Angus Lee Awarded Commission from Hong Kong Composers Scheme

The Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra has announced that Angus Lee has been awarded a commission for a new composition for the third edition of The Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation Hong Kong Composers Scheme. This new piece will receive its world premiere by the HK Phil in its 2024/25 season.

Angus Lee (b.1992) is a flautist, composer, and conductor. The work he composed for the public working sessions and showcase held on 25 May 2024 was titled Des flammes… and was workshopped and performed by the HK Phil under conductor Jung-Ho Pak. Lee drew a connection between his piece and the “studies” by painter Francis Bacon, demonstrating his understanding of the “studies” as a metaphor for pushing boundaries within the tradition of virtuoso writing. The piece showed how visual artistic philosophies can be incorporated into musical composition.

The HK Phil is committed to nurturing local compositional talent and promoting the works of Hong Kong and Chinese composers through commissions and overseas performances. Launched in 2018, the Composers Scheme, sponsored by The Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation Hong Kong and organised by the HK Phil, provides a platform for local emerging composers to broaden their orchestral writing experience. The selected composers receive guidance and feedback from several HK Phil principals and musicians, a designated composer mentor, and the guest conductor. The recently completed third cohort saw esteemed British composer Christian Mason as mentor and conductor Jung-Ho Pak working with six talented Hong Kong composers: Owen Ho, Matthew Lam Chun-hei, Angus Lee, Tiffany Leung Yan-ting, So Chuen-on and Zheng Yui-ka. Each year, one composer is awarded a commission following the showcase.

Lee’s new work will receive its world premiere at the “Swire Maestro Series: Elim Chan & James Ehnes” concert on 22 & 23 November 2024. Conducted by Elim Chan, the programme will also include Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto and Prokofiev’s Symphony no. 5. Tickets will be available at URBTIX from 8 August 2024. Please visit the HK Phil website for more details.