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A conductor is the soul of an orchestra. He commands the attention of performers onstage and the audience with his distinct charisma and style. His role resembles that of an army commander, except that he leads with his baton, communicating with the members of the orchestra through artistic rapport and technical brilliance to present insightful interpretations of each piece of music. A conductor must also have a broad vision, intellectual accomplishments, and resourceful creativity to be an impetus to the orchestra for continual growth and development. The development of any musical genre requires a growing repertoire of works; and the performance of each work rests upon intelligent interpretation.
The ‘International Conducting Competition for Chinese Music’, initiated by the Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra, has been held four times since 2011 with the support of experts, music institutions and various organizations worldwide. It has collaborated with different institutions, including the Xi’an Conservatory of Music for the second International Conducting Competition for Chinese Music and the Chinese Orchestra Taiwan for the third. Over the years, more than 200 individuals from around the world have registered to participate, earning the competition widespread acclaim in the industry. It is not only a groundbreaking initiative for cultivating exceptional young conductors but also a milestone in advancing the development of large-scale ethnic orchestral music. The fifth International Conducting Competition for Chinese Music will be co-organized with the Wuxi Chinese Orchestra and we encourage all aspiring Chinese music conductors to seize this opportunity to participate.
──── Yan Huichang (Artistic Director and Principal Conductor for Life, Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra)
The Participant must have experience in conducting an orchestra, or be currently studying Conducting as a major in a conservatory of music.
Please send the following required documents by email to hkco.program@hkco.org before August 31, 2025, with the subject line indicating registration for the “The Fifth International Conducting Competition for Chinese Music”.
First Round (Not open to public)
In December 2025, the panel of judges will assess the participants on the basis of the video recordings submitted before 31 August, 2025, and announce the list of participants selected in January 2026.
Second Round (Not open to public)
It will be held between 21-22 June 2026 in Wuxi. The participants will conduct Wuxi Chinese Orchestra in playing three works selected for the Second Round Competition.
1. The Grand Canal Chen Si’ang (Work selected for competing for the Best Interpretation of a Work on Wuxi prize)
2. Huqin Ensemble Reflection of the Moon on the Water (Excerpts) Hua Yanjun Arr. by Lee Huanzhi
3. Song of the General Ancient Melody Arr. by Gu Guanren
Semi-final Competition (Not open to public)
It will be held between 25-26 June 2026 at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre Concert Hall. The semi-final comprises two parts: sight-reading at rehearsal (to test the ability to correct mistakes and read scores quickly) and conducting a rehearsal with the Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra.
1. Sight-reading and correcting mistakes: participants will be informed of the work chosen after entering the simi-finals.
2. Works for conducting:
A. Haofei Ji (Flying Brush) Law Wing-fai (Work selected for competing for the Best Interpretation of a Work on Hong Kong prize)
B. Leaping Dragon (2023) Hu Dengtiao Re-arr. by Yan Huichang
Final Competition Concert (Open to public)
It will be held on 28 June 2026 at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre Concert Hall. The participants will conduct the Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra in performing the following works.
1. The Grand Victory Wind and Percussion Folk Music from Shanxi Arr. by Zhang Shiye
2. The Zen of Autumn in the Mountains (Excerpts) (From Caprice on Dwelling in the Fuchun Mountains IV) Liu Yuan
The Champion will be performed the following works in Final Competition Concert:
Symphony No. 2 for Chinese orchestra and pipe organ (Excerpts) Kuan Nai-chung
First Movement: Maestoso - Allegro
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