HKBU Academy of Music

🎹 The Possessed Piano: Ever heard of a piano going literally insane?

Before the modern Steinway ruled the stage, there was the Érard—and on June 24, its legendary 1849 grand piano model makes its historic Hong Kong debut. This isn’t just a concert; it’s a night of Gothic madness, historical secrets, and a thrilling battle of the pianos featuring renowned pianist Colleen Lee, conductor Johnny P**n, and the Collegium Musicum Hong Kong.

The evening will kick off with the cinematic, storm-swept waves of Mendelssohn’s Hebrides Overture, setting a dramatic backdrop for a concert unlike any other.

Throughout the evening, you will witness two distinct eras collide in one epic musical narrative. First, Colleen Lee will step up to tame a magnificent 1849 Érard grand piano—the legendary instrument behind Berlioz’s “possessed piano” horror story—as she brings Mendelssohn’s electric Piano Concerto No. 1 to life with authentic, raw 19th-century grit.

Then, the sonic landscape will shift entirely as she commands the sleek, modern power of a Steinway to unleash Beethoven’s monumental Piano Concerto No. 4.

Don’t miss the opportunity to witness a true masterclass in musical time travel, unfolding right before your eyes.

🔗Check out the link in our bio for more info and tickets.

🎹 The Possessed Piano: Ever heard of a piano going literally insane?

Before the modern Steinway ruled the stage, there was the Érard—and on June 24, its legendary 1849 grand piano model makes its historic Hong Kong debut. This isn't just a concert; it’s a night of Gothic madness, historical secrets, and a thrilling battle of the pianos featuring renowned pianist Colleen Lee, conductor Johnny P**n, and the Collegium Musicum Hong Kong.

The evening will kick off with the cinematic, storm-swept waves of Mendelssohn’s Hebrides Overture, setting a dramatic backdrop for a concert unlike any other.

Throughout the evening, you will witness two distinct eras collide in one epic musical narrative. First, Colleen Lee will step up to tame a magnificent 1849 Érard grand piano—the legendary instrument behind Berlioz's "possessed piano" horror story—as she brings Mendelssohn’s electric Piano Concerto No. 1 to life with authentic, raw 19th-century grit.

Then, the sonic landscape will shift entirely as she commands the sleek, modern power of a Steinway to unleash Beethoven’s monumental Piano Concerto No. 4.

Don't miss the opportunity to witness a true masterclass in musical time travel, unfolding right before your eyes.

🔗Check out the link in our bio for more info and tickets.

🎬 Big news from the big screen!

We are proud to announce that our faculty member, Dr. Lam Kwan-Fai , part-time teacher Mr. Julian Chan , and BMus Year 3 student Pun Man Sang Manson served as the original film music composers for the upcoming movie "Dog Day Evening” (一個部門的誕生). This exciting collaboration highlights the creative talent within our academy and marks a significant achievement for both our staff and students.

Their original score will accompany the film’s release, and we can’t wait to hear their work bring the story to life.

Mark your calendars:
🗓️ Hong Kong Release: June 18 (This Thursday!)
🗓️ Mainland China Release: June 27, 2026

Don't miss it in theatres!

🎼Step Onto the Podium

Are you ready to elevate your choral leadership? Registration is now officially open for the HKBU Choral Conducting Clinic 2026, presented by the HKBU Academy of Music as part of the Summer Music Festival!

Whether you are an experienced conductor looking for invaluable podium time or an aspiring educator wanting to sharpen your skills, this intensive clinic is designed to transform your musical journey.

Meet Our World-Class Artist Teachers:

✨Dr. Jamie Hillman – Elmer Iseler Chair in Conducting & Associate Professor at the University of Toronto.
✨Dr. Po-Kwan Law – Senior Lecturer at the HKBU Academy of Music.

Programme Highlights:

💡In-depth Workshops: Master conducting techniques, voice pedagogies, and score analysis.
💡Rehearsal Strategies: Learn effective techniques tailored for junior up to advanced choirs.
💡Repertoire Diversity: Master how to work with different voice types and various styles of music.
💡Masterclasses: Participate in exclusive masterclasses with Dr. Hillman and Dr. Law.

🔗Application link: Bio
🌐Website: https://www.jccreativehub.com/hkbu-summer-music-festival-2026
📧Enquiries: [email protected]

🎶 Celebrating Creativity: “We Write, We Sing” Awards Ceremony Inspires Young Musicians

The HKBU Academy of Music and the Education Bureau (EDB) recently co-organized the "We Write, We Sing" song and lyric writing competition, with the awards ceremony successfully held at the Theatre of the East Kowloon Cultural Centre on 23 May 2026.

The competition, designed to encourage primary and secondary students to cultivate creativity and enhance their singing and appreciation abilities, provided a platform for participants to engage in lyric writing, song composing, and singing performance.

Adding to the celebratory atmosphere, students from our Bachelor of Music (BMus) programme were invited to showcase their talents through live performances, inspiring young musicians and enriching the event with their artistry.

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[Cantoría HK Post Tour Concert 2026] 🥳

🎶 Cantoria Hong Kong is currently touring Germany and Austria. On their return, the choir will present a homecoming concert on 7 June at 8pm at the Hong Kong City Hall Concert Hall, sharing music inspired by their performances in historic venues such as Salzburg Cathedral and Vienna’s St Stephen’s Cathedral.

Under the baton of Dr Po-Kwan Law, the programme brings together works by Bach, Bruckner, Brahms, Pärt, Schoenberg, and more.

📅 Date: 7 June 2026, Sunday
🕗 Time: 8PM
📍 Venue: Hong Kong City Hall Concert Hall
🔗 Registration link in IG bio via Linktree

We are absolutely thrilled to welcome the brilliant Mr. Florin Iliescu , First Concertmaster of the Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra, for a special Violin Masterclass at HKBU Academy of Music! 🎻✨

🥁ONLY 2 SPOTS LEFT!

This is your final call to join the 2026 HKBU Percussion Summer Camp! We are down to our last two spots, and applications will close immediately once they are filled.

Don’t miss this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to train with legendary faculty from the world’s most prestigious institutions:

Michael Burritt – Eastman School of Music
Pius Cheung – University of Oregon
Eriko Daimo – The Juilliard School

Once these two spots are gone, they’re gone. So apply now!

📆Dates: 22-26 July
📍Location: Jockey Club Creative Hub, Hong Kong
🔗Application Link: In Bio
🌐Website: https://www.jccreativehub.com/event-details/percussion-camp

4 saxophones. 1 live visual artist. 70 minutes of complete immersion 🎷

Last week, we had the privilege of hosting the here at HKBU.
~Nois delivered an unforgettable evening, tearing through a bold programme of music with immense energy.

The concert started right away with a powerful collaboration between sound and visuals. Beginning with Darian Donovan Thomas's Sun Thrower (2021), the quartet opened with a piece combining live saxophone music, electronics, and projections in the Whitebox, tightly followed by Alex Mincek's The Perpetual, Poly-Iterative, Multivalent, Transmodal, Vibe Mazimizer (2026). The concert continued to bring the audience deep into the immersive experience, performing pieces like Evan William's thought-provoking Jim Jones Etudes (2025) and R.A.M. (2019) by Kelley Sheehan. The concert then ended with a beautifully acoustic work, Eternal Present: Now (2023) by Shelley Washington followed by Travis Laplante's Running in a Field of Flowers (2023) with flowers projecting all over the space!

And as if four saxophones weren’t enough, Taurin Barrera generated live visuals in real time, transforming sound into fluid, morphing colour right before our eyes throughout various pieces in the programme.

A huge thanks to everyone who joined us and stay tuned for the next event!