The Chinese University of Hong Kong, CU Chorus

For 40 years’ pursuit of excellence, The Chinese University of Hong Kong Chorus (CU Chorus) has become one of the best local university choirs in Hong Kong. With a global vision, CU Chorus has performed not only on the local stage, but also in various cities in southern China and Southeast Asia. With its high quality performances and innovative programmes, CU Chorus is dedicated to promote the art of choral music to the general public.

CU Chorus was founded in 1972 by a group of CUHK students. In the early days, the role of conductor was taken up by students. Since the 1990s, the formal post of Music Director and Conductor is established. The post is first taken up by Dennis Ng, followed by Yeh Cheung-shing in 2000 to 2005, and currently Leon Chu from 2006. From a group that once taken part in joint-university singing contest by the Hong Kong Federation of Students, to the one that organises annual performances, CU Chorus has now developed its range of performances including two public concerts every year, free campus concerts, overseas exchange performances, Christmas caroling, conducting workshops and charity outreach performances.

CU Chorus presented a number of popular programmes with diverse themes, through which many foreign composers and their works were introduced to the Hong Kong music scene. In recent years, the Chorus presented a number of composer-portrait concerts to feature choral music by Eric Whitacre (2012), Ola Gjeilo (2013), Jan Tien-hao (2014) and Joseph Koo (2014). The composers also sent personal regards to the concerts. With the American jazz legend Howard McCrary, the Chorus hosted two Christmas concerts — A Jazzy Christmas with Howard McCrary (2012) and In the Mood for Love (2013) — with all newly-arranged Christmas songs, a novel take of the festive celebrations. While making an influence in repertoire expansion in local choral scene, CU Chorus’ performances also made an impact through the internet: the YouTube video of CU Chorus received coverage in the Israeli newspaper, Yedioth Ahronoth, for its wide circulation and resonance in Jewish communities worldwide.

Over the years, CU Chorus has collaborated with numerous local and overseas artists, including Joseph Koo, the godfather of Hong Kong pop music scene, as well as percussionist Louis Siu, the RTHK Quartet, Taiwanese conductors Dirk DuHei and Johnny Ku, Bulgarian choral conductor Theodora Pavlovitch, American conductors Paul Hondorp and Eric Stark, and American jazz musician Howard McCrary. Since the 1970s, CU Chorus has consistently engaged in exchange activities with choirs in the mainland China and Southeast Asia, visiting cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, Taipei, Tainan, Manila, Bangkok, Singapore and Johor Bahru. CU Chorus was also invited to various guest performances overseas, including the 20th Macau International Music Festival in 2006, and the Thai premiere of Mahler’s 8th Symphony by Siam Philharmonic Orchestra in 2013.

Promoting Hong Kong choral compositions is one of the mission of CU Chorus since its establishment. CU Chorus has regularly commissioned Hong Kong composers such as Dennis Wu, Andy So, Samson Young, Tang Lok-yin and Ng Wah-hei, and Taiwan composer Jan Tien-hao for new pieces. At the pace of one new piece per year, CU Chorus strives to develop a unique and local voice in Hong Kong choral music. In 2008 and 2009, CU Chorus was invited for demonstrative talks in Shanghai Normal University and Dayeh University, Taiwan respectively, introducing Hong Kong Cantonese choral compositions to the mainland and Taiwanese students, receiving much acclaim.

CU Chorus released its first commercial album Spring Breeze Kisses My Face — The Choral Music of Jan Tien-hao on The Modern Audio label in June 2014. Since its initial release, the album has been well-received by music lovers, to such acclaim that it is awarded as one of the Best Sales Releases (Classical and Operatic Works Recording) in the IFPI Hong Kong Top Sales Music Award 2014. The album is now being licensed and distributed in mainland China by Tianyi Records, Guangzhou.

To lay a better foundation for its never-ending artistic pursuit, CU Chorus registered charitable organisation status with CU Chorus Association (a limited-liability company) in January 2012. The new governing body, with its finer division of labour in artistic, management and administrative aspects, better facilitates the collaboration of CUHK undergraduates, postgraduates and alumni in their efforts to raise CU Chorus – a group coming from and based in CUHK – to ever-higher artistic heights.