Rising Hong Kong conductor Vivian Ip on representing the city and inspiring young musicians

When Vivian Ip Wing-wun advanced to the final round of the International Ferenc Fricsay Conducting Competition (IFFCC) in Hungary, she introduced herself to the audience by saying, “I am from Hong Kong.” “Being from Hong Kong is an identity for me,” the 39-year-old tells the Post, adding that it symbolises “our persistence, our East-meets-West special cultural environment, our flexibility”. When she performs, she feels it is important to represent her home city, especially on a stage of such high prestige. “I hope that all Hong Kong people can be proud of our own artists,” she says. She finished tied for third place with Italy’s Nicolò Azzena in the second edition of the competition, which was held in Szeged between August 31 and September 7. First prize went to Misha Shekhtman from Israel, while Hyunsik Shin from South Korea claimed second place. It was not the first time Ip had represented Hong Kong abroad; in 2011, she competed in the International Competition for Young Choral Conductors, in which she came fourth. Music has always been her calling. She received her bachelor’s degree in music from the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK), before earning her master’s in choral conducting at Indiana University Bloomington in the United States. She went on to earn another postgraduate degree in orchestral conducting at the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna in Austria. She has performed with the Polish Baltic Philharmonic, Hong Kong Oratorio Society, and Xing-er Symphony Orchestra in Guangzhou. From 2016 to 2018, she served as the assistant conductor to the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra. In 2023, she was appointed as the associate conductor of the Hong Kong Sinfonietta and has appeared in concerts and programmes presented by the Hong Kong Arts Festival, Musica Viva Hong Kong, and the Hong Kong Grand Opera. The classical music world can often appear exclusive and anachronistic; a craft that struggles to adapt to the modern world. On the subject of gender equality in the field, Ip says that conducting has long been a male-dominated industry in Europe. However, she lists Hong Kong woman conductor Yip Wing-sie as an inspiration. “She has been a role model for me. And now, I’d also like to be a role model for young, aspiring musicians. It is not about gender but about one’s passion, belief and ability.” Since 2019, Ip has also returned to her alma mater, CUHK, to teach courses on conducting, as well as practical studies in musicianship and choral conducting. “Teaching at CUHK feels like seeing myself when I was younger,” she says. She adds that she feels “very lucky to have many inspiring teachers” who built a solid foundation for her studies in Vienna and the US. But she does not try to sugarcoat the challenges of this career. “My advice: ask yourself if you really love it.” On the artistry of conducting, Ip says that “composers write their intention into the score”, but conductors “have the responsibility to dig deep into the composers’ minds to try to understand how they felt and what they wanted” while “bearing in mind their cultural backgrounds and life experiences”. At the IFFCC, when Ip would digest a composition piece in between rounds – conductors often had less than 12 hours to prepare after receiving pieces – she aimed to go “so deep that the music becomes a part of me, allowing the final performance to be one complete work – a work that I understand and feel, and view through the eye of the composers as well as my own as a contemporary artist”. Talent is not enough, she says – conducting requires years of acquired skills and experience to master. “Be ready to face a lot of struggle and frustration, and a lot of hard work is necessary. But the process is truly rewarding as well. If it is what you love, there shall be no regret.” In 2023, she and violinist Nina Wong Sin-i founded Anima Ensemble to promote contemporary chamber opera and musical theatre. Their purpose is to encourage artists “to keep bringing innovative, high-quality cross-disciplinary works to Hong Kong audiences”. In May 2024, the ensemble performed a fusion of poetry and music based on Leonard Cohen’s The Book of Longing. “I’m very grateful for what I have achieved in Hong Kong,” says Ip, who serves as the ensemble’s artistic director. When asked what the future holds, she says she looks forward to meeting many new people, working with different orchestras and performing for a wide spectrum of audiences. For someone so greatly decorated in her field, she has one simple wish: “To further see the world, and let the world see Hong Kong artists and our culture.”

Rising Hong Kong conductor Vivian Ip on representing the city and inspiring young musicians

Vivian Ip talks about representing Hong Kong around the world, making it in a male-dominated field and being a role model