Yan Huichang is a Chinese music conductor of world renown. He has been with the Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra since June 1997.  

Yan Huichang was conferred the title of National Class One Conductor at the First Professional Accreditation of China in 1987. He has received many accolades from the governments of different lands in honour of his contribution to the development of culture, such as the ‘Cultural Medallion (Music)’ by the National Arts Council of Singapore in 2001, a Silver Bauhinia Star (SBS) by the Hong Kong SAR Government, Best Conductor Award at the Golden Melody Awards for Traditional Arts and Music 2018 in Taiwan, 2022 Distinguished Artist Award by the International Society for the Performing Arts and the 17th Hong Kong Arts Development Awards – Award for Outstanding Contribution in Arts etc.

He is currently Director of Chinese National Orchestra Research Center of the He Luting Advanced Research Institute for Chinese Music of the Shanghai Conservatory of Music and Professor of its Conducting Department, Honorary Fellow of The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, Guest and Distinguished Professor at many music schools, Honorary Music Director of the Shaanxi Broadcasting Chinese Orchestra and Permanent Honorary Advisor of the Beijing Chinese Orchestra. Maestro Yan was appointed Music Director of the National Chinese Orchestra Taiwan in 2013 with a tenure up to 2017 and started the ‘Youth Conductor Training Program’. His contribution to nurturing conducting talents in Chinese music in Taiwan is widely recognised.

Yan has led the Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra to set many milestones in Chinese music. He launched the Orchestra into omni-directional growth, started the system of commissioning new works, actively entered into mutually beneficial partnerships with crossover disciplines, spearheaded instrumental reform and the establishment of the world’s first Chinese orchestral academy, The HKCO Orchestral Academy. Yan created the Master of Music in Conducting for Chinese Orchestras programme at the HKAPA. Also, he took the lead to organise international symposia and forums on Chinese music, and hosted the first ever ‘International Conducting Competition for Chinese Music’ in the world which was commended by Zhao Jiping, Chairman of the Chinese Musicians’ Association, as “a milestone in the history of development of Chinese music”. 

After graduating from the Shanghai Conservatory of Music in 1983 under the tutorship of renowned conductor Xia Feiyun, and famous composers Hu Dengtiao and He Zhanhao, Yan was appointed Principal Conductor of the China National Orchestra. In addition to Chinese music conducting, Yan has also conducted Western symphony orchestras such as the China National Symphony Orchestra, Beijing Symphony Orchestra, Shanghai Symphony Orchestra, Shenzhen Symphony Orchestra, Guangzhou Symphony Orchestra etc. Yan is also actively engaged in composition, and many national awards with his works. 

自1997年6月起履任香港中樂團。

1987年獲頒授中國首屆專業評級國家一級指揮。對文化發展的貢獻獲各地政府予以表揚，包括新加坡政府「2001年文化獎」、香港特別行政區銀紫荊星章、台灣2018傳藝金曲獎最佳指揮獎、國際演藝協會2022年卓越藝術家獎及第十七屆香港藝術發展獎－傑出藝術貢獻獎等。

閻氏現應聘為上海音樂學院中國民族管弦樂研究中心主任及指揮系教授、香港演藝學院榮譽院士，並擔任多間音樂院校客席及特聘教授、陝西省廣播電視民族樂團榮譽音樂總監、中央民族樂團終身榮譽指揮。於2013－2017年應邀出任臺灣國樂團音樂總監，創立「青年指揮培訓計畫」，為台灣國樂界培養指揮人才備受肯定。

閻氏帶領香港中樂團創下多個中樂發展的里程碑，其藝術成就更獲各界肯定。他全方位拓展香港中樂團，推動委約作品；積極與不同界別互動，探索交融；領導發展樂器改革；倡議創立全球首個中樂樂隊學院；於香港演藝學院開設中樂指揮碩士課程；倡議舉辦及主持多次中樂國際研討會及高峰論壇；創辦全球首個國際中樂指揮大賽，被中國音協主席趙季平譽為「中國音樂發展史上的里程碑」。

閻氏師從著名指揮家夏飛雲、作曲家胡登跳、何占豪等教授，於1983年以優異成績畢業於上海音樂學院，隨即受聘為中國中央民族樂團首席指揮。除中樂指揮外，他亦曾獲邀客席指揮中國交響樂團、北京交響樂團、上海交響樂團、深圳交響樂團、廣州交響樂團等。閻氏亦為活躍作曲家，創作樂曲屢次獲得國家大獎。

Director at Canada Y.C. Music Academy

Bronze Medalist in National Ethnic Musical Instruments Competition in China: Professional Erhu Section

Music Director and Erhu Section Head at Canada YC Music Academy

Educated in inner Mongolian Arts Academy and Shanghai Music Academy; Coached by renowned Erhu educators namely, Professor Liu Chang Fu, Wu Zhi Min and Song Guo Sheng

Member of the Chinese Musicians (Erhu) Association

Inducted into “Global Chinese Artists Hall of Fame”

Instructor of the Master Class of Tzar's Village Music Festival

Adjudicator of Calgary Kiwanis Music Fesival

Adjudicator of Calgary Kiwanis Music Festival

Has trained numerous outstanding musicians who eventually take major roles in local orchestras and music groups

杨忠才

著名胡琴演奏家、教育家，加拿大英才音乐学院院长。第五届“敦煌杯”中国二胡演奏比赛北美赛区主席，第三届“英才杯”中国乐器演奏比赛主委会主席。曾就读于内蒙古艺术学院，上海音乐学院。师从著名教育家演奏家刘长福，吴之瑉，宋国生先生。

Vice Director at Canada Y.C. Music Academy

First prize in National Ethnic Musical Instruments Competition in China: Professional Guzheng Section

Music Director and Guzheng Section Head at Canada YC Music Academy

Wenying Chen，famous guzheng performer, educator, grade judge of Chinese Musicians Association, member of grade Committee of Tianjin Conservatory of Music, grade judge of Chinese ethnic wind Instrument Performance, and grade judge of Guzheng, a national musical instrument, of Chinese Orchestra Association.Graduated from Tianjin Conservatory of Music in China, won the first prize of the Professional guzheng group in the Chinese National Instrumental Music Competition.Her guzheng solo, "Reveries on the East of the River", was highly praised at the National Guzheng Seminar and was recorded on VCD and broadcast on China Radio.She was a disciple of Cao Zheng, the famous guzheng educator Zhou Yanjia, Sun Wenyan and Song Guosheng, the famous Erhu educator. She has won the title of "Heroine Pacesetter" and "Cross-century Literary Star".In 2012, he served as master tutor of Tzar's Village Music Festival in Canada and judge of Calgary Kiwanis Music Festival in Canada.In 2015, he was awarded the "Educational Achievement Award" by the 5th Golden Bell Music Competition for Children in China.In 2016, she won the title of "Canadian Woman of the Year".In 2017, he was invited to be a professional guzheng judge for Shengshihua Zheng and participated in the Guinness World Records for Guzheng.In the same year, he was invited to participate in the 4th Guozheng Conference in Japan and Osaka.In 2017 and 2018, she won the Excellent Education Guide Award.

陈文英，著名古筝演奏家，教育家，中国音乐家学会考级评委，天津音乐学院考级委员会委员，中国民族管乐学会民族器乐演奏考级评委，中国民族管弦协会民族乐器古筝考级评委。毕业于中国天津音乐学院，在中国民族器乐比赛上获得过古筝专业组的一等奖。她个人创作的古筝独奏曲《河东遐思》曾在全国古筝研讨会上获得极大好评,被录制VCD并在中国广播电台发播。她是一代古筝宗师曹正的关门弟子，曾得到著名的古筝教育家周延甲，孙文彦及著名二胡教育家宋国生先生的指导，并荣获过“巾帼建功标兵”及“跨世纪文艺新星”的称号。 2012年担任加拿大Tzar’s Village Music Festival大师班导师，2012年还担任了加拿大Calgary Kiwanis Music Festival评委。 2015年获得第五届中国少儿小金钟音乐大赛颁发的“教育成就奖”。 2016年荣获 “加拿大杰出女性”的称号。 2017年应邀担任《盛世华筝》古筝专业评委及参与世界吉尼斯古筝记录。同年，应邀参任日本、大阪第四届国筝大会评委。 2017年和2018年获得了优秀教育指导奖。

Jui-Ching Wang, D.M.A., is professor at Northern Illinois University where she teaches music education and world music courses and coordinates world music program.

Wang received her bachelor's degree in music from Soochow University in Taipei, master's degrees in piano performance and music education from Northern Illinois University, and her doctorate in music education from Arizona State University.  She has published refereed articles in Philosophy of Music Education Review, the International Journal of Music Education, the Journal of Band Research, the Journal or Historical Research in Music Education, College Music Symposium, the National Association for Music Education's (NAfME) General Music Today and Music Educators Journal, the Orff Echo, Piano Magazine, and in non-music journals, such as Education about Asia and Pacific Historical Review. Fluent in Chinese, she has published articles on the topics of music and culture, music education, and world music in The Performing Arts, Taipei Chinese Music, Music Browse, and the Journal of Aesthetic Education. She is also a contributor to the New Grove Dictionary of American Music (2nd edition), Oxford Handbook of Asian Philosophies and Music Education (forthcoming), and Teaching Asian Art: Content, Context, and Pedagogy, a National Art Education Association (NAEA) publication.

As a clinician advocating the study of music as culture, she has provided training and demonstrations for in-service teachers and music students in the U.S., Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, China, and Taiwan to help them expand their cultural horizons through music.  She currently serves on the editorial board of the Music Educators Journal. In 2024, Wang was elected to serve on the International Society for Music Education (ISME) Board representing the U.S. and Taiwan for a two-year term. A Fulbright Scholar, Wang studied traditional Javanese children's singing games, tembang dolanan anak, in Yogyakarta, Indonesia in 2016-17.

张重雪是著名的胡琴演奏家、教育家。曾任香港中乐团乐团首席，现任香港演艺学院中乐系主任、香港中乐团客席乐团首席、香港中乐协会副会长、中国音乐家协会香港分会执委、香港音乐事务处顾问、香港艺术发展局审批员、多所大学客席导师及多家专业表演团体艺术顾问。

    张氏毕业于上海音乐学院，曾师从曹元龙、曹元德、卢建业、王永德、陈春园、余其伟。凭着优秀琴艺，曾获「敦煌杯」一等奖，「仲乐杯」一等奖，中国文化艺术政府奖—小型民乐器组合（二胡）金奖，「上海之春」国际二胡比赛第二名等奖项。

张氏的个人音乐会及独奏演出足迹遍布世界各地，如：第二十一届中国上海国际艺术节、俄罗斯索契第十届冬季国际艺术节、韩国-统营国际音乐节、《梁祝-长城-狂想曲》-张重雪与香港中乐团、台北中山堂《二弦风情》、马来西亚《古乐今风》、香港青年音乐营、「香港周2021@廣州」、《薪火相传 - 张重雪的胡琴世界》、《HKCO4U》独奏音乐会、《胡琴新一族》、澳门《从秋决到火祭》、珠海2024“人才之夜”新年音乐会等。其激情大气的演出风格、精湛的技术配以胡琴纯净及灵气袭人的音色扣动所有聆听者的心弦。《南华早报》评论：张重雪在两根弦的胡琴上拉出幅度有如过山车的丰富情感。《大公报》:原汁原味的《梁祝》，是多层次的艺术品尝，不知肉味的何止三月… 

    为扶育音乐人才及培育新一代观众，张氏积极参与香港特区政府民政事务局、伦敦经贸办、 康文署音乐事务处、 香港艺术节、上海国际音乐节、香港电台、香港浸会大学、香港理工大学、香港科技大学、中央音乐学院、上海音乐学院、中国音乐学院、浙江音乐学院、 西安音乐学院、四川音乐学院、星海音乐学院、南京艺术学院、台南艺术大学、浙江大学、 上海大学、卢森堡音乐学院、台湾大学等多家高等院校和机构开展的大师班、工作坊和外展 音乐课程。于各大平台例如香港01，capital，商业电台雷霆881，香港电台，东方日报，大公报，太阳报，artsnews，新媒体橙新闻，腾讯视频，天下杂志，隽悦 - 六艺，星岛日报， 南华早报，亚洲周刊等录有个人专访及音乐评论。并参与出版中国民族管弦乐-乐队演奏片 段（二胡）专业书籍，港台个人纪录片《寻找香港》及多张音乐会现场录音光盘。近年来，张氏培养的学生除了多人考入职业乐团和专业演出团体外，还于香港音乐事务处及全港超过 20 所大、中、小学校内任职音乐导师。张氏也荣获中国文化部中国文联特授明日之星系列「全国优秀指导教师奖」，南风杯国际华族器乐大赛最佳指导，中华文化艺术节国际音乐艺术大赛「优秀导师」等奖项，师生共同传承推广发扬中国音乐和中国民族文化。

Affiliated Faculty at Asian and Asian American Studies; Assistant Professor of Music Theory

Department of Asian and Asian American Studies; Music

Background

Hippocrates Cheng 鄭靖楠 is an assistant professor of music theory in the Binghamton University Music Department. He is a composer, theorist, ethnomusicologist and multi-instrumentalist from Hong Kong. 

In 2024, he completed his doctorate of music composition with a minor in ethnomusicology at Indiana University's Jacobs School of Music. He is now working on his PhD in music theory with a minor in jazz studies at the same school. His composition teachers include professors Don Freund, Eugene O'Brien, David Dzubay and Aaron Travers.

As an award-winning composer, Cheng writes contemporary classical music, new music for Asian instruments, jazz and music for interdisciplinary productions. As a multi-instrumentalist, he performs overtone singing, piano and viola while also practicing qin, dan bau and phin pia.

As a researcher through an intersectional lens drawing on music composition, music theory, ethnomusicology and sound studies, he researches traditional East Asian and Southeast Asian music, particularly the music of China, Japan, Korea, Vietnam and Thailand. This intersectional approach is exemplified by his research on the music of the Hong Kong composer Doming Lam, the player piano and piano rolls in early jazz history, and braille music notation. His papers were selected by conferences hosted by AMIS, IAML, ICTMD, ISJAC, APME, AMS, CUNY Graduate Center, University at Buffalo, University of Southern California, University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna, Humboldt University, University College Dublin, University of Malaya and Korean Performing Arts Institute of Chicago.

Cheng started his musical journey by learning piano, violin and clarinet in choir and ensembles. Cheng pursued his Bachelor of Music in composition at Hong Kong Baptist University under the guidance of Christopher Coleman and Christopher Keyes. In 2018, with the support of the Hong Kong Jockey Club Music and Dance Fund, he completed his master's degree in music composition at the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts (HKAPA) with distinction. His composition teachers included professors Clarence Mak and Cheung Pui Shan.

Before joining Binghamton University, he taught as an associate instructor in music theory at IU and as adjunct faculty at IU Northwest. As a guest lecturer, he gave lectures, talks, master classes and workshops at Butler University (USA), Ball State University (USA), University of Indianapolis (USA), University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (USA), Shanghai Conservatory of Music (China), Peking University (China), Lingnan University (Hong Kong), Senzoku College of Music (Japan), Okinawa Prefectural University of Arts (Japan), Mahidol University (Thailand), Chiang Mai Rajabhat University (Thailand), Naresuan University (Thailand) and Suan Sunandha Rajabhat University (Thailand).

In June 2024, his chamber opera on anti-Asian hate, "All of Us," was premiered as the winning work commissioned by the Center for the Performing Arts in Carmel, Indiana. In the summer of 2024, he was selected for an exchange program funded by Indiana University (IU) and the Free University of Berlin (FUB). During his residency in Berlin, he conducted research and created new works. Now, he is working on his book chapter on Doming Lam and writing new compositions.

鄭靖楠作品風格多樣，樂種如當代西方古典音樂、民樂、世界音樂及爵士樂均有涉獵。

鄭氏早年畢業於香港浸會大學音樂系（作曲），師隨Dr. Christopher Coleman 。後獲香港賽馬會音樂及舞蹈基金獎學金全額資助，於香港演藝學院修讀作曲碩士學位，並於2018年以優異成績畢業，師隨麥偉鑄教授及張佩珊教授。2019年起，鄭氏於印第安納大學積可斯音樂學院攻讀博士學位（作曲），雙副修民族音樂學及音樂理論，擔任教學助理（音樂理論）。鄭氏並於2024年完成博士學位，並以最高榮譽成績通過博士口試。作曲導師包括Prof. Don Freund, David Dzubay, Eugene O’Brien, Aaron Travers等等。

在2022 年秋季，鄭氏考錄同校音樂理論博士學位入讀資格，現正完成主修課業並副修爵士音樂（作曲及編曲）。爵士導師包括Prof. Wayne Wallace, Brent Wallarab 及Patrick Harbison。 鄭氏在2024年八月開始擔任紐約賓漢頓大學 (Binghamton University)的音樂理論及作曲助理教授，及亞洲研究客座教授。

鄭氏自幼對音樂產生興趣，同時學習鋼琴、小提琴及單簧管並在不同的樂團擔任演奏。自2016年起，鄭氏自學泛音詠唱(overtone singing) 並積極地寫和演奏新作品。鄭氏現跟隨謝俊仁博士學習古琴，隨Prof. Le Hoai Phuong 學習越南獨弦琴(Dan Bau)，隨Mr. Nappadol 學習泰國Phin Pia。鄭氏亦獲邀在Indiana University 拉丁美洲Danzon ensemble 擔任鋼琴及韓國打擊樂團擔任Buk (鼓)。最近他活躍演奏鋼琴及泛音詠唱的新作品。

鄭氏於2020年正式進行音樂研究：研究範圍包括當代音樂、亞洲傳統音樂、早期美國爵士音樂及音樂應用。在新音樂方面，他正研究香港新音樂之父林樂培的作品全集及進行音樂分析。在亞洲傳統音樂方面，他志於研究古琴、越南獨弦琴音樂及中樂團音樂。在爵士樂方面，他研究Player Piano 和早期爵士Piano Roll的應用。在音樂應用方面，他研究點字樂譜及其在香港音樂教育上的應用。 

他曾獲邀以講者身份參與2024 Digging Schönberg – Approaches in Popular Musics (Arnold Schönberg Center and University of Music and Performing Arts, Vienna), 2024 ICTM Study Group on Sources and Archives for Music and Sound Studies (Humboldt Forum and the Humboldt University, Germany), 2023 Music and Language Conference (Buffalo USA), 2023 Korean Music Conference (Chicago USA), 2018 International Conference on Performing and Visual Arts (Malaysia) 等等。

他亦以客席講者的身份在Indiana University (USA), Ball State University (USA), Butler University (USA), University of Toronto (CA), York University (CA), 北京大學, 洗足音樂大學（日本）, 沖繩縣立藝術大學（日本） 嶺南大學, Chiang Mai Rajabhat University (Thailand), Naresuan University (Thailand), Suan Sunandha Rajabhat University (Thailand), Mahidol University (Thailand) 進行演講及大師班。

深圳艺术学校民乐学科二胡专业教师，南粤优秀教师，中国音乐学院毕业。师从张仕安、张尊连教授。广东省胡琴专业委员会副主任，深圳市二胡协会会长。

1998年获首届广东省中等艺术学校中青年教师艺术大赛（器乐）二等奖。

1999年获香港国际二胡／古筝协奏曲大赛二胡组亚军。

2001年著有《少儿二胡启蒙教程》一书。

2005年指导学生参加六届全国残疾人艺术汇演，荣获广东省器乐组一等奖及南方赛区三等奖。

2008年受邀为奥运会柔道馆录制场馆音乐《道》。

2011年荣获国际华人艺术节优秀指导教师奖。

2013年举办“琴之韵”张雷二胡独奏音乐会。

2015年被广东省教育厅授予“南粤优秀教师”称号。同年指导学生参加全国职业院校技能大赛中职组“艺术专业技能（中国拉弦乐器演奏）”荣获二、三等奖。

2018年参加欢迎德国总理安哥拉.默克尔的民乐专场音乐会。曾先后出访法国、德国、古巴、智利、肯尼亚、印度、韩国等40多个国家及地区，广受好评。

Currently Assistant Professor of Music Theory at the University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire, Matthew Poon’s career embraces an eclectic range of interests. As a music theorist, his research primarily focuses on issues of musical form and the analysis of eighteenth- and nineteenth-century Western music; however, he also pursues secondary interests in music perception and harmony in Japanese anime music. He has articles published in Music Theory Online, Music Theory Spectrum, Indiana Theory Review, Journal of the International Conductors Guild, and Frontiers in Psychology, and has presented papers at the Society for Music Theory, Society for Music Perception and Cognition, and regional conferences in Canada and the United States.

As a conductor, Matthew serves as the music director of the St. Croix Valley Orchestra, located on the border of Wisconsin and Minnesota, as well as the Chippewa Valley Youth Symphony in Eau Claire. He was most recently the music director of the Strings Attached Orchestra in Toronto, a community string orchestra whose charitable mission involves bringing live music to hospitals and long-term care centers. Prior to that, he served as conductor of the Toronto Chinese Orchestra and assistant conductor of the Kindred Spirits Orchestra, McMaster University Choir, and McMaster Women’s Vocal Ensemble (now the Cantemus Vocal Ensemble). He maintains close connections with the performing arts scene in Toronto as music director of the ME & Lau Family Foundation’s biennial concerts, which feature professional musicians working alongside students with intellectual disabilities, and as artistic advisor of the Canadian Chinese Orchestra (an orchestra consisting of traditional Chinese instruments).

Matthew holds Ph.D., M.A., and M.M. degrees from the University of Toronto, a B.M. and diploma from McMaster University, and an A.R.C.T. diploma from the Royal Conservatory of Music (Toronto). He previously taught music theory at Oberlin College & Conservatory and the University of Toronto, and conducting at Tyndale University in Toronto.