How do you champion Asian classical music? Musicians on how to create more opportunities
Hong Kong conductor Wilson Ng talks about his mission to promote Asian classical music, and composers give their perspective
When Wilson Ng left Hong Kong in 2006 to study music in Europe, he was a 16-year-old flautist who was not particularly interested in music written by Asian composers, nor did he feel any special connection to their work.
“I played a lot of contemporary music,” Ng says. “But whether the pieces were by Asian composers or not never mattered to me.”
“I feel like a lot of people in Asia have no idea that we have something unique and special to give in terms of classical music,” Ng says.
He feels so strongly about raising awareness of works by Asian composers that he recently founded an orchestra based in Hong Kong: the Asian Modern Symphony Orchestra (AMSO). Its mission is to create programmes with distinct Asian flavours and showcase them with Asian musicians.
“Through AMSO, I wish to bring our story to the world, invite everyone to get to know Asian composers and, through their music, raise curiosity for our culture and history.”
