Interview by William Chan
The University of Macau Chinese Orchestra (UMCO) will present its semester concert on Sunday on the public university’s Hengqin campus. The Macau Post Daily interviewed the orchestra’s conductor Chong Kit Pai and assistant conductor Sio Ian Son last week on the campus to find out more about the programme and their approach to the music selection.
UMCO was founded in 2010. With the support of the Macao Chinese Orchestra (OCHM), the orchestra has been able to practise under the guidance of professional tutors. UMCO held its inaugural concert under Chong’s baton in 2010. The ensemble aims to enrich university life by hosting at least two regular concerts on campus each year.
UMCO has collaborated with various prestigious institutions, including Tsinghua University, Peking University, Nanyang Technological University, Ocean University of China, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xiamen University, and Zhejiang University, in joint performances.
Chong, a Fujian Opera music specialist, graduated from art school in 1966. He has served as a drummer for numerous professional music organisations in Fujian and other provinces. In 1983, he relocated to Macau, and in 1987, he joined the newly established Macao Chinese Orchestra as a percussionist. Chong has toured extensively, performing as a soloist, in a trio and as an ensemble musician in Belgium, India, Portugal and many cities in the mainland.
Sio has earned multiple gold and silver prizes in the Macao Young Musicians Competition (Chinese percussion category) organised by the Cultural Affairs Bureau (IC). In 2007, Sio received a gold prize for his performance at an art festival in Beijing. He has also toured various locations in the mainland with the OCHM for performances and recordings. Currently, Sio serves as a teacher for the Education and Youth Development Bureau (DSEDJ) and has taken on the role of assistant conductor for UMCO since 2021.
Music choice for student orchestra
Chong said the concert will feature a diverse range of pieces including folk songs from the nation’s northwest region, a guzheng solo piece based on an ancient poem, and a medley of popular Hong Kong TV drama theme songs. “We choose pieces that our student performers, especially the talented guzheng and erhu players, can master,” Chong said. “Compared to professional orchestras, our student players, coming from non-music majors, are less experienced so we usually opt for more accessible works.”
Chong aims for music that allows both the performers and the audience to connect. “Some contemporary orchestral works have gone too far in accessibility, even for myself as a professional musician,” he said, adding: “I recently heard a contemporary piece that I could not fully understand.” In contrast, UMCO focuses on more melodic and rhythmic pieces with strong emotional expression to touch the audience.”
Sio added that the concert’s opening piece, Northwest Suite “西北組曲”, showcases the infinite scenery and deep emotions of northwest China through four classic folk songs; River Waters “江河水”, a solo erhu piece, tells a tragic story of love and loss; Circle Rock “轉圈搖滾” combines traditional Chinese instruments with a strong rock rhythm; and Tune of Rainbow Cloud “雲裳訴” features a guzheng solo based on a famous Chinese 8th-century poem.
Chong said that while professional orchestras play at a very highly skilled level, the pieces they choose sometimes lack emotional connection with the audience. “Our orchestra has always aimed to allow the audience to better communicate with the music we play,” he said, adding that the UM Chinese Orchestra’s concert expects an evening of culturally vibrant music that is both inspiring and evocative.
The concert will start at 8 p.m. this coming Sunday at the Student Activity Centre (E31-Plaza). The event will be free of charge, and the orchestra welcomes anyone – inside and outside of UM – to enjoy a wonderful night with them.
Conductor Sio Ian Son shakes hands with the concertmaster during a performance last year at the University of Macau (UM) Student Activity Centre.
Sio Ian Son conducts the University of Macau Chinese Orchestra (UMCO) on the campus in 2021.
– All photos provided by UMCO
These undated photos show Chong Kit Pai conducting UMCO.
