Advisors
Mr. Leung Kin Fung (Artistic Advisor)
Leung Kin Fung a world-class violinist from Hong Kong. Leung was born in Guangzhou, China. He began studying violin at the age of five under the guidance of his father. He was admitted by the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts due to his outstanding achievement. In 1986, he was awarded a full scholarship to study at the Eastman School of Music in the USA under Zvi Zeitlin, Albert Markov and Emanuel Vardi. He later obtained both his Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees of Music from the Manhattan School of Music. As a result of his wining the "Irving Ruckens Award", Leung continued his studies at the Juilliard School, where he worked with renowned teachers Dorothy DeLay and Karen Tuttle.
He was the awardee of the "Ten Outstanding Young Persons" in Hong Kong in 2002. Leung was the first Hong Kong musician to win the first prize at the "1992 Young Artist Competition" in New York while studying there on full scholarship at the Juilliard School as the winner of the "Irving Ruckens Award". He also had previously won a significant award for his virtuosity on the viola, the second prize at "The 19th William Primrose International Viola Competition" in 1991. Other awards included the "Mary Owen Borden Memorial Foundation Award" in 1990, the "Grand Prize of the Hong Kong Schools Music Festival" and the "Hong Kong Commercial Radio Prize" in 1986. He was listed in the 'Who's Who in the HKSAR" published by Sing Tao Publishing Ltd in 2004.
Leung enjoys a world-class reputation, as demonstrated by his frequent performances in Italy, Belgium, Russia, Hong Kong, China, Taiwan, Korea, other Asian cities and many American cities, as well as regular concerto performances with orchestras. Leung has represented Hong Kong in many international music events. Early in 1986 he represented Hong Kong at the International Youth Music Festival in Aberdeen, Scotland, where he was the concertmaster of both the philharmonic and chamber orchestras. In 1994, he was invited to participate in a chamber music concert tour in Europe with the renowned pianist Fu Ts'ong.
Leung has also distinguished himself in the recording world with his solo album “Violin Encores” recorded and released by the Hugo Production Company in Hong Kong, the Violin Concerto No.1 produced with composer Mr. Guan Nai-Zhong and the Kaohsiung City Chinese Orchestra, as well as the violin concerto "Legend of Deer's Turn-about" with conductor Yeh Tsung and the Hong Kong Sinfonietta. In the Chamber Music genre, Leung founded the "Taipei Fine Arts Trio" in 1994, which has its first album released in 1996. In 1997, he was invited to record a CD of great piano trio music by using a Stradivarius violin belonging to the collection of the Chi Mei Foundation of Arts. In 1999, at the invitation and sponsorship of the SinoPac Bank, Leung produced the "Salute 2000" DVD and CD, featuring the famous piano trio in performances ranging from classical to modern pieces. In June 2001, the Radio Hong Kong invited Leung to be its Artist-in-Residence and to record the complete Beethoven Violin Sonatas.
In May 2005, Leung founded Hong Kong Pure Strings (HKPS), a string ensemble of top string musicians from all over the world where Leung serves as the Artistic Director. HKPS gave its successful premiere concert at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre on June 13, 2005, plus other successful project and concerts, such as Musicarama 2005, HKPS & Berliner Philharmoniker Musicians Joint Concert and HKPS & Hamburg Symphoniker Musicians Joint Concert.
Leung Kin Fung performs on a Santus Seraphin violin made in 1730.
Ms. Nancy Loo (Artistic Advisor)
Nancy Loo is one of Hong Kong’s most versatile artists; as pianist, radio programme host, actress and writer. She was a recipient of the “Ten Outstanding Young Persons Award” in 1978. She is currently on the piano faculty of the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Baptist University, and Hong Kong Institute of Education. Apart from giving lectures and master classes, she has also been on the panel of judges for awards and competitions.
Loo received her master degree from the Juilliard School of Music, and later studied at the Royal Northern College of Music. Her teachers include Betty Drown, Misczyslaw Munz, Adele Marcus, Ryszard Bakst, Derrick Wyndham, Vlado Perlemeuter and Guido Agosti. She won first prize at the “Rina Sala Gallo International Competition” in Italy, and was a prizewinner at the “Marguerite Long International Competition”, “Viotti International Competition” and the “Premio Jaén”.
Loo has appeared as soloist with the Juilliard Orchestra, Danish Radio Symphony Orchestra, Zagreb Radio Symphony Orchestra, Thessaloniki State Orchestra, Singapore Symphony Orchestra and the National Philharmonic of the Philippines. In Hong Kong, she has played with the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra, Hong Kong Sinfonietta and the Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra. She was featured in Hong Kong Arts Festival’s “Nancy Loo and Friends” and “Alone for a second”.
In addition to founding the piano and woodwind sextet “Les Six”, she has also worked with local and visiting artists in chamber music concerts. A keen performer of contemporary music, she participated frequently in the annual “Musicarama” and the “ISCM World Music Days Festival”. In 2007, she was presented in a solo recital of contemporary Chinese composers’ piano music by Hong Kong Composers’ Guild.
She has participated in multi-media performances such as Kung Chi-shing’s “M Garden”, “City Inside A Broken Sky”, “Destiny Travels”, and in drama productions including “The Music Factory” with Chung Ying Theatre Company. She also performed with CCDC in “The Rite of Spring” and “Testimony”, and was the pianist and music director in “The Vagina Monologues” with Spring-Time Experimental Theatre.
Loo is the presenter of RTHK Radio Four’s “Belle Nuit”, “Cantilena”, and “Children’s Corner”, the only classical radio program for children in Hong Kong.
As a narrator, She has performed in “Peter and the Wolf” with the Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra, “Babar the Elephant” and “Carnival of the Animals” with Hog Kong Sinfonietta, “The Blue Planet” with the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra, and “The little Mermaid” with the Hong Kong City Chamber Orchestra.
She has played for film soundtracks, including “Bauhinia”, “The Sound of Love” and “The Map of Sex and Love”. She has also published two books. Her CDs include a piano solo album of Christian music, “Ambush” and “Moonlight on Spring River” with the Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra, piano works by local composers and the Brahms Hungarian Dances with violinist Leung Kin Fung.
In recent years, Loo has been actively involved in music ministry in prison.
Ms. Yau Kwok Lai, Frances (Administrative Advisor)
Ms. Frances Yau graduated from the University of Hong Kong, majoring in English, Japanese and Translation. She has substantive experience in public administration, specializing in education. Ms. Yau believes that music education contributes much to the whole person development of youngsters. She has been practising what she believes by supporting the promotion of classical music in the education sector. Since 2015, Chordophonia has had the honour of having Ms. Yau as the Administrative Advisor to provide professional advice on relevant matters. Her guidance will surely render Chordophonia more professional in the administrative aspect.