Maestro Tan Dun champions Hong Kong’s unique art and cultural diversity on the mainland and abroad

The globally acclaimed maestro dedicated to empowering young Hong Kong artists to shine on the domestic and international stage, shaping them into ambassadors of the city’s cultural narrative.

He also envisions the world premiere of a ‘Tea Culture Festival’ as part of the forthcoming “Tan Dun WE-Festival” in Hong Kong.

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Maestro Tan Dun (third from left) brings emerging Hong Kong artists to the mainland and global stage. (From left) Candice Chung, Henry Ngan, Rachel Cheung, Elise Liu, and Apollo Wong.

Published: 12:00am, 28 May 2025

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Tan Dun, the Oscar-winning composer, world-renowned musician, and conductor has empowered Hong Kong’s young talents by providing them with global platforms, nurturing artists who are both technically proficient and engaged in international artistic dialogues since his appointment as Hong Kong’s Ambassador for Cultural Promotion.

“Hong Kong is a city where Eastern and Western cultures converge. My goal is to bring the city’s vibrant arts and culture to the world’s most prestigious stages, ensuring that Hong Kong’s voice is heard globally,” Tan says. “I lead young Hong Kong artists in collaborations with top orchestras and directors worldwide. Meanwhile, it is also vital that the city’s artistic identity remains deeply connected to its roots. That is why I guide young artists in exploring and sharing the most authentic and traditional aspects of Chinese culture.”

His mentorship of young Hong Kong artists underscores his commitment to expanding the city’s cultural influence. Recent initiatives include “High Mountains and Glaciers,” performed in Shanghai for UNESCO’s World Water Day in March 2025, featuring percussionist Karen Yu; and the “Tea” opera in Fuzhou with Yu, percussionist Elise Liu, and bass-baritone Apollo Wong. Soprano Candice Chung was starred in the “Tan Dun Earth Day – Tea Garden Opera Festival” in Yunnan this April and will perform Tan’s “Nature’s Requiem” with the Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France and the Radio France Choir in July.

The experience is rewarding for Hong Kong artists. Liu views the WE-Festival as an opportunity to reinforce Hong Kong’s identity as an ‘East-meets-West’ cultural hub. “We fuse Western instruments with Chinese percussion traditions,” she says.

“Échos des grottes de Mogao à Paris” at the Guimet - National Museum of Asian Arts in France.

For Chung, Tan’s guidance has elevated her artistry. “In my solo performances of “Deer of Nine Colours” across the mainland and abroad, I portrayed four roles in 20 minutes—a challenging feat I’ve mastered,” she says. Chung adds that performing with different world-class orchestras allows her to deliver unique experiences to audiences. She also took part in a performance staged at Paris’s Guimet - National Museum of Asian Arts in December 2024.

2024: A Fruitful Year

Tan’s stirring “Sound River” opened the 4th Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Culture and Arts Festival in Hong Kong in October 2024 to a packed Hong Kong Coliseum and amassed 2.6 million online views in total.

“Sound River” at the 4th Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Culture and Arts Festival.

In April 2024, Tan conducted “Buddha Passion” with tenor Henry Ngan at Budapest’s renowned Müpa, and in November, he led the same opera with Apollo Wong at Vancouver’s Orpheum Theatre.

Local critics hailed these performances, with The Ubyssey praising “Buddha Passion” in Vancouver: “The ensembles were joined by soprano Louise Kwong, mezzo-soprano Samantha Chong, tenor Yi Li, bass-baritone Apollo Wong … Each soloist adeptly conveyed Tan’s characters, transitioning through sorrow, pleading, anger, and relief, without diverting attention from the musicality of the performance.”

“Buddha Passion” at Orpheum Theatre in Vancouver, Canada.

Wong, a versatile performer who has portrayed various roles in the opera, credits Tan’s melodic sensitivity for fully immersing him in the roles. “The music and lyrics align seamlessly, naturally guiding me to deliver excellence,” he says. Ngan, mentored by Tan for two years, is inspired to preserve Chinese heritage and mentor emerging talents. “I strive to use my life to shape others’ paths,” Ngan says.

Pianist Rachel Cheung cherishes her involvement in “2024 Tan Dun Summer Music Festival” in Qingdao and Shanghai, where she performed in his reimagined “The Rite of Spring” by Stravinsky for two pianos and multiple percussionists alongside international artists. “Collaborating with global musicians has forged lasting friendships,” she says.

Since his appointment as Ambassador for Cultural Promotion, maestro Tan has led 15 young Hong Kong artists to perform in 28 showcases across mainland China and overseas. These performances have captivated global audiences by delving into themes of humanity, nature, and sustainability. Through his efforts, Tan is paving the way for a vibrant, innovative future for Hong Kong’s arts scene, fostering excellence, intertwining tradition with modernity, and amplifying the city’s distinctive ‘East-meets-West’ cultural identity, all in alignment with China’s National 14th Five-Year Plan.

“Hong Kong plays a pivotal role in merging old and new. My goal is to introduce avant-garde creations from the East to the West, while integrating the West’s emphasis on environmental preservation into these cultural exchanges. I believe this synergy can contribute to universal peace,” Tan says.

Blending Tradition and Innovation: Tan Dun WE-Festival

This June, the much-anticipated “Tan Dun WE-Festival” will spotlight the visionary artistry of Tan. Introducing his concept of ‘wei yi’—literally meaning ‘unique’ and ‘the only one’—Tan merges tradition with innovation to spark inspiring artistic dialogues. This second edition of the festival, themed around tea culture, draws on Tan’s extensive research into percussion music, which he describes as the ‘backbone’ of Chinese musical heritage, alongside the country’s revered tea traditions.

Although tea is a beloved global beverage, it remains largely unexplored in the realm of music. “Tea represents the finest of human resources, culture, and tradition in China,” says Tan. “I want to create a platform where tea mirrors our souls. This festival will be the first to share tea’s spirit through sound.”

Tan’s ode to tea will incorporate China’s indigenous ‘Daliuzi,’ a vibrant percussion art form from the Tujia and Miao ethnic groups of Xiangxi. “Percussion music in China is akin to opera in Italy or ballet in Russia,” he says. The festival will feature the concert “Tea: A Mirror of Soul” with the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra and the world premiere of “TEA-liuzi: Xiangxi Tujia Women’s Daliuzi & Hong Kong Women’s Percussion Ensemble.” This groundbreaking performance weaves Tan’s original ‘tea melodies’ with Xiangxi’s folklore storytelling about tea, celebrating the beverage’s cultural resonance.

Another festival highlight will be “Lost Tang Dynasty Music and Dance Manuscripts: The Vanishing Mogao Caves,” showcasing Tang dynasty instruments and reflecting years of Tan’s research into Dunhuang’s forgotten music.

“The tea festival fosters dialogue through percussion music between artists from Chinese Tujia ethnic group and Hong Kong, alongside an artistic interplay blending Dunhuang ancient music, Western opera, and performances by artists returning from France,” Tan notes.