(b. 1954, Hong Kong).
Chinese composer of mostly orchestral, chamber and choral works that have been performed in Asia, Europe and elsewhere; he is also active as a conductor.
Prof. Chan earned a teaching certificate at the Hong Kong Institute of Education in 1974 and a diploma as a music specialist there in 1975. He then studied composition with David Gwilt at the Chinese University of Hong Kong from 1975–79, where he earned his BA, and received the FTCL of the Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance in London in 1979. He studied composition with John Beckwith at the University of Toronto from 1980–85 and there earned his MMus and DMus, on the British Commonwealth Scholarship. In addition, he attended the Ferienkurse in Darmstadt in 1986, on a grant from the Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst.
Among his honours are First Prize in the competition of the International Double Reed Society in Florida (1981, for Autumn), the Yoshirō Irino Memorial Award from the Asian Composers League (1988, for Transit), the Composer of the Year Award from the Hong Kong Artists' Guild (1991), and the Ten Outstanding Young Persons Award from the Hong Kong Junior Chamber of Commerce (1992). His music has been performed in Australia, Canada, China, Germany, Hungary, Japan, Poland, Romania, Russia, Slovenia, South Korea, Switzerland, Taiwan, the UK, and the USA.
As a conductor, he has led numerous choruses and orchestras, including the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra. He has served as music director of the Hong Kong Oratorio Society since 1995.
He is also active in other positions. He served as chair of the Hong Kong Composers' Guild from 1993–2004, of the Hong Kong Jockey Club Music and Dance Fund from 1996–2006 and of the Artistic Advisory Committee of the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra from 2002–04, where he has been a member of the General Committee and Board of Governors since 2005. He has served as chair of the Composers and Authors Society of Hong Kong since 2000 and of the Arts Promotion Committee of the Hong Kong Arts Development Council since 2001. Moreover, he served as composer-in-residence to the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra from 1994–96, as a member of the Executive Committee of ISCM from 1997–2001, as vice-president of the Asian Composers League from 1997–2002, as an artistic advisor to the Leisure and Cultural Services Department of Hong Kong from 2000–08, and as a council member of the Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra from 2001–05. He has served as chair of the Hong Kong Association of Choral Societies since 2019.
He has taught at the Chinese University of Hong Kong since 1986, where he was Reader in Music from 1996–2000 and Professor of Music from 2001–07 and where he has been an adjunct professor since 2007. He also served as chair of its Department of Music from 1992–2005, as sub-dean of its Faculty of Arts from 1998–2000 and as associate dean of its Faculty of Arts from 2000–06. He served as head of the School of Professional and Continuing Education at the University of Hong Kong from 2007–14, where he also served as associate head of the College of Humanities & Law from 2009–13, as head of the College of Humanities & Law in 2013–14 and as deputy director of academic and professional programmes from 2014–16. He later served as vice-president of Centennial College at the University of Hong Kong in 2017–18 and has served as deputy director in the Planning Office for the School of Music of the Chinese University of Hong Kong (Shenzhen) since 2019.
In addition to the works listed below, he has composed incidental music and numerous anthems, film scores, hymns, songs for children, and songs for schools.
SELECT LIST OF WORKS
STAGE:
The Strangers (ballet, choreography by Helen Lai), large orchestra, 1993 (also version for piano, 1993)
ORCHESTRAL:
Symphony No. 1, large orchestra, 1979
Symphony No. 2, 2 pipa (lutes from China), large orchestra, 1981
Celebration, large orchestra, 1984
Symphony No. 3, 2 orchestras, 1985
Expose, large orchestra, 1987
Transit, large orchestra, 1988
Festival Overture, orchestra of instruments from China, 1989
Flying Clouds, orchestra of instruments from China, 1990
Morning Sun, large orchestra, 1990
Rejoice in Peace, orchestra of instruments from China, 1993
Elevation, organ, large orchestra, 1994
Symphony No. 5, 2 orchestras, 1995
Symphony No. 6, 'Reunification', large orchestra, 1996
Overture – The Sea of Stars, organ, large orchestra, 1998
Moon over Mountain Pass, large orchestra, 1998
God of Protection, orchestra of instruments from China, 2002
Moon over Bounteous Land, orchestra of instruments from China, 2002
Symphony No. 7, 'The Great Wall', orchestra of instruments from China, 2004
Reflections of Macao, 2005
Eight Steeds, orchestra of instruments from China, 2007
Thunderous Drums Shaking the Earth, orchestra of instruments from China, 2007
Drum Dance, 2013
Sonic Movement, 2015
Southern Sky, symphonic band, 2015
Phoenix Dance, harp, orchestra, 2018
My Own Rhythm, piano, orchestra of instruments from China, 2018
CHAMBER MUSIC:
Scherzo, viola, piano, 1978
Quintet, flute, oboe, violin, viola, cello, 1980
Autumn, flute, oboe, guitar, viola, 1980
Mo Shan Qi, pipa, 1980
Circle, flute, trombone, pipa, violin, percussion, 1981
Trio, zheng (zither from China)/harpsichord, violin, cello, 1982
Blossoms, flute, clarinet, violin (+ viola), cello, piano (+ harpsichord), percussion, 1983
Focus, flute, bassoon, piano, 1986
Divertimento, bassoon, piano, 1987
Continuity, violin, cello, piano, 1989
Merge, string quartet, 1990
Impact, 4 percussion, 1995
Encounter, flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, 2 violins, 2 cellos, piano, 1996
Et in terra pax, oboe, pipa, viola, cello, 1999
Shi Huai – Releasing the Mind, sheng (mouth organ from China), dizi (transverse flute from China), yangqin (hammered dulcimer from China), 1999
Dragon Spirit, 2 violins, 2000
Summer Day, oboe, viola, cello, 2000
Distant Hill, string quartet, 2000
Spark, pipa, string quartet, 2002
Over Ten Thousand Mountains, sheng, dizi, zheng, erhu (violin from China), 2002
Love Is Beyond Words II, violin, piano, 2003
Beyond the Sky, sheng, flute, clarinet, pipa, zheng, erhu, 2003
Eternal Love, string quartet, 2003
Fires of Love, cello, 2003
The Path of Love, string quartet, 2003
Moon Dance, violin, 2004
Into Immensity, flute, clarinet, trombone, viola, cello, piano, percussion, 2006
The Flying Apsaras, string quartet, 2006
Oriental Garden, English horn, guitar, viola, 2008
M+, trombone, double bass, piano, 2009
By the Pool of the Nan Lian Garden, sheng, dizi, pipa, daruan (bass lute from China), yangqin, zheng, erhu, zhonghu (spike fiddle from China), 2009
Wind Over the Grassland, guitar, viola, double bass, 2011
Light of Faith, flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, 2 violins, viola, cello, double bass, piano, 2012
Sages Plateau, clarinet, violin, viola, cello, 2012
Flying Over the Mountains and Gates, pipa, piano, 2012
CHORAL:
Nunc Dimittis, mixed chorus, 1980
Concertino (text from the Liji – Book of Rites), female chorus, piano, small orchestra (2 flutes [2nd + alto flute], trombone, celesta, 3 percussion, 16 strings), 1983
Big Little World (text by Leung Bo-wah), children's chorus, 1986
Looking Afar (text by Sonia Ng), mixed chorus, 1987
Musica (text by the composer), children's chorus/female chorus, 1989
Peace to the Planets (text by the composer), children's chorus/female chorus, 1990
I Love to Sing My Song (text by Simon Chow), children's chorus, piano, 1991
Symphony No. 4, 'Te Deum', soprano, tenor, mixed chorus, large orchestra, 1992
Love Song/Reminiscence, mixed chorus, piano, 1993 (version of vocal work)
Nine Regions Sing as One (text by Rupert Chan), tenor, mixed chorus, piano, 1997
Reviving Arts and Culture (text by Rupert Chan), mixed chorus, piano, 1998
Tu es Petrus (text from the Book of Matthew), mixed chorus, orchestra, 2002 (also version for mixed chorus, organ, 2002)
The Lord Is My Shepherd (text by W. S. Passmore, after Psalm 23), mixed chorus, orchestra, 2002 (also version for mixed chorus, organ, 2002)
Season of Love (text by Rupert Chan), mixed chorus, piano/organ, 2003
Donation of Light, children's chorus, 2005
Symphony No. 8, 'This Boundless Land' (text by Sonia Ng), mixed chorus, organ, orchestra of instruments from China, 2006
Light of Witness, mixed chorus, trumpet, cello, piano, organ, percussion, 2008
Music for World Harmony of Peace, soloists, speakers, mixed chorus, orchestra, 2008
One World, One Voice, mixed chorus, orchestra, 2008 (also version for mixed chorus, ensemble, 2008)
Our Song of Peace, mixed chorus, piano, 2010
19 Children's Songs, children's chorus, 2011
SANCTUS, mixed chorus, oboe d'amore, viola da gamba, 2012 (also version for mixed chorus, organ, 2012)
Let Us Rejoice (text from the Song of Solomon), mixed chorus, piano, 2013
A Bright New Sunny Day (text by Rupert Chan), children's chorus, 2014
For the Beauty of Music (text by Sonia Ng), mixed chorus, piano, 2014
Drunken Dream (text by Sonia Ng), mixed chorus, piano, 2014
Praises of Thanksgiving (text from Psalm 65), mixed chorus, organ, orchestra, 2016
Symphony No. 9, 'Universal Harmony' (text by Rupert Chan), tenor, mixed chorus, sheng, dizi, pipa, zheng, orchestra, 2019
My Beautiful Country (text by Sonia Ng), mixed chorus, piano, 2019
VOCAL:
Pater Noster, soprano, piano, 1979
Love Song/Reminiscence (text by Sonia Ng), soprano, piano, 1993 (also version for mixed chorus, piano)
Canterbury Bell (text by Sonia Ng), mezzo-soprano, piano, 1995
Reminiscence (text by Sonia Ng), mezzo-soprano, piano, 2006
PIANO:
Qing Shang Bian – Variations on the Qing Shang Mode, 1982
Impressions, 2 pianos, 1987
Timer, 1987
Love Is Beyond Words I, 2003
DIDACTIC MUSIC:
Three Piano Pieces for Children, piano, 1989
ARRANGEMENTS:
Yu Mei Ren (folksong from China), soprano, piano, 1978 (also version for mixed chorus, 1989)
Ten Sisters (folksong from China), mixed chorus, piano, 1985 (also version for mixed chorus, dizi, pipa, yangqin, erhu, 1994)
Moonlight Lullaby (folksong from China), mixed chorus, piano, 1985 (also version for mixed chorus, orchestra of instruments from China, 1985)
Ma-Yi-La (folksong from China), mixed chorus, orchestra of instruments from China, 1994
White Jasmine (folksong from China), mixed chorus, dizi, pipa, yangqin, erhu, 1994