Professor Martin Lau is the Dean of the School of Chinese Opera at The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts.

Professor Lau obtained a Doctor of Education in Organizational Change and Leadership from the University of Southern California, a Master of Education in Education Leadership and Policy Studies from Boston University, and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Washington, reflecting his deep commitment to academic excellence and global perspectives.

His teaching and artistic practice areas include Cantonese opera music, ensemble leadership, production and stage management, programme development, and the integration of technology into pedagogy and assessment. At the peak of his professional career, he delivered over 200 Cantonese opera performances in a single year as music director and ensemble leader.

With over 30 years of experience in the performing arts and a decade in senior-level tertiary administration, Professor Lau has played a pivotal role in facilitating the Academy’s vision as an interdisciplinary, intercultural, and internationalised campus. Under his leadership, the Academy was awarded Programme Area Accreditation status in Cantonese opera, and he spearheaded the creation of new programmes including Cantonese Opera Youth Programme (COYP), Professional Diploma in Cantonese Opera, and Diploma in Cantonese Opera Foundations.

Beyond academic innovation, Professor Lau has advanced international cultural exchange through collaborations with multiple institutions in Mainland China, such as the National Academy of Chinese Theatre Arts and Zhejiang Music Conservatory. He also organised and executed the Greater Bay Area Summer Camp in Shunde, China, paving the way for young people to gain exposure to Cantonese opera education. He led students to deliver the first-ever Cantonese opera exchange performances at Oberlin Conservatory in the United States. In 2025, he further expanded the School’s global footprint with performances in Italy at the Conservatory of Music “G. Nicolini”, Teatro Sanzio, and Teatro dei Rozzi. In 2026, he led students in collaboration with an Italian jazz ensemble Yut Quartet to stage Anime in Viaggio at the Academy, presenting a groundbreaking intercultural production that blended Cantonese opera with Italian jazz.

His leadership in technological innovation is equally notable: he developed the Spatial Outcome-Based Assessment (SOBA) project, an advanced platform integrating motion capture, virtual and augmented reality, and audio technology, aim at transforming pedagogy and assessment in Chinese opera education.

Professor Lau’s work spans community engagement, professional service, and artistic creation. He has produced interdisciplinary multimedia projects such as The Academy Inheritance, and served as the executive producer of the newly written Cantonese opera Pearl Bay, produced by the School of Chinese Opera and funded by the China National Arts Fund 2024. He has also collaborated with different parties such as West Kowloon Cultural District and RTHK to establish sustainable internship programmes. His service includes active participation in numerous cultural and community organisations, including but not limited to China Theatre Association, Cantonese Opera Advisory Committee, International Society for Music Education, Chinese Artists Association of Hong Kong, and serving as Executive Chairman of Lam Kar Sing Foundation.

Through his multifaceted leadership, Professor Lau has reinforced the School’s reputation as a leader in innovative cultural exchange and transformative education, while remaining deeply committed to the sustainable transmission of Chinese opera.