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Tag: Hong Kong

HKAPA and UAS foster collaboration

Posted on by Communications Office

To further strengthen academic ties and explore more opportunities in arts education, The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts (HKAPA) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with University of the Arts Singapore (UAS), Singapore’s first arts university formed by NAFA and LASALLE, on 12 May.

UAS top-leadership delegation led by Professor Kwok Kian Woon, UAS Vice-Chancellor, comprising Professor Steve Dixon, UAS Deputy Vice-Chancellor and President of LASALLE College of the Arts; Mrs Tan-Soh Wai Lan, UAS Deputy Vice-Chancellor and President of Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, Mr Marcus Ngiow, Director, Planning and Development Division, and Ms Janet Ng, Principal Manager, Academic Planning Office.

HKAPA X IADMS Regional Meeting 2026

Posted on by Communications Office

The School of Dance at The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, in collaboration with the International Association for Dance Medicine & Science, proudly presents the IADMS Regional Meeting 2026.

This inspiring two-day programme will bring together dance educators, performers, postgraduate students, dance science specialists, and healthcare professionals from around the world. Through expert-led lectures and practice-based workshops, participants will explore holistic approaches to dance training, well-being, and performance. We are excited to announce our lineup of international speakers, featuring experts from Australia, the United Kingdom, Chinese Mainland, and Hong Kong, who will lead in‑depth talks and hands‑on workshops tailored specifically for dance teachers.

Programme Highlights:

1. Expert-led lectures and workshops

2. Stay updated with the latest research and gain research-driven teaching tools

3. Acquire practical strategies in conditioning, nutrition, and psychology to enhance overall health and performance

4. Learn sustainable and integrated approaches to dance education for long-term development

Theme Highlights:

Day 1 – Training for Longevity: Building resilience in the adolescent dancer’s body

Day 2 – The Analytic Teacher: Deconstructing technique for more effective instruction

Details:

Dates: 3 & 4 April 2026

Venue: HKAPA Dance Studio 1

Details & Tickets: https://www.hkapa.edu/dance/page/detail/71015

HKAPA FTV attended Art of Intelligence Forum

Posted on by Communications Office

Dr Terry Lam, Dean of Film and Television of The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, along with our faculty members, contributed to the Art of Intelligence Forum hosted by IBM earlier at the Hong Kong Palace Museum. They presented cineDESK, an innovative AI-integrated tool for the preproduction process of filmmaking.

With a diverse crowd eager to dive into the fusion of cutting-edge AI and traditional culture, the atmosphere was electric! Dr Lam shared with the audience his insights on “Creativity, Storytelling, and Human Imagination in the Age of AI”. Dr Michael Li, Principal Head (Digital Learning and Information Management) of the Academy, was also invited to attend this event. Let’s continue to blend the magic of the past with the innovations of the future in the world of art and intelligence! Join us on this brand new journey!

Learn more about the programmes on offer by the School: https://www.hkapa.edu/admissions/programmes

HKAPA Honorary Awards Ceremony

Posted on by Communications Office

The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts (the Academy) has conferred Honorary Awards on five outstanding individuals in recognition of their significant achievements and contributions to the performing arts, the cultural industry, and the development of the Academy. The ceremony, officiated by the Academy Council Chairman Mr Charles Yang Chuen-liang SBS JP, was held at the Academy Lyric Theatre. Council Chairman Mr Charles Yang and the Academy Director Professor Anna CY Chan expressed their sincere gratitude for the Honorary Awardees’ exemplary services and unwavering support to the Academy and the community.  

 

Recipient of Doctorate of the Academy honoris causa:

Mr William Au Weng-hei SBS JP

 

Recipients of Honorary Fellowship:

Mr Chen Qing

Mr Leo Cheung Kwok-wing

Mrs Yvonne Law Shing Mo-han BBS JP

Ms Wu Han

HKAPA School of Chinese Opera in Italy

Posted on by Communications Office

Exciting news from The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts!

Our 20-member delegation, led by the Dean of Chinese Opera Professor Martin Lau, proudly supported by HKETO Brussels, has arrived Italy.

After a warm welcome in Milan, they wowed the audience at the Conservatory of Music “G. Nicolini” in Piacenza with captivating Cantonese opera excerpts and stunning Chinese music solos! The response was incredible and attracted local media coverage:

  1. https://cinainitalia.com/2025/11/06/opera-cantonese-unarte-millenaria-tutta-da-scoprire/
  2. https://www.ilrestodelcarlino.it/pesaro/cronaca/lopera-tradizionale-cinese-in-scena-4d478c46

We can’t wait to bring more of the unique charm of Cantonese opera to European stages!

HKAPA School of Music Presented Rachmaninoff Piano Festival

Posted on by Communications Office
To commemorate Russian composer Sergei Rachmaninoff’s 150th anniversary of his birth, The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts’ School of Music successfully presented the Piano Festival covering nearly the renowned composer’s complete works for solo and two pianos, the first time ever in Hong Kong. Professor Gabriel Kwok, Head of Keyboard Studies, would like to thank all the teachers, alumni and students for taking part in the Festival.
These six concerts of the Festival are broadcast on RTHK Radio 4 from Apr 24 to 29.
Programme: RTHK Radio 4 – “Live on 4”
24 – 29.4.2023 | 8pm
https://www.rthk.hk/radio/radio4/programme/Liveon4

EdUHK Research Reveals Kindergarten Teachers’ Perceptions of Whole-child Development

Posted on by eduhk

This study by Dr Chrysa Keung Pui-chi, Assistant Professor at the Department of Education Policy and Leadership, The Education University of Hong Kong, examined the relationships between leadership practices, professional learning communities, teachers’ efficacy beliefs and perceptions of whole-child development in the context of kindergarten education.

Educational reforms have recently focused on improving collaborative cultures and teachers’ instructional quality by building professional learning communities (PLCs) in kindergartens. According to the literature, teachers in PLCs conduct ongoing reflection, collaboration and collective learning to form a shared vision of children’s learning, and there may be some relationships between leadership practices, PLCs, teacher efficacy, and teacher perceptions of whole-child development. 

The importance of the principal’s leadership practices in developing a PLC has been extensively supported in studies of school leadership. A PLC creates opportunities and conditions for implementing new professional practices.

Although PLCs are increasingly viewed as an important context for continuous improvement in teaching effectiveness and school improvement, very few studies have investigated the role of PLCs in improving kindergarten teachers’ practices and children’s learning.

A questionnaire was given to 2,120 teachers from 153 Hong Kong kindergartens. The questionnaire comprised four scales: (1) The 21-item Leadership Practice Scale, (2) The 20-item Professional Learning Community Scale, (3) The 12-item Teacher Efficacy Scale, (4) The 15-item Whole-Child Development Scale.

This research project fills the gaps in the literature by providing an investigation into the relationships between leadership practices, PLCs, teachers’ efficacy and perceptions of whole-child development, focusing particularly on the mediating role of PLCs and addressing (1) the effects of leadership practices on PLC components in kindergartens, (2) how significantly leadership practices are associated with kindergarten teachers’ efficacy beliefs and their perceptions of whole-child development, and (3) whether PLC components significantly mediate the relationships between leadership practices and kindergarten teachers’ efficacy beliefs and their perceptions of whole-child development.

The study found that principals’ leadership practices had a significant effect on all five PLCs: collaborative activity, collective focus on student learning, deprivatised practice, reflective dialogue, and shared sense of purpose. Kindergarten principals adopting effective leadership strategies had a great impact on developing a culture of shared purpose and a sense of collective responsibility for children’s learning. Leadership practices were also positively related to teachers’ perceptions of whole-child development directly and indirectly through the mediation of three professional learning community components: shared sense of purpose, collaborative activities, and collective focus on student learning.

The mediation analysis revealed that three PLC components were positively associated with teachers’ perceptions of whole-child development via their efficacy beliefs: (1) a collective focus on children’s learning, (2) deprivatised practice and (3) reflective dialogue. 

The structural equation modelling analysis also showed that PLCs positively mediated the relationships of principal leadership to teacher efficacy and teachers’ perceptions of whole-child development. But except for a collective focus on child learning, PLC components in general had relatively weak relationships on teachers’ efficacy and perceptions of whole-child development.

The findings support the mediating role of PLCs in developing kindergarten teachers’ collaboration for improving their efficacy beliefs and perceptions of the whole-child development of children. Kindergarten principals play a key role in cultivating a supportive culture and facilitating teacher learning.

The study was conducted together with Professors Yin Hongbiao and Chai Ching-sing, Mr Clement Ng Ka-kit and Ms Winnie Tam Wing-yi at The Chinese University of Hong Kong. To learn more, please visit here. 

HKBU-led research discovers new therapeutic target for irritable bowel syndrome

Posted on by HKBUCPRO

A research study led by scientists from the School of Chinese Medicine (SCM) at Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU) has shown for the first time that the human gut bacterium Ruminococcus gnavus is a major trigger factor of diarrhoea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome (IBS-D). Based on this discovery, a new therapeutic target for the disease’s treatment was identified. The study also found that low-protein food items such as fresh fruits, vegetables and bread may help reduce the gut motility in IBS-D.

The research findings have been published in the internationally renowned scientific journal Cell Host & Microbe. 

Curative treatment for IBS-D needed 

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common functional bowel disorder characterised by stool irregularities, abdominal discomfort and bloating. It has been estimated that about 7% of adults in Hong Kong are affected by IBS. IBS-D is the most common type of IBS and there is no known cure for the disease. Most clinical treatments for IBS-D focus on relieving symptoms. 

Previous research has demonstrated that the increased production of serotonin, a key neurotransmitter involved in the regulation of gut motility, contributes to the gastrointestinal symptoms displayed in IBS-D. It has also been shown that gut microbiota play a role in regulating the levels of serotonin. However, the bacterial species concerned and the molecular mechanism by which the gut microbiota modulate serotonin production remain unclear. 

Phenethylamine and tryptamine produced by Ruminococcus gnavus trigger IBS-D  

To explore curative treatment options for IBS-D, a research team co-led by Professor Bian Zhaoxiang, Director of the Clinical Division and Tsang Shiu Tim Endowed Professor in Chinese Medicine Clinical Studies;  Dr Xavier Wong Hoi-leong, Assistant Professor of the Teaching and Research Division; and Dr Zhai Lixiang, Post-Doctoral Research Fellow of SCM at HKBU, screened
thousands of food components and their breakdown products in the fecal samples of 290 patients with IBS-D. They found that phenethylamine and tryptamine, two aromatic trace amines produced by the microbial digestion of dietary proteins, are highly enriched in IBS-D faeces, and they are associated with the severity of diarrheal symptoms in patients with IBS-D. 

Probing further, the researchers found that mice which had been fed with either phenethylamine or tryptamine experienced increased stool frequencies and colonic secretions, which are major symptoms of IBS-D. 

On the other hand, the team found that the gut bacterium Ruminococcus gnavus, which is enriched in IBS-D faecal samples, is a primary producer of phenethylamine and tryptamine. Furthermore, mice with this bacterium transplanted into their guts go on to develop IBS-D diarrheal symptoms. These results suggest that phenethylamine and tryptamine produced by Ruminococcus
gnavus trigger IBS-D in mammals without the involvement of other risk factors of IBS-D. 

Phenethylamine and tryptamine stimulate serotonin production 

The research team further conducted a series of experiments to understand the mechanism by which phenethylamine and tryptamine lead to IBS-D. The results showed that phenethylamine and tryptamine directly stimulate the production of serotonin from the enterochromaffin cells in the gut through the activation of a trace amine-associated receptor (TAAR1), thereby stimulating gut motility and secretion disorders in IBS-D.   

The team then explored the therapeutic potential of targeting the phenethylamine/tryptamine/TAAR1 pathway for the treatment of IBS-D. It was discovered that inhibition of TAAR1 activation through the use of a specific inhibitor effectively alleviated the diarrheal symptoms in mice which had been transplanted with IBS-D faecal samples. 

Prospects for new therapeutic options

“With a full outline of the mechanism of how gut microbiota associate with gut motility disorders, our research results suggest that the phenethylamine/tryptamine-mediated TAAR1 pathway is a new therapeutic target for IBS-D,” said Dr Zhai Lixiang. 

“IBS-D patients experience frequent episodes of diarrhea with accompanying abdominal pain, which reduce the quality of life. The research discoveries offer promising potential for the development of therapies for IBS-D based on the inhibition of the pathway,” said Professor Bian Zhaoxiang.

The research team also found that a diet low in phenylalanine, an amino acid and a dietary precursor of phenethylamine,
suppresses gut motility in mice by reducing the microbial production of phenethylamine and tryptamine. Low-protein food items such as fresh fruits, vegetables and bread have relatively low levels of phenylalanine. 

“Developing strategies to reduce the microbial transformation of dietary amino acids into phenethylamine and tryptamine, such as dietary intervention with reduced consumption of high-protein food items which usually have high phenylalanine levels, may represent a feasible approach for the management of IBS-D,” said Dr Xavier Wong. 

HKAPA | Shaw Studios Scholarships

Posted on by Communications Office

The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts (HKAPA) received a generous donation from Shaw Studios to establish Shaw Studios Scholarships in the 2024/25 academic year. The Scholarship aims to provide recognition and encouragement to outstanding Bachelor’s Degree and Master’s Degree students of the School of Film and Television. The Academy held a scholarship presentation ceremony on 18 September 2025. Ms Helena Young, Director of Production Services and Marketing of Shaw Studios; and Professor Anna CY Chan, Academy Director attended the ceremony and presented certificates to the three awardees.

Professor Anna CY Chan, Academy Director, expressed heartfelt gratitude to Shaw Studios for its generous donation and support for the Academy. “Shaw Studios is a pioneer and leader of Hong Kong’s film and television industry. It has contributed tremendously to the development of the industry and generations of filmmakers and producers. Its generous donation to the Academy provides significant encouragement for our students. We look forward to further collaborations with Shaw Studios to provide students with opportunities for industry practice, working together to nurture more talent in film, television, and the performing arts.”

Dr Raymond Chan JP, Chairman of Shaw Foundation and Managing Director of Shaw Studios, said, “For over four decades, The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts has nurtured numerous outstanding talents for the film and television industry, with many alumni achieving remarkable success in the field. Through the Shaw Studios Scholarship, we aim to provide awardees with additional resources to fully develop their strengths and contribute more exceptional works to the industry.”

HKAPA Presents GBAYO in July 2025

Posted on by Communications Office

The Greater Bay Area Youth Orchestra (GBAYO), presented by The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts (HKAPA) and supported by the Swire Group as Founding Patron, has returned with live performances in Hong Kong, Guangzhou and Shenzhen from 11th to 15th July. This year, HKAPA and the Swire Group announced the renewal of their partnership in support of the GBAYO, reaffirming their shared commitment to inspiring young musicians and promoting cultural exchange in the Greater Bay Area (GBA).

The concert tour is also supported by the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau of the HKSAR Government (HKSARG) and the Culture, Media, Tourism and Sports Bureau of Shenzhen Municipality.

This year’s opening concert was held at HKAPA’s Hong Kong Jockey Club Amphitheatre (HKJC Amphitheatre) on 11th July with officiating guests in attendance, including Charles Yang Chuen-liang SBS JP, Council Chairman of HKAPA, Professor Anna CY Chan, Director of HKAPA and Arnold Cheng, Director, Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, Swire.

Nurturing nearly 300 talented young musicians from the GBA

The GBAYO programme features an orchestral training camp to cultivate musical excellence and cross-cultural collaboration among youth from the GBA. In early July, 98 young musicians gathered at HKAPA in Hong Kong for intensive training. Now, the orchestra has embarked on a three-city concert tour, beginning in Hong Kong on 11th July, followed by performances in Guangzhou on 13th July and concluding in Shenzhen on 15th July.

In the past three years, the programme has trained 279 musicians aged 16 to 28 and attracted over 6,500 concertgoers, highlighting its growing public resonance and cultural impact. Beyond the stage, the programme has made a lasting impact on its young musicians. Alumni from 2024’s GBAYO cohort have been accepted into HKAPA, The Royal Danish Academy of Music and the Cleveland Institute of Music, underscoring the orchestra’s success in nurturing talent and opening international doors.

A renewed partnership for enhanced cultural exchange

The GBAYO was launched by HKAPA with the support of the Swire Group in 2022. The 2025 season marks a continued partnership between the two organisations, strengthening youth engagement and community connections in the GBA.

Guy Bradley, Chairman of John Swire & Sons (H.K.) Limited, said, “As the Founding Patron, we are proud of what the GBAYO has achieved over the past three years and are pleased to renew our collaboration with HKAPA. Doing so furthers our shared mission of creating a world-class platform for young classical performers. At Swire, we are growing our presence in the GBA. At the same time, contributing to cultural exchange in the region is also important to us, as is promoting the GBA’s artistic achievements to the wider world.”

Professor Anna CY Chan, Director of HKAPA, remarked, “With the resounding success of our GBAYO concerts over the past three years, the Academy is proud to once again share the beauty of music with the public. Our commitment to young talent development is at the heart of this initiative, providing training and mentorship by renowned musicians that empower young musicians to excel on the global stage. I extend my heartfelt gratitude to the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau of the HKSARG, the Culture, Media, Tourism and Sports Bureau of Shenzhen Municipality and the Swire Group for their invaluable support.”

First overseas conductor to lead the GBAYO

This season marks a significant milestone for the GBAYO as it welcomes Christoph Koncz as its first overseas guest conductor. Currently in his second season as Music Director of the Orchestre Symphonique de Mulhouse and Principal Conductor of the Deutsche Kammerakademie Neuss am Rhein, Mr Koncz brings extensive international experience and artistic vision to the programme. Under Mr Koncz’s baton, the programme showcases a vibrant selection of pieces, including Dance of the Golden Snake by Nie Er (arr. Tang Jianping), Dohnányi’s Symphonic Minutes, Ravel’s Daphnis et Chloé Suite No.2 and Bartók’s Concerto for Orchestra.

Mr Koncz said, “I am delighted to lead the GBAYO as its first overseas guest conductor. From the very first rehearsal it was immediately clear that these young musicians are promising and passionate individuals, and their eagerness to learn and connect through music is very inspiring. I’m very much looking forward to sharing this exciting journey with the musicians and our audience and to contributing to a programme that so meaningfully bridges cultures and nurtures the next generation of artistic talent across the region.”