ArtFiesta Gala Concert+ showcases multiple musical talents at CCA
From left to right: Dr Leung Chi-hin, mastermind behind the Gala Concert+; Ms Ren Pei, resident pianist of SCNU, Mr Allison So Ming-chuen, retired former teacher at CCA, Dr Paulina Wong from CCA, and Professor Su Yanhui from SCNU. Professor Su conducts the musical presentation of Bai Juyi’s poem “On Qiantang Lake in Spring” and “Song of Yang Kwan.” Ms Ren Pei plays the piano for the performance.
Following the success of the EdUHK ArtFiesta Gala Concert held on 2 April, the Department of Cultural and Creative Arts (CCA) and the MUsic Skills Enhancement Scheme (MUSES) continued to organise its sequel — The EdUHK ArtFiesta Gala Concert+ — on 15 May in the Shatin Town Hall Auditorium. Gala Concert+ featured a wide array of musical performances ranging from western classical orchestral and chamber music, Cantonese opera music, jazz, a-cappella to carol singing of Tang poems. It showcased the multiple talents of our artists-in-residence, faculty artists, alumni and students.
“We organised the first gala concert on 2 April. In mid-April, we went to Guangzhou to perform a similar repertoire of musical pieces. The performances held at South China University of Technology (SCUT), South China Normal University (SCNU), and Sun Yat-sen University (SYSU) in Guangzhou were great successes. When designing the programme rundown of Concert+, we added new content based on inspirations from the performances in Guangzhou,” said Dr Leung Chi-hin, Assistant Professor from CCA, who is the mastermind behind these performances in Hong Kong and Guangzhou.
EdUHK Symphonic Band plays Masanori Taruya’s “The Last Letter from Murdoch” and Rossano Galante’s “Victory”.
EdUHK Chinese Orchestra plays “Harvest Festival” composed by Mr Kwan Nai-chung and “Blossoming Light” composed by Mr Chow Junyi.
The EdUHK Cantonese Operatic Singing Group performs an excerpt from “Reunion of Sword and Hairpin” from “The Purple Hairpin” (lyricist: Mr Tang Ti-sheng)
EdUHK Jazz Ensemble plays two of the most famous Jazz music: “Pent-Up House” by Sonny Rollins and “Someday My Prince Will Come” by Miles Davis.
EdUHK Lacov sings three famous Jazz songs: “Sir Duke”, “I Wish You Love” and “Omokage”.
EdUHK Handbell Ensemble performs Karen Thompson’s “Acclamation in G minor” and Toshikazu Yoshida’s “Primrose”.
EdUHK Early Music Ensemble and Recorder Band performs “Fugue No.2 in G Major, HWV606” by G.F.Handel.
First onstage at Gala Concert+ were performances by large ensembles including EdUHK Orchestra, Symphonic Band and Chinese Orchestra. They played western orchestral music including Gustav Holst’s epic “The Planets”, Masanori Taruya’s emotional “The Last Letter from Murdoch”, a piece about a letter from Captain Murdoch of the Titanic to his girlfriend, and Chinese orchestral music like Guan Nai-chung’s vibrant song “Harvest Festival”. The auditorium then turned into a Cantonese opera house when an excerpt from “The Legend of The Purple Hairpin” was sung by two student performers from the EdUHK Cantonese Opera Singing Group.
Small musical groupings dominated the stage after the intermission. When EdUHK Jazz Ensemble performed jazz standards like “Pent Up House” and EdUHK Lacov performed an a-cappella version of “I Wish You Love”, the concert turned into a live jazz gig, evoking feelings of relaxation and excitement in the crowd. After this, EdUHK Handbell Ensemble and EdUHK Early Music Ensemble and Recorder Band came onstage to delight the audience with their energetic and harmonically rich performance. This was followed by EdUHK Western Chamber Music Ensemble which played “First Movement from Piano Trio No.1 in D minor”.
“Ritmo” is the Portuguese word for rhythm. To lead the audience to follow the beat of the song, members of the EdUHK Chorus clap their hands, tap their toes, and stamp their feet when performing the song.
Students from South China Normal University sing “On Qiangtang Lake in Spring” under the conductorship of Professor Su Yanhui.
“In Praise of Teachers” conducted by Dr Paulina Wong is being sung by EdUHK Chorus.
Under Dr Paulina Wong’s conductorship, members of all ensembles and individual players who have played on the night join together to sing “In Praise of Teachers”, the finale of Concert+.
In the last part of Gala Concert+, singers from EdUHK Singers and EdUHK Chorus sang songs like Dan Forest’s “Let Me Listen” and Dan Davison’s choral work “Ritmo”, the Portuguese word for rhythm. The audience felt the extra energy of the performance as the EdUHK Chorus clapped their hands and stamped their feet to the beat of the song “Ritmo”.
Gala Concert+ came to an end when the Chinese poem-turned-songs “On Qiangtang Lake in Spring” and “Song of Yang Kwan”, and “In Praise of Teachers”, EdUHK’s signature song of gratitude to teachers, were sung. “During CCA’s Guangzhou tour in mid-April, EdUHK Chorus and South China Normal University (SCNU) Choir performed the song “On Qiangtang Lake in Spring” together. Teachers from SCNU led their school choir to perform this song again at Gala Concert+ on 15 May to show their appreciation for CCA’s visit,” Dr Leung Chi-hin explained. Besides singing this song by themselves, the SCNU Choir joined EdUHK Chorus to sing “Song of Yang Kwan” and “In Praise of Teachers” in the last part of the Gala Concert+.
Mr and Mrs Lau are extremely moved by “In Praise of Teachers” sung by EdUHK Chorus and conducted by Dr Paulina Wong Wai-ying. They say the song remind them that teaching is a sacred profession as teachers can influence their students through their words and deeds.
My wife and I love listening to music. Resonant beauty of the performance by the handbell team enchanted me. Choral singing of the last part was nothing but superb.
Mr Lau and Mrs Lau, both retired university teachers, attended the concert till the end. Mrs Lau said, “I enjoyed the concert very much. I was very moved by ‘In Praise of Teachers’. Even though I have listened to this song multiple times, I still broke into tears when I heard it again at the concert. As a retired teacher, the song always reminds me of the responsibility as a teacher. Teaching is a sacred profession as teachers can influence their students through their words and deeds, and mould them into a better person.”
Professionalism of teachers and students throughout the performance greatly impressed Mr Lau too. “I share my wife’s view that teachers are engineers of human souls. As EdUHK is a tertiary institution that nurtures teachers, its professors shoulder the responsibility to guide their students to become good teachers to cultivate future generations. My wife and I love listening to music. Resonant beauty of the performance by the handbell team enchanted me. Choral singing of the last part was nothing but superb,” Mr Lau said.
“I want to thank every performers, singers, conductors, and backstage workers. Gala Concert+ could not have been so successful without their dedicated works. I really appreciate the display of multiple talents by our students in playing instruments, singing, and conducting. Our brilliant students, together with our faculty members and Honorary Artist-in-Residence at CCA, have presented a remarkable night of diverse and engaging musical feast. My heartfelt gratitude goes to Professor Su Yanhui, Ms Ren Pei and their students from SCNU as well. Their participations in tonight’s concert have made it a great success,” Dr Leung Chi-hin said. The concert performed an encore composed by CCA alumni dedicated to Dr Paulina Wong Wai-ying for her devotion to inspire future music teachers and workers. Dr Wong will retire from CCA after serving at EdUHK for almost 30 years at the end of the 2023/2024 academic year.
The department has held numerous on-campus musical events and public concerts which have enriched the lives of countless listeners. It has also elevated our quality of life through many of its art exhibitions.
Professor Li Wai-keung, Dean of FLASS, sent his congratulations to the success of the latest series of concerts. He also thanked every teaching and administrative staff at CCA for their tireless work and contributions to the faculty. “Over the years, the department has held numerous on-campus musical events and public concerts which have enriched the lives of countless listeners. It has also elevated our quality of life through many of its art exhibitions. The Gala Concert+ was CCA’s last multiple ensemble concert when the department was still under FLASS as it will leave us and join another faculty at this university from September onward as a result of organisational restructuring,” he said.
“While I will miss them, I am sure staff members at CCA will continue to bring their very best in music and visual arts to the university community and the general public. I wish them every success in their future endeavours in exploring new knowledge in the fields of music and visual arts, as well as in nurturing some of the best music and visual arts talents for the city,” said Professor Li.
Feel the excitements of “The EdUHK ArtFiesta Gala Concert+” through the following snapshots taken during the performance:
