble-in-Residence from 2019 to 2021. Yan Ho has recently toured with the quartet around Europe and the United States for a series of performances in New York, Staunton (Virginia), Lakeside Chautauqua (Ohio), Berlin, Lyon, Bourgen-Bress, Flaine, Lucca, Cagliari and Utrecht. He has also performed with Andrej Bielow, Jorja Fleezanis, Eric Kim, Adrien La Marca, Antonio Lysy, Mai Motobuchi, Enrico Pace, Rachell Wong and members of Quatuor Danel among others.
Yan-Ho was a recipient of several scholarships including the C.C.Chiu Memorial Fund, a full scholarship for his masters studies, C.F. Hu Postgraduate Memorial Scholarship, China Soong Ching Ling Foundation “Gucci Timepieces and Jewelry Music Fund” Scholarship and Li Po Chun Charity Trust Fund. He was also a prize winner in the cello concerto competition in the Hong Kong School Music Festival.
Ian Mok is a British cellist who enjoys his career as a performing artist and music consultant. Making his concerto debut at St. Johns’s Smith Square at 13, Ian studied under Genevieve Teulières-Sommer and Raphael Sommer at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama (Junior Division). He then attended Harvard University, where he was principal cellist of the Harvard-Radcliffe Orchestra, assistant principal at Tanglewood, a scholarship winner with the St. Lawrence String Quartet, and a junior fellow with the New England String Ensemble. Ian has performed for dignitaries such as Queen Elizabeth II and Pope John Paul II, and in venues such as Westminster Abbey and the Sistine Chapel.
Returning to the UK, Ian was co-principal cellist of the London City Orchestra, principal cellist of the Royal Orchestral Society, and a tenor with the London Symphony Chorus. Now based in Hong Kong, Ian is pursuing his PhD in Music at Hong Kong Baptist University, exploring how music can positively affect social well-being.
Reyer Zwart (1971) studied bass guitar at the Utrecht Conservatory, graduating in 1996. He is an active live performer, on bass guitar and double bass, as well as on guitar and piano. He has played with many Dutch bands and artists. In the years 2012 – 2014, he was the bass player in the trio of legendary composer/arranger Van Dyke Parks, during his European concert tours.
As a studio musician, his playing can be heard on over 100 album recordings. He has produced albums for singer-songwriter VanWyck, Alex Roeka and Philippe Elan. He is also very active as an arranger; his arrangements can be heard on numerous recordings, including albums from Danny Vera, Douwe Bob and many others. The popular hits “Roller Coaster” by Danny Vera and “Mag Ik Dan Bij Jou” by Claudia de Breij both feature his string arrangements. He has arranged for the Metropole Orchestra, Fuse and the Amstel saxophone quartet. He composed the soundtrack for the 2020 movie “De Vogelwachter”.
His composition Amethyst was adapted in 2023 for harpist Lavinia Meijer and the Alma Quartet.
Woodwind
Lorenzo Antonio Iosco is an Italian clarinetist and conductor based in Hong Kong where he is a member of the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra. Before moving to Asia in 2015, he studied the clarinet at the Luigi Cherubini Conservatory in Florence from where he graduated with Distinction. He then became a member at Madrid Opera House Teatro Real in Spain for three years and London Symphony Orchestra for seven years, respectively.
As a clarinetist, Lorenzo also worked extensively with Chamber Orchestra of Europe, Philharmonia, BBC Symphony Orchestra, London Sinfonietta, St Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra, Dallas Symphony Orchestra, Sydney Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra dell’Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia in Rome, Opera di Roma, Orchestra del Teatro La Fenice in Venice, Luzern Festival Orchestra, under the baton of renowned conductors such as Valery Gergiev, Bernard Haitink, Sir Colin Davis, Sir Simon Rattle, Andris Nelsons, Esa-Pekka Salonen, André Previn, Yuri Temirkanov, Semyon Bychkov, Lorin Maazel, Jaap Van Zweden and Myung-Whun Chung.
As soloist he performed all major clarinet repertoire in Europe and Asia. Chamber music highlights include his London Wigmore Hall debut in collaboration with the London Conchord Ensemble in 2013, and performing as well as recording Mozart’s Gran Partita with the LSO woodwind ensemble in Switzerland, Italy and at LSO St. Lukes in London.
Lorenzo studied orchestral conducting with Piero Bellugi in Florence and Donato Renzetti in Rome. Recently he was invited to join the Gstaad Conducting Academy in Switzerland where he had the privilege of working closely with Jaap van Zweden and Johannes Schlaefli, who selected him to conduct in the Academy’s final concert.
Lorenzo is the founder and artistic director of Ensemble Ubertini, a chamber orchestra based in Tuscany with international guest musicians. His main interest with the Ensemble is to rediscover some of the most important repertoire of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries.
In 2021 Lorenzo made his conducting debut with the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra, showcasing the music of Italian composer Nino Rota. Since then, he’s been repeatedly invited to lead the orchestra for various musical programs.
Future engagements will see Lorenzo conducting Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra, Saigon Philharmonic Orchestra, Kunming Nie Er Symphony Orchestra and Inner Mongolia Art Theatre Symphony Orchestra.
Frederick LAU is an ethnomusicologist, flutist, and conductor whose scholarly interests include a broad range of topics in Chinese, Western, and Asian music and cultures. He has published widely on issues related to music and identity, nationalism, modernization, politics, globalization, diaspora, musical hybridity as well as Western avant-garde music.
LAU has received numerous research grants from agencies such as the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), the Scholarly Communication with the PRC, Freeman Grants, and the German Academic Exchange (D.A.A.D.). He served as the former book review editor of the Yearbook for Traditional Music and is editor of a book series entitled Music and Performing Arts of Asia and the Pacific, University of Hawaii Press.
He is the president of the Society for Asian Music, former president of Music of East Asia Study Group and the Association for Chinese Music Research, and former council of the Society for Ethnomusicology. In 2009, he was awarded the College of Arts & Humanities Excellence in Teaching Award, and in 2010 the University of Hawai’i Board of Regent’s Excellence in Teaching Award. Prior to coming to CUHK, he taught at Milliken University, University of Illinois, University of Wisconsin Eau-Claire, California Polytechnic State University, University of Hawaii at Manoa. He also directed workshops and summer institutes for the East-West Center’s Asian Studies Development Program.
Hong Kong-based clarinettist Linus Fung is a member of the Hong Kong New Music Ensemble, Wuji Ensemble, Freespace Ensemble, LENK Quartet and The TimeCrafters. Fung has a BA in Music from The Chinese University of Hong Kong and a Master of Music from the Royal Northern College of Music, UK, and has studied under Martin Choy, John Bradbury, Lynsey Marsh and Nicholas Cox. Fung has performed at festivals such as the Shanghai New Music Week, Seoul International Computer Music Festival, Hong Kong Arts Festival, Freespace Jazz Fest, HKT x WESTK POPFEST, Tai Kwun’s Prison Yard Festival and New Vision Arts Festival. He has performed in Zoetrope, TechBox: Interaction of colour in space (Work-in-progress), VENT
Vocal
Ashley Chui has earned a Bachelor’s in Music degree from Manhattan School of Music, under the tutelage of voice teacher Joan Patenaude Yarnell. In 2013, she came 2nd in the Yokohama International Music Competition in Japan. Ashley portrayed the role Franktik/Woodpecker in The Little Cunning Vixen by Janacek and Angelique in Le Roi L’a Dit by Delibes at the Manhattan School of Music. In program Oberlin in Italy, She was casted as Cenerentola in La Cenerentola by Rossini and Dorabella in Cosi Fan Tutte by Mozart in the opera scenes performance. Besides opera performances, Ashley has collaborated as a soloist with the International Chamber Orchestra of America, New York Four Seas Players, Hong Kong Festival Orchestra, and more. Ashley continued education at Columbia University in New York City and received a Master of Science degree in the Nonprofit Management. Ashley is a current member of Opera Hong Kong’s Young Artist Programme.
Conductor
Johnny Poon stands at the vanguard of classical music and interdisciplinary research as a conductor and visionary academic leader.
Poon has led orchestras across the world’s most prestigious stages, appearing regularly in concert halls and festivals including Isaac Stern Auditorium, Zankel Hall and Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall; Glinka Cappella Hall, Novgorod Philharmonic Hall, and Gnessin Institute of Arts in Russia; National Centre for the Performing Arts and the Forbidden City Concert Hall in Beijing, China; Opera festival di Roma in Italy, Harlaxton International Music Festival, Manhattan-Hong Kong Music Festival, and Hong Kong Arts Festival. He has conducted such ensembles as Moscow State Philharmonic Orchestra, St. Petersburg State Capella Orchestra, Sudestdeutsche Philharmonie, Kammarkoren Svenska Roster, Kammerchor Stuttgart, Slezske Divadlo Opava, Opera Hong Kong Orchestra, Sinfonica dell’ international Chamber Ensemble, New England Symphonic Ensemble, Taiwan Baroque Camerata, Xiamen Philharmonic Orchestra, Shenzhen Symphony Orchestra, and the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra. Poon has collaborated with artists, including Anne Akiko Meyers, Ryu Goto, Mengla Huang, Dan Zhu, Simone Lamsma, Nicole Cabell, Liping Zhang, Valentina Lisitsa, Andrew von Oeyen, Bart van Oort, Petra Somlai, Carole Cerasi, Mahan Esfahani, and Melvyn Tan. In addition, Poon directs the esteemed chamber ensemble Collegium Musicum Hong Kong.
Praised for its imaginative programming and flair, the group has earned acclaim as one of Hong Kong’s most dynamic chamber orchestras. Its artistry stems from Poon’s unique approach in programe curation, deftly blending traditional 17th and 18th century repertoire with contemporary classical compositions.
Beyond conducting, Poon champions ground-breaking research transcending traditional boundaries. Currently Associate Vice-President (Interdisciplinary Research) at Hong Kong Baptist University, he oversees three interdisciplinary clusters and six pioneering labs investigating new frontiers in science, technology and the arts. His own work focuses on inventive interdisciplinary projects that expand the future of creative practice. One major contribution was his rediscovery and modern adaptation of an 18th-century opera by Antonio Caldara, Le Cinesi, delivering the first performance edition since its 1735 premiere. Poon further reimagined this centuries-old work through an innovative performance model incorporating music, dance, theater, visual media and artificial intelligence. As co-founder of the pioneering Turing AI Orchestra, Poon spearheads radical human-AI collaboration in the arts. This singular ensemble leverages science and technology to advance creative artificial intelligence in the arts to new heights.
With his commitment to musical excellence and interdisciplinary innovation, Poon has established himself as an influential conductor, researcher and academic leader. His dedication to pushing boundaries, whether on stage or in the laboratory, expands the landscape of classical music and creative practice as a whole. Poon’s leadership and collaborations continue to shape the future of arts research and performance.
Lorenzo Antonio Iosco is an Italian clarinetist and conductor based in Hong Kong where he is a member of the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra. Before moving to Asia in 2015, he studied the clarinet at the Luigi Cherubini Conservatory in Florence from where he graduated with Distinction. He then became a member at Madrid Opera House Teatro Real in Spain for three years and London Symphony Orchestra for seven years, respectively.
As a clarinetist, Lorenzo also worked extensively with Chamber Orchestra of Europe, Philharmonia, BBC Symphony Orchestra, London Sinfonietta, St Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra, Dallas Symphony Orchestra, Sydney Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra dell’Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia in Rome, Opera di Roma, Orchestra del Teatro La Fenice in Venice, Luzern Festival Orchestra, under the baton of renowned conductors such as Valery Gergiev, Bernard Haitink, Sir Colin Davis, Sir Simon Rattle, Andris Nelsons, Esa-Pekka Salonen, André Previn, Yuri Temirkanov, Semyon Bychkov, Lorin Maazel, Jaap Van Zweden and Myung-Whun Chung.
As soloist he performed all major clarinet repertoire in Europe and Asia. Chamber music highlights include his London Wigmore Hall debut in collaboration with the London Conchord Ensemble in 2013, and performing as well as recording Mozart’s Gran Partita with the LSO woodwind ensemble in Switzerland, Italy and at LSO St. Lukes in London.
Lorenzo studied orchestral conducting with Piero Bellugi in Florence and Donato Renzetti in Rome. Recently he was invited to join the Gstaad Conducting Academy in Switzerland where he had the privilege of working closely with Jaap van Zweden and Johannes Schlaefli, who selected him to conduct in the Academy’s final concert.
Lorenzo is the founder and artistic director of Ensemble Ubertini, a chamber orchestra based in Tuscany with international guest musicians. His main interest with the Ensemble is to rediscover some of the most important repertoire of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries.
In 2021 Lorenzo made his conducting debut with the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra, showcasing the music of Italian composer Nino Rota. Since then, he’s been repeatedly invited to lead the orchestra for various musical programs.
Future engagements will see Lorenzo conducting Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra, Saigon Philharmonic Orchestra, Kunming Nie Er Symphony Orchestra and Inner Mongolia Art Theatre Symphony Orchestra.
University Fellow, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
Artistic Director & Conductor, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University Orchestra
Leung Kin-fung received one of the Ten Outstanding Young Persons Awards in Hong Kong in 2002. He was the first Hong Kong musician to win First Prize in the Young Artist Competition in New York in 1992, after winning Second Prize in the 19th William Primrose International Viola Competition the previous year. In 1986, he was awarded a full scholarship to study at the Eastman School of Music in the United States. He eventually obtained both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in music from the Manhattan School of Music, before continuing his studies at the Juilliard School with a full scholarship.
In 2004, Leung was listed in the Who’s Who in the HKSAR, published by Sing Tao Publishing Ltd. He was commended for his outstanding achievements in the promotion of art and culture, under the Secretary for Home Affairs’ Commendation Scheme 2005, and awarded the Hong Kong Arts Development Awards 2014 — Artist of the Year (Music) by the Hong Kong Arts Development Council in 2015. He was conferred a University Fellowship by The Hong Kong Polytechnic University in 2022.
Leung enjoys a world-class reputation, as demonstrated by his frequent performances around the globe including in Italy, Belgium, Russia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Mainland China, Japan, Taiwan, Korea and the United States. He also regularly gives concerto performances with orchestras and has represented Hong Kong in many international music events. Since 1989, Leung has held several important posts, including faculty of strings at the Brooklyn Conservatory of Music in New York from 1989-1992, where he served in 1990 as its Director of Chamber Music. Since 2000, he has been the First Associate Concertmaster of the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra, and Artistic Director of Hong Kong Pure Strings and Macau Virtuosi. He has also served on the faculty of The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts and The Chinese University of Hong Kong. In 2014, Leung was appointed the Performing Arts Director of the Diocesan Girls’ School. Since 2016, he has been the Artistic Director and Conductor of the PolyU Orchestra and, in 2017, became the Programme Director of the Shenzhen-Hong Kong Youth Cultural Exchange Festival. In 2019, Leung established the Hong Kong Orchestra and Hong Kong Youth Orchestra and became their Artistic Director and Conductor.
Leung was elected to the Hong Kong Arts Development Council in 2022 as the representative for music, and became the music group’s chairman. He has also distinguished himself in the recording world with his solo albums and DVDs. His most special release was the Complete 21 Hungarian Dances by Brahms, on which he collaborated with pianist Nancy Loo.
Born in Hong Kong and enjoyed an exceptional Anglo-Chinese education, Sharon excelled in the violin at an early age and first began conducting while still at school at the age of 16. She was later accepted at the Royal Academy of Music as a violinist to study under the great quartet leader Sidney Griller. Sharon also holds a First Class B.Mus. and Ph.D degrees from King’s College London. It was during her studies at King’s that her talent for conducting was rediscovered and led to coaching from the conductors Lawrence Leonard, Diego Masson, Georg Tintner, Janos Fürst, Jiří Bělohlávek and Sir Colin Davis. Trained rigorously both in performance and academia, she became Director of Performance and Senior Lecturer in Music at the University of East Anglia (UEA) Norwich in 1996; taking over the UEA Symphony Orchestra as Chief Conductor. Since then, she has taken the Orchestra on tour to Germany, Italy, Austria and Moravia as well as guest conducted professional orchestras in Germany, Russia, the Czech Republic and HK. In 2001, Sharon founded Chamber Orchestra Anglia, a professional ensemble that draws together creative, cultural and academic strengths in the UK. Whilst in the UK Sharon has been awarded many performance and academic prizes and has been given individual grants by Arts Council England, the British Academy, the Arts and Humanities Research Council and the British Council to further her many musical and entrepreneurial activities. In 2007, Sharon was nominated an “inspirational woman of the world” with her portrait appearing in the National Gallery. She was awarded the Norfolk Arts Award and the Associate of the Royal Academy of Music (ARAM) in 2014, the same year when she returned to her birthplace, HK, to take up the position as Dean of the School of Music at The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts (HKAPA). In 2022, the School created a new department – Conducting & Cultural Leadership – and Sharon shifted her position to lead and direct this new initiative.
In HK, she guest conducted the HK Philharmonic Orchestra (HK Phil), and was Principal Guest Conductor of the HK New Music Ensemble – taking the ensemble on tour to the Tong Yeong Festival and the Gwangju Festival in Korea. Sharon also serves as the Music Director of the HKAPA Symphony Orchestra, performing regularly with the Orchestra locally as well as on tour to Taipei, Beijing, and Shenzhen. In 2019, she co-founded The Orchestra Academy in partnership with the HK Phil, giving HKAPA’s distinguished graduates a chance to further hone their skills in the professional world.
Multimedia Artist
Taurin Barrera is an electronic musician, interactive multimedia artist, and creative technologist pioneering the convergence of nascent technologies and sensory perception. His work seamlessly incorporates cybernetic design principles, multimedia programming, and experimental composition to create synaesthetic experiences of sound, light, and space. His custom instruments, performance systems, and installations have been featured at venues including the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History, CERN, LA Phil, and Carnegie Hall. A Mills College alumnus, Barrera has studied under electronic music luminaries Pauline Oliveros, Laetitia Sonami, and Maggi Payne. An advocate of craft, professionalism, and experimentation, Barrera’s teaching career spans over a decade. Previously, he founded and directed the Technology and Applied Composition Program at San Francisco Conservatory of Music. Currently an Associate Professor of Practice at Hong Kong Baptist University’s Academy of Music, Taurin continues to inspire through his craft, professionalism, and innovative exploration of art and technology.
Educator
Dr. Chen Jie is currently an Assistant Professor at the Department of Computer Science, Hong Kong Baptist University. He received Ph.D. degree in the School of Electrical & Electronic Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. His research focuses on computational photography (light fields, high dynamic range imaging, hyperspectral imaging), multimedia signal capture, reconstruction and content generation (3D vision, motion science), AI for Art-Tech and Humanities.
Arranger
Born in 1983, Nicola Mogavero is graduated in Saxophone and Composition. He also studied under the guide of teachers such as C.Delangle, J.L.Delage, C.Wirth, S.Diricq, G.Etrillard, S.Kolesov.
In 2017 he has been Soloist as Alto Saxophone for Fondazione Teatro Massimo di Palermo for the project “La bocca, i piedi, il suono” for 4 solo alto saxes and 100 saxophones in movement dedicated to composer Salvatore Sciarrino for his 70th birthday. In July 2018 has performed same piece in Zagreb National Theatre with Palermo Contemporary Quartet representing Italy for 18th World Saxophone Congress.
During his career Nicola Mogavero has performed in many important theaters and auditorium in Italy, France, Moldova, Hong Kong, China, Spain, Malta, Greece, Poland, Croatia and Nederlands, such as Gran Teatro la Fenice in Venice, Harbin Concert Hall(China), Ningbo Grand Theatre(China), Jengzhou Grand Theatre di Nantong (China), Auditorium Parco della Musica di Roma, Teatro Massimo in Palermo, I Concerti del Quirinale, Splendor in Amsterdam (NL), Cité de la Musique in Strasbourg (FR), Teatro Politeama Garibaldi in Palermo, Fringe Dairy Club (HK), Zagreb National Theatre (HR), Parnassos Theatre in Athens (GR).
He is guest teacher in Utrecht Conservatory in Nederland, Colegiul de Muzika “S.Neaga” in Chisinau, Moldova, Hong Kong Institution of Performing Arts, Apollonio Conservatory in Athens, Greece and Szkola Muzyczna Karol Szymanovski in Wroclaw, Poland. He also is founder of Accademia Musicale Stupor Mundi.
Currently Nicola Mogavero is saxophone teacher at Conservatorio di Musica di Stato “V.Bellini” in Caltanissetta.
Orchestra
The Hong Kong Baptist University Symphony Orchestra, one of the oldest university orchestras in Hong Kong, represents some of the finest musical talents in the University. Regular concerts such as its annual Gala Concert include various concerto and orchestral performances featuring a wide repertoire of Romantic masterpieces and twentieth-century classics, as well as works by contemporary composers. The Orchestra has performed with world-renowned artists including Chuanyun Li, Laura Fygi, Changyong Liao, Warren Mok, Ryu Goto, Mengla Huang, Dan Zhu, Valentina Lisitsa, Simone Lamsma, Nicole Cabell, Anne Akiko Meyers, Eriko Daimo and Liping Zhang and Andrew von Oeyen. The Orchestra is tireless in its efforts to promote music by presenting concerts that are open to the public.
Hong Kong Baptist University Symphony Orchestra (HKBUSO)
Music Director & Conductor: Prof. Johnny M POON
Resident Conductor: Dr. Samuel HUANG
Ensemble Project Coordinator: Winnie NG
Ensemble Managers: Kelly HO, Henry HO
* Principal
Violin I
Go Wing Chin Rain, Concertmaster
Yu Cheuk Ying Cherry, Assistant Concertmaster
Chan Ho Yin Happy
Chan Mei Ching Queenie
Chan Si Cheng Natalie
Ho Wing Lok Enoch
Lam King Fung Ivan
Leung Wai Yan Alice
Lo Kwok Hin
Pang Chak Lun Lawrence
Wong Cheuk Kin Ken
Wong Chun Mac
Wong Yu Him Xylia
Yeung Ngo Shing
Yim Julian
Yue Tsz Yan
Violin II
Chan King Shun Jacky, Co-principal
Chan Tin Yan, Co-principal
Chan Ho Ming Huey
Cheung Chun Kit Harry
Cheung Long Wai Wilfred
Chiu Lok Ching Jasmine
Chu Tsz Yan Candace
Lau Chiu Cheung Jimmy
Li Wan Hei
Mo Qing
Ng Ka Ho Daniel
Ngai Sum Yin Jane
Ooi Her Yong
Tang Ching Yin Angus
Wong Wing Yau Aimee
Wu Chau Hang Jason
Viola
Lam Hon Ting Leo, Principal
Chan Yee Zoe
Ip Fung Yu Phoebe
Lau Yan Wa Ada
Leung Lok Yin Chloe
Tsang Chi Wang Peter
Yau Hiu Kiu
Yeung Pok Yin
Yung Cheuk Yin Charity
Cello
Chu Chun Wang Ian, Principal
Chan Pak Chun Patrick
Chan Tsz Lam Amber
Cheung Wun Yiu
Cheung Yick Kei
Jiang Mingxuan Michelle
Lee Kelvin
Lo Lok Tin Justin
Pang Sze Wai Olivia
Wu Chun Yeung
Double Bass
Chow Yan Yu Joyce, Principal
Chan John
Cheung Ashlyn
Fong Pui Ling
Ho Hei Kan
Wong Cheuk Yin Edgar
Piccolo
Suen Hoi Ching
Flute
Chan Choi Yiu*
Shek Zin Yin
Suen Hoi Ching
Oboe
Yeung Po Hin*
Lai Wing Yan
Tse Yiu Tung Alpha
English Horn
Tse Yiu Tung Alpha
Bassoon
Liu Tung Bo Tommy*
Yim Kaden
Eb Clarinet
Yue Rex Nathanael*
Bb Clarinet
Fong Owen
Fung Tsz Yung
Leung Pak Yiu
Yue Rex Nathanael
Bass Clarinet
Leung Pak Yiu
Horn
Chiu Harry*
Liu Kwan Ho Henry
Lui Tsz Ching Joanne
Jiang Yu Ru
Wong Kwan Yin Bryan
Trumpet
Cheung Ho Kai
Lee Check Hin Marcus
Ng Wai Lok*
Wong Man Lok
Trombone
Chow Hoi Tung*
Kan Yau Wah
Oriane Depoisson
Wong Ka Lok
Tuba
Wong Ho Long*
Timpani
Man Kin Kwong*
Percussion
Cheung Hiu Yeung
Poon Wang Chun Alex
Harpsichord/ Piano
Wong Yee Shan Mandy
Harp
So Wing Yi*
The Hong Kong Polytechnic University Orchestra (PolyU Orchestra), formed under the auspices of the University’s Culture Promotion Committee, aims to bring together students, staff and alumni from across generations to ignite their passion for music.
Through musical training, orchestral performances and exchange programmes, the Orchestra strives to cultivate members’ musicianship, unite members of the PolyU family and enrich the cultural ambience on campus.
Its debut performance took place at the Emmanuel United Reformed Church, University of Cambridge, UK in the Cambridge Exchange Concert in 2013. The Orchestra has also performed with renowned artists, such as virtuoso violinist Yao Jue, PolyU’s Artist-in-Residence 2014/15. The Orchestra has grown rapidly in recent years under the leadership of Leung Kin-fung, First Associate Concertmaster of the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra, who has led the PolyU Orchestra as Artistic Director and Conductor since 2016. Mr Leung was appointed to nurture and grow the Orchestra through many precious performance opportunities.
July 2018 saw its first public concert – The Power of Passion – at the Concert Hall of Hong Kong Cultural Centre, with guest piano soloist Ms Nancy Loo. The Orchestra has also connected with overseas orchestras for cultural exchanges. In September 2018, it presented a joint concert with the University of Stuttgart Academic Orchestra from Germany, with the two orchestras meeting again in June 2019 for a reciprocal concert at the University of Stuttgart to conclude the Stuttgart Exchange Programme.
The Orchestra has brought joyous tunes to campus, including a performance at the PolyU 80th Anniversary Launch Ceremony – A Prelude to the Celebrations, and a flash mob performance of Happy Birthday variations. It has also performed a wide-ranging repertoire, including its own chamber concert, performing film music at the Opening Ceremony of the European Film Festival and collaborating with famous folk singer Albert Au at his Charity Concert in 2018.
To keep members of the PolyU community engaged during the pandemic, the Orchestra launched a series of online performances – Music Connects. The repertoire included Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons, concertos from the Baroque period and chamber works. In 2021-2022, the Orchestra participated in the celebrations for the PolyU 85th Anniversary. The Orchestra joined hands with PolyU Choir in performing the 85th Anniversary Theme Song at the Launch Ceremony, and also jointly presented The Power of Passion Concert, part of the programme of the PolyU 85th Anniversary Art and Culture Series. It performed an array of Chinese and Western music ranging from classics and oldies to modern hits at the Anniversary Grand Concert with Hong Kong’s diva Dr Liza Wang Ming-chun, guzheng virtuoso Dr Zou Lunlun, erhu master Guogan, and nationally acclaimed singer and opera artist Ms Sophie Chen. In March 2023, the PolyU Orchestra presented the Ode to Joy – Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 Concert as the grand finale to the Artist-in-Residence 2022-2023 programme. The orchestra offered a musical delight featuring talented young pianist Wong Ka-jeng. The concert reached a crescendo when the PolyU Orchestra was joined by renowned vocal soloists Dr Julia Chen, soprano and Director of the Educational Development Centre of PolyU; Ms Bobbie Zhang, mezzo-soprano; Mr Alex Tam, tenor and conductor of the PolyU Choir and Opera Hong Kong Chorus; and Mr Apollo Wong, bass-baritone; plus more than 180 members of the PolyU Choir and Opera Hong Kong Chorus! The concert marked an important milestone for the PolyU Orchestra, as it marches on its path toward a more professional level.
Looking to the future, the PolyU Orchestra plans to continue with its focus on exchange programmes, while at the same time maintaining its long-term collaboration with eminent artists and art groups for the development of the Orchestra and the production of diversified music programmes on campus.
The Hong Kong Polytechnic University Orchestra (PolyU Orchestra)
香港理工大學管弦樂團 (理大管弦樂團)
Artistic Director and Conductor 藝術總監兼指揮
Leung Kin-fung 梁建楓
* Principal 首席
^ Guest Player 客席樂手
Violin I 第一小提琴
Lai Sum-yee 賴心怡 Concertmaster 樂團首席
Ashlyn Lu Xinyi 盧心宜 Associate Concertmaster 樂團副首席
Anna Chan Oi-lam 陳愛霖
Dominic Man Ho-ching 文顥澄
Ella Jin Xuewei 金雪葳
Jean Jin Yixiao 金一敩
Katherine Lan Yuxuan 藍雨萱
Leah Li Yajie 李亞潔
Lei Yuting 雷雨聽
Luo Yuanhang 羅遠沆
Shim Hyunchae 沈炫采
Yu Runze 俞潤澤
Zoe Yau Yuet 邱玥
Violin II 第二小提琴
Steve Wong Yu-ting 黃宇庭*
Brian Ng Ching-lam 伍證霖
Carmela Chan Hau-lin 陳巧蓮
Cheung Pui-shan 蔣珮珊
Crystal Kwan Lok-yan 關樂恩
Eleanor Kwan Sin-yan 關倩欣
Joey Yuen Lok-yi 阮樂兒
Kathy Chan Man-kuen 陳雯娟
Michael Cheung Ka-yeung 張嘉洋
Sashenka Gamage
Yu Xiang 余翔
Zhou Ke 周可
Viola 中提琴
Carlos Lee Kin-wah 李鍵樺*
Arthur Ho Yu-hang 何宇恒
Florenece Law Hoi-wing 羅凱穎
Myles Ko 高銘謙
Sandy Song Suet-ying 桑雪盈
Terry Lam Yuet-kiu 林悦喬
Vanessa Tang Sik-wai 鄧適緯
Wong Ching-leung 黃正樑
Cello 大提琴
Charlotte Chan Wing-kei 陳穎琪
Chen Xinya 陳馨雅
Melanie Yip Nga-ting 葉雅庭
Erica Wong Yi-ki 王爾琪^
Janice Zhou Xintong 周欣桐^
Leung Tse-ming 梁䇛銘^
Mak Yui-wan 麥睿韻^
Monica Su 蘇千芳^
Double Bass 低音大提琴
Kwok Chung-wai 郭仲偉*
Candace Shum 沈思豫
Erda Lee Tsz-huen 李梓萱
Teo Qin-han 張沁涵
Flute 長笛
Elva Lam Hiu-ying 林曉瑩*
Angus Wong Hok-yin 王學言
Cherry Yau Cheuk-yan 丘卓欣
Chong Bao-gwen 張寶文
Dylan Lam Chak-wa 林澤華
Ho Lok-yiu 何諾瑤
Stella Pun Tsz-ki 潘芷琪
Zhang Ziqi 張子奇
Clarinet I 第一單簧管
Jake Fan Pak-fung 范柏峰*
Liang Wendi 梁文迪
Clarinet II 第二單簧管
Mandy Hung Man-wa 熊蔓樺
Oboe 雙簧管
Iris Kwok Wing-sum 郭穎心*
Herbert Tam 譚志豪
Owen Chan Shun-chit 陳汛哲
Alto Saxophone 中音薩克斯風
Alexander Kwan Pok-man 關博文
Jervis Leung Ho-pui 梁皓棓
Bassoon 巴松管
Cheung King-lun 張經綸*^
Leung Tak-wing 梁德頴^
Horn 圓號
Alfred Lee Kin-tat 李建達*^
Benedict Ho 何鎰麟
Benny Kwan 關山明^
Tim Tong Tsz-nok 唐梓諾^
Trumpet 小號
Anson Chan Tsz-kwan 陳芷均*
Liu Pak-yiu 廖柏堯
Olivia Hun Yau-ching 幸佑澄
Wang Zimo 王紫陌
Trombone 長號
Andy Wong Wai-shing 黃偉誠*
Chang Jiarui 常佳睿
Dio Zhang Boyang 張博洋
Lau Chi-lam 劉之霖
Oscar Lam Hei 林曦
Simon Wong Sing-wang 黃聖弘
Percussion 敲擊樂
Apple Li Wing-yan 李穎欣*
Chan Sze-huen 陳詩萱
Choi Sin-hang 蔡善蘅
Hilary Lee Chun-hin 李俊軒
Yvonne Tam 譚曉彤
Piano 鋼琴
Yik Cheuk-ying 易卓瑩
Harp 豎琴
Tam Sze-ching 譚詩呈
University Philharmonic Orchestra, Cultural Association, The University of Hong Kong (UPO, CA, HKU) was founded in 1999 by a group of devoted students of the University of Hong Kong. As a member of the Cultural Association of the University of Hong Kong, the Orchestra is non-profit making and administered by students.
Within the HKAPA’s School of Music, orchestral training is a significant part of the students’ education. All students of orchestral instruments participate in the Academy Symphony Orchestra, whose weekly rehearsals cover the standard symphonic literature as well as contemporary works. In recent years, the Academy Symphony Orchestra has worked with the Australian Chamber Orchestra, and guest conductors such as Marko Ivanovi (Principal Conductor of the National Theatre Brno Opera), Pietro Mianiti (Principal Conductor of the La Scala Academy), Lio Kuokman (Resident Conductor of the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra), Yip Wing Sie (Music Director Emeritus of the Hong Kong Sinfonietta), Patrick Furrer, Andrew Mogrelia, Eitan Globerson amongst many others. The orchestra members have toured to Beijing and Shanghai to join professional orchestral concerts and to Jerusalem and Taiwan to give chamber recitals. They also collaborated with the Hong Kong Sinfonietta in their Penderecki project and participated in the Hong Kong Philharmonic’s “Share the Stage’’ events. In November 2017, Maestro Jaap van Zweden, Music Director of Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra visited the Academy and rehearsed Tchaikovsky’s Fifth Symphony with our students and the players from the HK Phil. With the Academy Choir, they performed Bach’s Christmas Oratorio under the direction of Helmut Rilling. The Orchestra has a busy performing schedule every academic year including playing for our annual opera production. Under the baton of Prof. Sharon Choa, the Orchestra was invited to perform in the Festive Korea 2016 Gala Concert presented by the Hong Kong Generation Next Arts Limited (HKGNA) & Consulate General of the Republic of Korea in October 2016 at the Concert Hall of the Hong Kong Cultural Centre together with three international Korean violinist Hyuna Kim, violist Richard Yongjae O’Neill and cellist Clara Minhye Kim. In June 2017 the Orchestra joined forces with the Shenzhen Arts School Philharmonic Orchestra to perform in two concerts which were held in Shenzhen and Hong Kong respectively. In October 2017 the Orchestra visited Taipei National University of the Arts (TNUA) and gave a performance with the wind and percussion students from TNUA to critical acclaim. In June 2018 “Concerto Feast” was broadcast by RTHK Radio 4, showcasing the talents of the student soloists and the ensemble. In October 2019, the strings of the orchestra joint hands with their counterpart in TNUA and were invited to perform in their Kuandu Arts Festival in Taipei for a second time. This year, the Academy Symphony Orchestra is honoured to collaborate again with HKGNA to present a spectacular concert for everyone.
Violin I
Jason FUNG Cheuk Yin*
Athena SHIU Suet Yin
WU Wanying
CHOW Chung Yu
Rio LEE O
CHEUK Clarissa
IP Hong Ni
LO Sze Wing
David YIP Yan Chi
KWOK Kwan To
LAM Hiu Wai
LEE Tsz Ching
CHAN Nok Judy
WONG Wing Hong
Violin II
Joshua CHAN Chak Him^
YEUNG Ho Yin Victoria Kathleen
CHEN Jiyu
TONG Ho Ching
LI Shiming
LAM Tsz Ho
LEUNG Yat Hei
MAK Hoi Kiu
CHAN Ka Yee Chloe
YANG Langjian
HUANG Zelin
LEUNG Man Him
HO Hiu Ki
LAM Hiu Han
Viola
Claire WONG Wing Hung^
Melvin WONG Ming Yeung
WONG Ki Chung
WONG Chak Kiu
LIN Charles Yik Kiu
Joab CHAN
PANG Hei Yeung
YEUNG Pok Yin
CHAN Lok Ka
ZHANG Yang
CHUNG Wan Yan
GONG Junyi
YEUNG King Tim
Cello
Erica WONG Yi Ki ^
Andrew LEUNG Tse Ming
CHEUNG Hei Man
Jaclyn ZHENG Churou
HUANG Jiaxin
Charlotte MAK Yui Wan
CHAN Ching Wei Trevor
PAN Anqi
WONG Ho Ming
LIU Yuemeng
CHENG Ho Hei Horace
CHEN Junhao
TSE Man Yam
Bass
Bowie CHAU Wai I^
SO Lok Yee
ZHANG Yiqing
WANG Shenhao
YANG Yipeng
CHAN Yui Woon Yvonne#
*Concertmaster
^Section Principal
# Graduate
Flute Horn
KWOK Yu Yan Rain CEVIK Adam
LEONG leng leng Eryn CHEONG Man U Derrick
ZHENG Siyi Cherish LIN Han
NG Ion Hei Jerald
SIU Chun Sing
TSUI Wing Yan Kelly
YEUNG Hei Chun Jason
Piccolo
LOH Pui Kiu Kiwi
Oboe
CHAN Chun Young Ernest Trumpet
LAI Chi Yuen Pedro LAU Cheuk Ming Johnny
MA Kaiwen Kevin TO Hau Suet Venus
YAO Tianyu AI WONG Ching Hey Harvey
YU Wai Shun Vincent WONG Kar Chung Karl
WONG Lok Yung Matthew
Cor anglais
YU Wai Shun Vincent
Trombone
CHENG Tin Nam Jonathan
Clarinet LAU Yan Lam John
CHU Cheuk Yan Sherine WONG Kar Chung Karl
CHUM Chun Shing Daniel
TSA Tsz Yin Kevin Bass Trombone
TSE Ho San Toby CHAN Shing Chak Sam
YUEN Pak Kwong Alfred
Tuba
Bassoon CHAN Chak Hong Kenny
DECHACOPHAN Aphichat
LAU Hoi Shun Adrian
LO Yan Tung Nicole
OR Yuk Man Tom
Timpani & Percussion
FU Siqi Sich
IM Pui Yan Priscilla
NG Chun Sze Emma
TUNG Hiu Wai Valencia
WONG Kwun Hang Dennis
Harp
LI Sophie
LEONG Tong I Toey
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The Capicchioni Violin played by FUNG Cheuk Yin,
the Goffriller Violin played by CHOW Chung Yu,
the Baldantoni Violin played by HO Hiu Ki,
the Bassot Violin played by IP Hong Ni Connie,
the Leidolff Viola played by YEUNG Pok Yin Vincent,
the Capicchioni Viola played by WONG Wing Hung Claire,
the Storioni Viola played by LIN Charles Yik Kiu,
the Casini Cello played by CHEUNG Hei Man,
the Capicchioni Cello played by CHAN Ching Wei Trevor &
the Boullangier Cello played by CHENG Ho Hei
in this performance are from generous loans to the School of Music by The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust
***
The Gadda Violin 1972 played by WU Wanying,
the Gadda Violin 1962 played by LAM Hui Wai,
the Gadda Cello played by WONG Yi Ki Erica,
the Novelli Cello played by LEUNG Tse Ming Andrew,
the Bergonzi Cello 1991 played by WONG Ho Ming &
the Bergonzi Cello 1994 played by ZHENG Churou
in this performance are from generous loans to the School of Music
by The Academy String Instruments Collection
***
The Alfredo Primavera Violin played by LO Sze Wing in this performance
is a generous loan to the School of Music by Mrs. KIM Yeh
***
The Capicchioni Violin played by Joshua CHAN Chak Him in this performance
is from a generous loan to the School of Music by Prof. Sharon CHOA