HK Plucked String Chinese Orchestra

Hong Kong Plucked String Chinese Orchestra

香港彈撥中樂團

Director and Resident Conductor - Chan Man-Chong

總監及駐團指揮 - 陳敏莊

陳氏自幼已習多種中國彈撥樂器，尤專琵琶一器，師承林石城大師。陳氏早在上世紀六十年代後期已活躍於香港中樂界，六、七十年代期間不斷為培訓本港青年樂手、組織及指揮多個青年中樂團而努力；在樂團指揮技巧上曾受彭修文大師、陳佐湟博士、夏飛雲先生、嚴良先生訓練及指點。

在1974至1979年間為香港中樂團的琵琶演奏員，並於1977年代表香港中樂團以獨奏者身份巡迴英國演奏；其後亦多次以獨奏者身份前往英國、菲律賓、德國等巡迴演出。陳氏曾於1982年亞洲藝術節與香港管弦樂團合作首演陳永華作品《琵琶與敲擊協奏曲》，獲得一致好評。

陳氏自1979年任職於音樂事務處中樂部音樂主任直至2004年4月退休，負責中樂器樂訓練及樂團訓練工作；期間亦兼任香港中文大學和香港演藝學院的琵琶導師至今，除教學工作外，亦曾任香港青年中樂團及多個業餘中樂團的指揮。 1988年，以香港青年中樂團副指揮身份赴澳洲巡迴演出；1991年以團長及獨奏者身份率領香港青年中樂小組往赴德國演出；1998年以團長及首席指揮身份率領香港青年彈撥中樂團前往日本鹿兒島參加「東亞藝術節」，並在日本多個城市進行音樂交流活動。

自1990年起被邀委任中國音協民族委員會琵琶研究會理事（香港區組長）；亦於1992至2004年間任香港賽馬會音樂及舞蹈基金審核委員會委員；曾應邀在多間大專院校及中、小學主辦的講座／座談會擔任講者／主持人及音樂聯校課程的策劃主編，對推廣及提高中樂器樂培訓及中國音樂教育方面不遺餘力，貢獻良多。

陳氏自2004年4月退休後被邀任「香港彈撥中樂團總監及駐團指揮」，亦兼任凱聲音樂教育中心音樂總監，藉此延續她對音樂教育及器樂訓練的理想。

Chan Man-chong began learning Chinese plucked string instruments since she was young, and specialized in learning the pipa under the famous pipa virtuoso, Lin Shicheng. She was an active figure on the local Chinese music scene in the 1960’s; between the 1960’s and 70’s, she spared no effort in grooming young musicians and organizing and conducting youth Chinese orchestras. She received coaching in conducting from Maestro Pen Xiuwen, Dr. Chen Zuohuang, Mr Xia Feiyun and Mr Yan Liangkun.

As a pipa artist with the Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra between 1974 and 1979, she represented the Orchestra on a solo tour of the U.K. in 1977. Later she also toured in the capacity as a soloist and visited the U.K., the Philippines, Germany and etc. She gave a highly successful premiere of Chan Wing-wah’s Concerto for Pipa and Percussion with the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra at the Festival of Asian Arts 1982.

Chan worked as a Music Officer (Chinese Music) with the Music Office between 1979 and April 2004, when she retired, being responsible for Chinese instrumental music training and orchestral training. At the same time, Chan was (and still is) a pipa instructor at the Chinese University of Hong Kong and the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts. Apart from teaching, Chan also conducted several orchestras, including the Hong Kong Youth Chinese Orchestra, Hong Kong Youth Chinese Plucked String Orchestra, Hong Kong Youth Chinese Plucked String Orchestra, the Music Office Instructors’ Chinese Orchestra and many other amateur groups. In 1988, she was Assistant Conductor on the Hong Kong Youth Chinese Orchestra’s tour to Australia. In 1991, she led the Hong Kong Youth Chinese Music Ensemble to perform in Germany, serving as Concertmaster and performing as soloist. In 1998, she led the Hong Kong Youth Chinese Plucked String Orchestra to participate in the East Asia Arts Festival held in Kagoshima, Japan, as Concertmaster and Principal Conductor. On that tour, the Orchestra visited many cities in Japan for cultural exchange.

Chan has contributed tremendously to Chinese instrumental music training as well as Chinese music education through her many official appointments: she was a committee member of the Association on Chinese Pipa Research (Group leader, Hong Kong Chapter) under the Chinese Musicians’ Association, and a member of the Hong Kong Jockey Club Music Fund Grants Vetting Panel between 1992 and 2004. She was often invited to give talks and host seminars at schools and tertiary institutions, and was the Coordinator and Editor of the Joint School Music Curriculum.