EVENTS
HKU Doming Lam Composition Prize
Adopting the creed of “searching for roots in tradition and finding ways in the avant-garde,” Dr. Doming Lam (1926-2023) was a maverick pioneer and one of the few among his generation of Chinese musicians to be featured in the authoritative New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians. Embraced as the “Father of Hong Kong New Music,” Lam's daring vision revolutionized the musical landscape throughout the vibrant decades spanning the 1970s to the mid-1990s. His relentless advocacy and groundbreaking compositions like Autumn Execution and Insect World propelled Hong Kong composers onto the global stage, bridging Eastern and Western musical realms.
HKU Music is fortunate to have crossed paths with such a visionary figure. Dr. Lam taught at the Music Department and served as its Composer-in-Residence from 1986 to 1994. During his tenure on the Pokfulam campus, he taught composition and offered a course entitled “Music and Society.” As with his many other efforts in championing “new music,” Dr. Lam strived to make modern music and the act of composing accessible and relevant to as wide and diverse an audience as possible. As a popular and highly respected teacher, Dr. Lam was bestowed a “Best Teaching Award” by the then Student Union in 1991.
At the 2002 edition of the ISCM World Music Days in Hong Kong, Dr. Lam was honoured as one of the eight “Signature Composers.” Seizing this opportunity, he returned to Hong Kong from Canada and generously donated over 30 manuscripts to HKU’s Music Library, marking the beginning of a cherished collection. In 2023, Miss Kathy Lam, Dr. Lam's daughter, completed this legacy by donating her father's archive to HKU’s Special Collection. Additionally, Miss Lam established the HKU Doming Lam Composition Prize to pay tribute to her father and to support young composers.
The HKU Doming Lam Composition Prize is an annual nomination-based contest aimed at recognising the University's emerging composition talents. The contest provides a platform where the nominated students will not only have the opportunity to create a new work that is workshopped and premiered in a public showcase, they will also receive mentorship and guidance from both faculty members of the Music Department and guest musicians. At the heart of the contest is the goal of creating a repertoire of HKU chamber choral music. Every year, prize recipients will compose a short new work for the HKU Chamber Singers, with a rotating roster of local guest ensembles supplementing the instrumentation. Visiting guest ensembles will also provide a series of educational workshops to both the composer and instrumentalist student demographic.
The contest not only foster closer collaborative synergy between the different groups within HKU Music's performance course curriculum, but also functions as a focal point of convergence, uniting student composers, performers and theorists under one roof in investigating the intricate processes of musical creativity and interpretation.
- A cash prize of HKD20,000, to be divided between a maximum of two nominated prize recipients.*
- The opportunity to compose a piece (between five to six minutes in duration) for string quartet.
- Mentorship and supervision throughout the composition period, by faculty members of the Music Department and members of the Cong Quartet (2026-27).
- The opportunity to have the composition workshopped (in sketch and work-in-progress form) throughout the academic year.
- Premiere of the work at the Music Department’s Loke Yew Hall Performance Showcase event in April.
- Documentation of the premiere, recorded and mastered by Mr. Chris Tam, sound engineer of the HKU Electroacoustic Studio.
* The decision of the panel is final, with no possibility of appeal after the announcement.
- Applicant need not be majoring or minoring in music, but must be a full-time current student at the University.
- Applicants should submit a portfolio consisting of:
a. Two original compositions, each no less than five minutes in duration; these compositions must be original works, and not arrangements or transcriptions of existing works by other composers. The submitted scores must also be in digital format (.pdf); while manuscripts are not excluded, they must be clearly legible.
b. Recordings of the submitted original compositions; while MIDI renderings of the compositions are acceptable, it is highly preferable that recordings of the works performed by live musicians are used wherever possible.
c. A written proposal of no more than 500 words, outlining the concepts for the prospective new piece.
d. Prize recipients will also commit to attending – as much as is possible – all rehearsals, performances and ancillary events (public discussions, talks, etc.) tied to the creation of the new work throughout the year. This is to be negotiated and agreed upon between the prize recipients and the Music Department after the announcement of winners.
e. Prize recipients also pledge to work closely with the supervising mentors in refining and revising their works, as well as factoring in constructive comments and critiques offered by guest musicians and other student performers.
f. Previous prize recipients will only be eligible to reapply for the prize after a one year ‘cool-down’ period.
g. Outstanding student(s) from Performance Study's Conducting Workshop may, at the discretion of course instructor, have the opportunity to rehearse and perform the prize-winners’ works.
Undergraduate students Mr. LAI Hok-lam and Mr. Ivan LEE Yat-fung are the prize laureates of the 2025 HKU Doming Lam Composition Prize. Their two new compositions — concrete | jungle and Invitation to Wine respectively — were premièred in April 2026 by the HKU Chamber Singers and The Up:Strike Project.
LAI Hok-lam
concrete | jungle
for spatialised mixed choir and three percussionists
Laureate's comments:
"I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to our wonderful performers, the HKU Chamber Singesr and The Up:Strike Project, from whom I have learnt so much. My profound gratitude also goes to Dr. Deborah Waugh, Mr. Caleb Woo, Mr. Angus Lee and Prof. Chan Hing-yan for all their guidance. Without their support, this project would not have been possible."
concrete | jungle
for spatialised mixed choir and three percussionists
Laureate's comments:
"I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to our wonderful performers, the HKU Chamber Singesr and The Up:Strike Project, from whom I have learnt so much. My profound gratitude also goes to Dr. Deborah Waugh, Mr. Caleb Woo, Mr. Angus Lee and Prof. Chan Hing-yan for all their guidance. Without their support, this project would not have been possible."
Ivan LEE Yat-fung
Invitation to Wine
for mixed choir and percussion
Laureate's comments:
"This project marked my very first venture into choral writing, pairing Cantonese text-setting with a percussion trio. Collaborating with the HKU Chamber Singers and the exceptional professionals of The Up:Strike Project has been an absolute privilege. Seeing the music transform through their artistry in rehearsals has profoundly expanded my horizons and refined my craft and compositional voice."
Invitation to Wine
for mixed choir and percussion
Laureate's comments:
"This project marked my very first venture into choral writing, pairing Cantonese text-setting with a percussion trio. Collaborating with the HKU Chamber Singers and the exceptional professionals of The Up:Strike Project has been an absolute privilege. Seeing the music transform through their artistry in rehearsals has profoundly expanded my horizons and refined my craft and compositional voice."
Charles LEE
Memories of the Past at Red Cliff
for mixed choir and tamtam
Laureate's comments:
"Memories of the Past at Red Cliff was my initial foray into the world of choral composition. Working closely with the HKU Chamber Singers at close quarters throughout the year has been crucial not only to the development of the piece, but also to refining my craft asa composer and catalysing my growth as a musician. I am deeply grateful to Ms. Kathy Lam, whose donation made the Prize possible. I am equally indebted to my mentors: Mr. Caleb Woo and Mr. Sanders Lau, who played crucial roles in resolving technical and practical issues arising in rehearsals; Professor Chan and Mr. Angus Lee, who guided me through the early stages of this work’s conception. Their support was everything."
Memories of the Past at Red Cliff
for mixed choir and tamtam
Laureate's comments:
"Memories of the Past at Red Cliff was my initial foray into the world of choral composition. Working closely with the HKU Chamber Singers at close quarters throughout the year has been crucial not only to the development of the piece, but also to refining my craft asa composer and catalysing my growth as a musician. I am deeply grateful to Ms. Kathy Lam, whose donation made the Prize possible. I am equally indebted to my mentors: Mr. Caleb Woo and Mr. Sanders Lau, who played crucial roles in resolving technical and practical issues arising in rehearsals; Professor Chan and Mr. Angus Lee, who guided me through the early stages of this work’s conception. Their support was everything."
Jonathan FRICHOT
One Voice
for 32-part mixed choir
Laureate's comments:
"The HKU Doming Lam Composition Prize afforded me the unique chance to explore and develop the conceptual side of my compositional endeavours. Having previously only composed in a tonally-oriented musical language, my journey in enriching my expressive palette with ‘contemporary’ elements has been challenging but ultimately extremely rewarding. The creation of One Voice [...] pushed me in discovering what my ‘voice’ could become while simultaneously honouring what it is and was. Working with a live ensemble and attending rehearsals, and being part of the process to continually shape the piece even after its nominal ‘completion’ on paper is a potent reminder how music-making is an organic and living process."
One Voice
for 32-part mixed choir
Laureate's comments:
"The HKU Doming Lam Composition Prize afforded me the unique chance to explore and develop the conceptual side of my compositional endeavours. Having previously only composed in a tonally-oriented musical language, my journey in enriching my expressive palette with ‘contemporary’ elements has been challenging but ultimately extremely rewarding. The creation of One Voice [...] pushed me in discovering what my ‘voice’ could become while simultaneously honouring what it is and was. Working with a live ensemble and attending rehearsals, and being part of the process to continually shape the piece even after its nominal ‘completion’ on paper is a potent reminder how music-making is an organic and living process."
This timeline serves as a reference only; the Music Department reserves the right to make any changes without prior notice.
-
202617 August
Announcement of the contest -
5 October
Deadline for submission12 October
Announcement of prize recipient(s)November-December
Mentorship phase 1: ongoing supervision from the Department's composition faculty members2027January-February
Mentorship phase 2: Reading sessions of work(s)-in-progress by Cong QuartetMarch
Submission of full score and parts; final rehearsalsApril
Première of new work(s) at HKU Music Department Performance Showcase Event, at Loke Yew Hall
- Submission of application materials should be uploaded to a Microsoft OneDrive folder that is permanently accessible for adjudication purposes.
- All materials should be uploaded within one master folder, named after the application. Please stylise it in the following format:
[Surname, First name, Year of study] (e.g. CHAN, Tai-man, Y2)
- Within the master folder, each of the two submitted compositions must be deposited within their separate folders, named after the works they host.
- Each composition folder must contain the full score of the work (.pdf), the recording of the work (.mp3), and a 500-word proposal for the prospective new work (.pdf).
- An email containing the link to the submission materials must be sent to Mr. Angus Lee at angusLyw@hku.hk, with the email subject being 'HKU Doming Lam Composition Prize 2026 application.'
- All submissions must be sent no later than 5:00pm, 5 October 2026. Late submissions will not be considered.
For further enquiries, please contact Mr. Angus Lee at anguslyw@hku.hk.
Visiting Ensemble 2026-27
Cong Quartet
A string quartet in demand around Asia, Europe, and the United States, Cong Quartet is the top prize and Adolfo Betti Award winner of the Virtuoso & Belcanto’s Chamber Music Competition in Italy and Salzburg Mozart International Chamber Competition in Tokyo, they were also a laureate at the 15th Banff International String Quartet Competition and International Music Competition Triomphe de l’Art in Brussels. The quartet is currently Ensemble-in-Residence of the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK), a role that they held in 2019-2022 and resumed in 2025, they also served the Musique à Flaine ’s artistic residency in France in 2023.
Supported by the Emerging Artists Scheme of the Hong Kong Art Development Council (ADC) and the Stichting Utopia (The Utopia Foundation) back in 2019, Cong Quartet became a quartet at the Nederlandse Strijkkwartet Academie (NSKA), as well as being on the young artist roster of the Musethica in Europe, a musical partner of Domaine de La Garde in Bourg-en-Bresse in France, and a member of the Le Dimore del Quartetto in Italy.
The quartet has participated in the String Quartet Biennale in Paris, the Juilliard String Quartet Seminar and the Robert Mann String Quartet Institute in New York, the European Chamber Music Academy (ECMA), the Ashkenasi/Kirshbaum Chamber Music Seminar at The Heifetz International Music Institute, the Intensive String Quartet seminar at Music Academy Hörpu in Iceland, the Ozawa International Chamber Music in Japan, as well as Music in PyeongChang in South Korea and sponsored by the Artsylvia Foundation. They have also coached young & adult chamber music groups at CUHK, the Madeline Island Chamber Music, HIMA USA, the Indiana University Summer String Academy, the Accademia Internazionale di Musica di Cagliari and many other places.
Their important mentors include members of the Quatuor Ysaÿe, Quatuor Danel and Quatuor Ébène in Europe, the Pacifica Quartet, Shmuel Ashkenasi & Borromeo Quartet in the USA, and Ivan Chan of the Miami Quartet during their time at the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts. They have also worked extensively with members of Brentano, Cavani, Dover, Ébène, Guarneri, Jerusalem, Juilliard, Shanghai & Tokyo Quartets on different occasions. Cong Quartet have performed with world-renowned artists such as Yovan Markovitch, Enrico Pace, Yuri Bashmet, Joshua Bell and Timo-Veikko "Tipi" Valve among many others. In these past years, they also focused on collaborations with prominent musicians of their generation such as violinists Angela Chan, Jinjoo Cho, Shannon Lee, Callum Smart, violists Juan-Miguel Hernandez & Adrien La Marca, cellists Brannon Cho & Sterling Elliott.
Official website
Cong Quartet
A string quartet in demand around Asia, Europe, and the United States, Cong Quartet is the top prize and Adolfo Betti Award winner of the Virtuoso & Belcanto’s Chamber Music Competition in Italy and Salzburg Mozart International Chamber Competition in Tokyo, they were also a laureate at the 15th Banff International String Quartet Competition and International Music Competition Triomphe de l’Art in Brussels. The quartet is currently Ensemble-in-Residence of the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK), a role that they held in 2019-2022 and resumed in 2025, they also served the Musique à Flaine ’s artistic residency in France in 2023.
Supported by the Emerging Artists Scheme of the Hong Kong Art Development Council (ADC) and the Stichting Utopia (The Utopia Foundation) back in 2019, Cong Quartet became a quartet at the Nederlandse Strijkkwartet Academie (NSKA), as well as being on the young artist roster of the Musethica in Europe, a musical partner of Domaine de La Garde in Bourg-en-Bresse in France, and a member of the Le Dimore del Quartetto in Italy.
The quartet has participated in the String Quartet Biennale in Paris, the Juilliard String Quartet Seminar and the Robert Mann String Quartet Institute in New York, the European Chamber Music Academy (ECMA), the Ashkenasi/Kirshbaum Chamber Music Seminar at The Heifetz International Music Institute, the Intensive String Quartet seminar at Music Academy Hörpu in Iceland, the Ozawa International Chamber Music in Japan, as well as Music in PyeongChang in South Korea and sponsored by the Artsylvia Foundation. They have also coached young & adult chamber music groups at CUHK, the Madeline Island Chamber Music, HIMA USA, the Indiana University Summer String Academy, the Accademia Internazionale di Musica di Cagliari and many other places.
Their important mentors include members of the Quatuor Ysaÿe, Quatuor Danel and Quatuor Ébène in Europe, the Pacifica Quartet, Shmuel Ashkenasi & Borromeo Quartet in the USA, and Ivan Chan of the Miami Quartet during their time at the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts. They have also worked extensively with members of Brentano, Cavani, Dover, Ébène, Guarneri, Jerusalem, Juilliard, Shanghai & Tokyo Quartets on different occasions. Cong Quartet have performed with world-renowned artists such as Yovan Markovitch, Enrico Pace, Yuri Bashmet, Joshua Bell and Timo-Veikko "Tipi" Valve among many others. In these past years, they also focused on collaborations with prominent musicians of their generation such as violinists Angela Chan, Jinjoo Cho, Shannon Lee, Callum Smart, violists Juan-Miguel Hernandez & Adrien La Marca, cellists Brannon Cho & Sterling Elliott.