Principal flautist with the Hong Kong Symphony Orchestra Chan Kwok-chiu, 37, is making a temporary departure from his traditional musical background to play in a concert by Canto-pop star Jacky Cheung Hok-yau entitled Snow. Wolf. Lake at the end of this month before emigrating to Canada.
This is first time he has been involved in a pop concert since he took up music at the Buddhist Tai Kwong Middle School in Tai Po. He graduated from Chinese University before furthering his studies in Vienna and has represented Hong Kong in several international music tours.
He has been living with his wife and his mother in Tai Po. What's on your mind? I am thinking of how I am going to give my best performance in my last major show before I leave Hong Kong for good. Jacky Cheung's songs are easier to play than most classical music, but I still have lots of work to do because this concert will feature at least 18 new songs. I don't have much time to learn them all. How do you feel about leaving Hong Kong? Since July, when my wife and I decided to emigrate to Toronto, we have been under a lot of pressure. There is so much to do and we are not sure we have time to get everything done. We don't know what kind of jobs we will find and if we will have the same standard of living.
We know the pace of life will be slower but we decided to move there to seek a quieter life and a better living environment. This performance has a special meaning for me, as it will be among the last concerts I will play in Hong Kong. How did you get involved in a Canto-pop concert when your career has been in classical music? It was through an agency which was commissioned to form an orchestra to support the concert. I don't personally have any contacts on this side of the entertainment business and I'd certainly never met Jacky Cheung before. My career has been very mainstream. Besides my performances I have been giving lectures at universities. What are you going to do today? I am going to spend at least 14 hours rehearsing with a group of musicians in a factory building in Kowloon City. It is a three-day rehearsal beginning today for a $10 million production, which will run for 38 nights. I'm going to be a bit exhausted after the performance.
