Mr Leung Kin-fung is a world-class musician who wears many hats in the classical music world, being the Music Director of Hong Kong Orchestra, First Associate Concertmaster of Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra, and Artistic Director of Hong Kong Pure Strings, among many other capacities. Born in Guangzhou, he started playing violin publicly at the age of eight. Later he moved to Hong Kong, with outstanding performance, he gained admission to the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts in 1984. Two years later, he won a full scholarship to study in the Eastman School of Music, US, before earning both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees of Music from the prestigious Manhattan School of Music. He continued his studies at the Juilliard School with a full scholarship.
As a highly decorated artist, Mr Leung’s performances around the globe have earned him unanimous acclaims in places such as Italy, Belgium, Russia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Mainland China, Japan, Korea and the US. While it is impossible to list all the accolades bestowed upon him exhaustively, his strings of awards began as early as in 1990s, when Mr Leung won Second Prize at the 19th William Primrose International Viola Competition, and became the first Hong Kong musician to win First Prize at the Young Artist Competition in New York. He was named one of the Ten Outstanding Young Persons in Hong Kong in 2002. He made it to the list of Who’s Who in the HKSAR by Sing Tao Publishing in 2004 and earned the Hong Kong Arts Development Awards 2014 – Artist of the Year (Music). Mr Leung has been a recording artist since 1996, winning great reviews and popularity with his prolific productions of solo albums and DVDs.
Besides being an exuberant performer and conductor, Mr Leung is also enthusiastic to pass on his musical techniques and artistic vision to the next generations. He once taught at the Brooklyn Conservatory of Music in New York and National Taiwan University of Arts. Currently he still teaches at the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts and The Chinese University of Hong Kong. To provide young talented musicians with a platform to challenge their skills, Mr Leung founded Hong Kong Youth Orchestra in 2019 and recruited members from secondary schools and tertiary institutes including The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU).
Mr Leung has been the Artistic Director and Conductor of PolyU Orchestra since 2016. Apart from leading the orchestra to give fabulous performances, he has provided professional trainings to members, and has contributed significantly to the cultivation of music appreciation among the PolyU community.
Chairman Lam, University Council Members, President Teng and Honoured Guests,
I am humbled and honoured to share the stage with numerous outstanding leaders who have come before me. I am grateful to The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) for the conferment of University Fellowship. Not only is it a recognition of my work but also a source of encouragement and motivation, allowing me to shoulder greater responsibilities and to persist and innovate in my future work continually. Though Hong Kong has undergone tremendous changes in the past few years, we need to adhere to our stringent standards in artistic pursuits and innovation, not only to stand out from the rest of the world but also to make Hong Kong proud.
Since my return to Hong Kong in 2000, I have been most fortunate to join the Hong Kong Philharmonic – the world-class orchestra I had always dreamt of. I am intrigued to work with like-minded performers at the pinnacle of artistic excellence, producing music that amazes the world, putting Hong Kong on the global map of classical music. More importantly, I am inspired to support the next generations and actively serve the society.
I am also proud to be the Artistic Director and Conductor of the PolyU Orchestra since 2016, giving me the chance to work with teachers, students, and alumni whom may not be music majors but nonetheless passionate about it. I strive to train them by professional standards, nurturing and reinforcing their enthusiasm while bringing their voices to the forefront for all to appreciate. It has been a pleasure to work under the Cultural Promotion Committee which never stops innovating with solid ideas, so
that individual’s work contributes to the greater goal of the entire team. Our seamless collaboration has turned every fanciful idea into reality. Over the years, our cultural exchanges with neighbouring cities and in Germany, have brought us the honour to perform with world-class musicians. Despite the difficulties Hong Kong has faced in the past three years, we have performed online to engage with our audiences. Such performance allowed members to practise their craft while letting music flourish continuously at PolyU.
The world has radically changed, and disparity in people’s values has widened. But I believe the universal language known as music can bring people together, impart beauty and harmony to our lives. I will continue to put forth my full efforts in grooming other orchestras, such as the Hong Kong Orchestra, and the Hong Kong Youth Orchestra, to bring younger talent to the spotlight. In turn, they would live their life with gratitude and empathy for a harmonious society. Thank you.
