The Academy of Music at Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU) held its inaugural NC Wong Young Composers Award presentation ceremony on 19 August 2022 to recognise the creation of world-class compositions by its current undergraduate and postgraduate students.
The first, second and third prizes were presented to undergraduate students Lui Kin-lok, Gloria Mui Man-sze and Lauryn Vania Kurniawan. As well as a cash award, the first prize winner’s composition will be performed for the first time in the world by the French string quartet ensemble, Quatour Arod, in January 2023.
Professor Johnny M Poon, Associate Vice-President (Interdisciplinary Research), Founding Dean of the School of Creative Arts and Dr Hung Hin Shiu Endowed Professor in Music at HKBU, said: ‘HKBU is dedicated to nurturing future-ready talent for Hong Kong and beyond. The NC Wong Young Composers Award inspires our students to expand their musical horizons and dream up impressive new compositions that travel far beyond the classroom walls.’
The international jury of this year’s award comprised a group of all-star performers, conductors, arts administrators and composers: Paul Tam, Executive Director, Performing Arts of the West Kowloon Cultural District; Professor Sergey Malov, winner of the OPUS Klassik award, a prestigious classical music prize in Germany; Jessica Cottis, conductor of the Royal Opera House; Lio Kuokman, Resident Conductor of the Hong Kong Philharmonic; and Dr Eugene Birman, Assistant Professor of the Academy of Music at HKBU and a recipient of the prestigious Guggenheim Fellowship in 2018.
