This year, the Academy and the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra (HK Phil) have jointly launched The Orchestra Academy Hong Kong (TOA), a gateway for Academy graduates to realise their dream of becoming professional orchestral musicians. The Academy News talks to the two music veterans behind the new initiative, Professor Sharon Choa, Dean of Music at the Academy, and Mr Benedikt Fohr, the Chief Executive of the HK Phil, about this highly-anticipated scheme that all young ambitious musical talents are looking at.
About TOA
Funded by "TrustTomorrow" of The Swire Group Charitable Trust (Swire Trust) with a promising sponsorship of approximately HK$9 million over a 3-year period, TOA is introducing two schemes, namely Fellowship Programme and Young Pro Platform, aimed at enhancing orchestral performing and learning experiences for distinguished graduates from the Academy's School of Music. Under the Fellowship Programme, up to six Fellows will be selected to undergo an intensive orchestral training with the HK Phil through each season. Fellows are given the chance to sit next to professional orchestral musicians and perform parts of different repertoires, as well as joining masterclasses, workshops and the mentorship scheme. Young Pro Platform participants will join Philharmonia APA (PAPA), an orchestral ensemble comprising 20-25 players formed by Academy music alumni in 2017, for a versatile season-long programme of two full ensemble concerts and a series of chamber concerts.
Choa: Professor Sharon Choa
Fohr: Benedikt Fohr
Academy News: What is the driving force behind the establishment of TOA?
Choa: In recent years, we have observed that the standard of the Academy's music graduates is consistently higher. However, there is a lack of opportunities to sustain their high-calibre performances and obtain a professional orchestral or creative leadership position after graduating. Being the only performing arts institution in Hong Kong, it is our mission to provide the most comprehensive and professional training to our students and facilitate their career development. The idea of TOA is to provide a focused, intensive ensemble training to such musicians after their graduation, enhancing their competency in the orchestral field, both in the traditional sense to train with a top-notch orchestra such as the HK Phil and in bringing our graduates up to date with the latest developments in concert presentation through the Young Pro Platform.
Academy News: What common ideology do you think the Academy and the HK Phil share?
Fohr: Both the Academy and the HK Phil aim to give Academy graduates the chance to gain practical experience in a professional symphony orchestra under the leadership of world class conductors and first-class soloists, whether onstage or offstage, and thus to enhance their career development in the orchestral field. Each institution contributes to the programme what it can do best: orchestral experience and teaching respectively.
Academy News: Can you tell us more about the actual collaboration of the Academy and the HK Phil in this programme?
Fohr: The HK Phil provides a platform for participants to gain work experience with a professional symphony orchestra and a learning opportunity through masterclasses and workshops given by the HK Phil musicians. Through engaging in regular rehearsals, concert services and the mentoring programme, the Fellows will establish a close relationship with the HK Phil musicians and Music Director Jaap van Zweden, as well as with guest conductors and soloists. They will also be invited to play chamber music with other Fellows and the HK Phil musicians.
Choa: The Academy and the HK Phil take leading and interactive roles in different scopes of TOA. In the Fellowship Programme that operates under the HK Phil's established artistic direction, Academy faculty members, the HK Phil Music Director and musicians are part of a panel set up to select six Fellows. In addition, we jointly plan and review the progress of TOA, adjusting to changing situations as necessary and optimising its effect. In the other scheme named Young Pro Platform, which operates under the School of Music's artistic direction according to ideals designed initially for Philharmonia APA, the participants are selected by Academy faculty members. They will take active roles in curating each performance that is specially designed, involving multimedia and site-specific elements. The Academy provides the venues and related technical support in holding masterclasses, audition workshops and lectures, while also taking part in the creative planning for these events.
Academy News: Besides offering a formal orchestral training to Academy graduates, we know that taking part in community service is also a highlight of TOA. What is the motive behind this engagement?
Fohr: As a contribution to community service, the Fellows will reach out to perform chamber music as we believe facilitating others assess music and creating a shared musical experience are valuable and impactful. It is always the HK Phil's mission to touch the community with music and stimulate cultural participation by sharing the joy of music.
Choa: We would like our members to contribute to the society through volunteering opportunities with their talents. Through different formats, we wish to share the harmony of music with the under-privileged and help tackle some of our society's most pressing issues. We are also committed to giving something back to NGOs that have made positive impacts on others' lives.
(Remarks: Music students are committed to sharing music with the community. During the pandemic last year, they created a few performances online to spread love and care. Click here to revisit the online performances.)
Academy News: The programme sounds very enriching and meaningful. I believe potential participants will be very interested to know what possible future developments exist after they graduate from the scheme.
Choa: Upon completion of the programme, graduates will be better equipped to undertake orchestral auditions anywhere in the world. With the mentorship scheme and lectures on entrepreneurship and administrative subjects, graduates can learn about self-management skills as a musician and acquire the knowledge in planning and developing their own musical career. Through the Young Pro Platform scheme, we hope that graduates will develop the skills not only to participate in but also to curate cultural offerings in our society, and subsequently gain the confidence to direct their own initiatives.
Academy News: What about Benedikt? Can you foresee the future of Fellows joining TOA?
Fohr: They will aim for a career in the orchestral field, whether as professional musicians or in arts administration. If their interest is to pursue a career in an orchestra as a professional player, I am sure they will receive a thorough preparation through this programme for auditioning with the HK Phil, as well as many other professional orchestras around the globe.
Academy News: The Academy is well known for its artistic endeavours to nurture local musical talents. Besides introducing TOA, is there any other programme that serves a similar purpose?
Choa: As many within the Academy will have noticed, the School of Music has been promoting the teaching of "Creative Entrepreneurship" for some years now. This is a pathway to guide students to discover and deploy their own strengths to the maximum. At the same time, it is a scheme to connect students with the industry not only in conceptual terms but in actual practice. Through launching TOA, we are hoping that it will inspire our students to become more self-reliant, confident and curious about the world at large and to expand their exposure beyond the practice room!
Academy News: How can the ideals of TOA be upheld in the future?
Choa: In line with the ideals of TOA, we are developing an extensive Conducting & Cultural Leadership course that spans the four years of degree studies here. The idea behind this is that, firstly, all students should unleash their potential and make the best use of it, for both themselves and others – this is the first step in being a creative entrepreneur. Secondly, we will offer every student a chance to learn the basics of conducting – a conductor as a leader. The initiative not only deepens their understanding of the musical and technical competency of a conductor, but also brings out their innate leadership qualities. This area of studies is a significant part of our curriculum. We hope that the ethos will infiltrate into everything they do in their studies and beyond.
Academy News: Let's view TOA from a macro perspective. With the establishment of TOA, what kind of stimulation or chemistry do you expect to be seen in the collaboration between the HK Phil and the Academy?
Fohr: TOA marks a very promising start for other future possible collaborations between local conservatoires and orchestra. This project gives each institution the chance to learn more about each other, their way of thinking, their strategies and potentialities. Foremost it is about the people who work and discuss together; we share the same vision – to nurture local music talents and to promote artistic excellence in our home city, Hong Kong. Who knows what the next step will be? It will be exciting to see.
Academy News: Last but not the least, what would be your advice for young musicians in view of the current pandemic?
Fohr : Not to lose courage, practise at home, use Zoom, Facetime or other devices to stay in touch with teachers, colleagues and friends, listen to classical music, learn, read...Make good use of this period of time to equip yourself and always be prepared to get back on stage when it's possible again. The good news is that it is already getting better. Concert halls, theatres and museums are beginning to reopen, and face-to-face teaching and ensemble playing with social distancing is possible again.
(The article was published in the May 2021 issue of Academy News. Click here to read the original story.)
SUBSCRIBE TO ENEWS HERE TO RECEIVE THE MONTHLY E-NEWSLETTER AND THE LATEST UPDATES AT THE ACADEMY.