Broadway Musical Theatre throughout the Ages – An Interactive Performance with C. Kenneth Lee

Do “Cabaret”, “Cats”, “Jesus Christ Superstar”, “The Phantom of the Opera”, “The Lion King”, “Les Miserables” and “Mamma Mia” sound familiar? Do you know how and when Broadway theatres and musicals started? What is Broadway, Off-Broadway, Off-Off Broadway? Which is the longest running Broadway musical in history and how many shows performed? What is a Tony Award? How did Broadway culture survive through the American Civil War, the Great Depression, and how was it affected when silent movies were replaced by movies with sound and special effects? Why is Broadway a good breeding ground for many famous movie stars? Come to this fun workshop and get the answers and stories from Kenneth Lee.

In 2013, the Broadway Theater District in New York City sold approximately US$1.19 billion worth of tickets with attendance at 11.58 million. Broadway is widely considered to represent the highest level of English-speaking commercial theatres. Kenneth Lee will showcase the evolution of musical theatre with his brilliant performance of specially selected songs, some of which will engage interactive singing with the audience. Everyone will probably go home humming familiar, heart-touching tunes.

Performer
C. Kenneth Lee is the Music Director of Jaderin Voice Group, and was a TVB music director/composer/performer for over 100 TV episodes. He has been an active award-winning performer, singer, pianist and composer in both the contemporary and classical domains since 1992. He is playing a leading role in the HK Musical production “Footloose” in May 2014 at the HK Cultural Centre.
Graduated from the California Institute of Art, Lee studied music under many international masters. He is Founder and first President of CMTC (Cal Arts Musical Theater Club). Hailed by The Hong Kong Economic Journal as “a young musical
prodigy”, Lee was awarded 1st place in The 6th Hong Kong Cup Arts Festival Singing Contest (adult classical singing division) in 2014, among numerous other awards in the past. He has performed internationally in concert halls, auditoriums, hotels, cruises, stadiums, festivals, radios and for special occasions. He teaches, composes, acts, writes and recently published his first book, "Selected Poems, Articles and Short Stories" by C. Kenneth Lee.

Three Cutting-Edge Architectural Projects in Hong Kong: Zero Carbon Building, Maggie’s Centre, and Xiqu Centre with Dr. Ronald Lu

Modern architecture highly values beauty, functionality and sustainability. Internationally renowned architect Dr. Ronald Lu will discuss these important qualities with three distinctive buildings in Hong Kong.

Zero Carbon Building (ZCB), Hong Kong

ZCB, the first zero carbon building in Hong Kong, is specifically designed for the subtropical urban context to showcase stateof-the-art eco-building design and technologies and to raise community awareness of sustainable living. Being “energy-plus”, ZCB generates on-site renewable energy to offset its operational energy consumption on an annual basis and exports surplus energy to the grid to offset its embodied energy. Priority is placed on energy demand control by effective passive building design and energy-efficient active systems to enable cost-effective implementation of renewable energy technologies.

Maggie’s Cancer Caring Centre, Hong Kong

Located at Tuen Mun Hospital, Maggie’s Cancer Caring Centre Hong Kong is the first Maggie’s Centre built outside of UK. Maggie’s Centre was inspired and set up by Maggie Jencks who had suffered and passed away from cancer. Like other Maggie’s Centres, Maggie’s Centre Hong Kong aims to provide a low-stress environment for cancer patients where they can receive information, advice and psychological support. Its unique connectivity with landscape and its expressive yet domestic architecture distinguishes it from the other Maggie’s Centres.

Working in collaboration with Frank Gehry, this centre, with a floor area of 468 sq. m., is composed of a living area, dining area, kitchen, large room for classes such as yoga, three counselling rooms and a staff office.

Xiqu Centre, Hong Kong

The Xiqu Centre will be the first of 17 core arts and cultural venues to be opened within the West Kowloon Cultural District. It will provide a platform for the Chinese opera communities to develop and produce the finest Cantonese and other Chinese opera performances; attract new audiences; collaborate with and host international cultural programmes.

Occupying a prime site of 13,800 sq. m. at the eastern edge of the West Kowloon Cultural District, the centre will be a gateway access to the West Kowloon Cultural District. The building will provide a striking entrance, a lantern for the West Kowloon Cultural District, embodying a covered public plaza and a dynamic treatment of the facade. Its flow or “qi” is expressed with curvilinear paths and forms. The architecture incorporates a generous amount of public leisure space, in addition to training and education facilities, a superbly designed auditorium for 1,100 and a 200 seat Tea House Theatre for performances. The project, working in collaboration with Bing Thom Architects, is scheduled to commence superstructure construction in 4th quarter of this year.

Speaker
Dr. Ronald Lu is the founder and chairman of Ronald Lu & Partners (RLP). With his commitment to professional quality and client services, he has nurtured the growth of RLP into an award-winning architecture and interior design practice. Spanning across almost four decades, RLP has become a household name in the industry of built environment in Hong Kong, and is continuously delivering world-class projects and green built environments across the globe. Dr. Lu obtained his first professional degree at University of New South Wales, Australia (UNSW), with a subsequent Master degree at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA and an Honorary Doctorate from UNSW, Australia. He believes in improving people’s lives through architecture and is actively involved in both professional and community circles. Dr. Lu is an active member for a number of Hong Kong and PRC professional organizations within the architecture industry. He is the past Chairman of the Hong Kong Architecture Centre, the past Presidents of the Hong Kong Institute of Architects as well as the American Institute of Architects Hong Kong Chapter.

Guest Speaker – Professor Peter Mathieson From Kidneys to Museums

The University of Hong Kong Museum Society is delighted to present the new Vice Chancellor of The University of Hong Kong, Professor Peter Mathieson. In this talk Professor Mathieson will from his medical and research background as a kidney doctor illustrate the importance and complexity of this organ system, the relatively common nature of kidney disease and the highlights of some major recent progress in kidney research. Professor Mathieson will contrast the university systems in the United Kingdom and the rest of the world and explain why the opportunity to lead the University of Hong Kong is such an exciting privilege for him. He will also tell the audience something about himself and about his wife Dr. Christina Mathieson, the new Patron of the Museum Society, and their family. A very good chance for members to meet HKU’s charming first couple.

Speaker
Professor Peter Mathieson was born and educated in the United Kingdom. He attended a state grammar school in Penzance, Cornwall, becoming Head Boy in 1977. He was awarded an unconditional offer of a place to read Medicine at the London Hospital Medical College in 1978 and qualified from the University of London with First Class Honours in 1983. After junior medical posts in London, he obtained a research training fellowship from the Medical Research Council (MRC) to study at the University of Cambridge. He was awarded a PhD by the University of Cambridge in 1992. He then became Director of Studies for Clinical Medicine at Christ’s College, Cambridge.

After a further MRC fellowship he moved to Bristol in 1995 as the Foundation Professor of Renal Medicine at the University of Bristol and Honorary Consultant Nephrologist, North Bristol NHS Trust. Professor Mathieson was elected Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences in 1999. Between 2003 and 2007 he chaired the Research Grants Committee of Kidney Research UK. He was a member of the Renal Association Clinical Trials Committee from 1996 to 2007 and Chairman between 2000 and 2003. In 2007 he was elected as President of the Renal Association (the youngest ever!) in a competitive election by the membership and also became Head of the University Department of Clinical Science at North Bristol. In the same year he was appointed as Director of Research & Development for the North Bristol NHS Trust. He served the full three-year term as President of the Renal Association and remained a Trustee for a further two years as Immediate Past-President. In 2008 Professor Mathieson was appointed Dean of the Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry at the University of Bristol. Following the formation of Bristol Health Partners, he was appointed as the founding Director in May 2012, a role which he undertook alongside the role of Dean.

As of April 2014, Professor Mathieson has taken up the position of President and Vice Chancellor of the University of Hong Kong.

2nd Edition of Art Basel in Hong Kong

Considered to be one of the leading international art shows for contemporary art, Art Basel in Hong Kong’s 2nd edition runs from the 14th May to the 18th May 2014 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. This newest edition of Art Basel will feature modern masters as well as emerging talents from both Asia and the West, with over 50 percent of the participating galleries from Asia and the Asia Pacific region.

This premiere edition of Art Basel in Hong Kong will trace twelve decades of art history across its four sectors: Galleries, Insights, Discoveries and Encounters. On display will be works from the 20th and 21st centuries by more than two thousand artists from Asia and around the world. For art collectors, artists, dealers, curators, critics and art lovers, Art Basel in Hong Kong promises to be a dynamic platform for cross-cultural exchange.

AXA ART, the official provider of VIP tours for Art Basel in Hong Kong, has graciously agreed to arrange a special tour of the fair’s highlights for the Museum Society. As an established market leader in providing specialty insurance coverage for private and corporate collections, the AXA ART team is comprised of dedicated international art specialists who will be expertly guiding us. AXA ART’s global in-house art experts have a range of expertise, from European Antiques to SE Asian Modern art and this particular tour will focus on contemporary Asian art.

Nature, Culture and the Divine: In Search of the Sacred Path with Professor Puay-peng Ho

Pilgrimage is the oldest human activity bringing nature, culture and the divine together in a journey in search for spiritual union with the divine. Along this journey, nature and the divine are revered accompanied by cultural manifestations, such as rituals, art, and architecture. The journey allows one to search for spirituality, to rethink one's relationship with nature and the divine, and to understand oneself. The land of the divine is usually magical, mythical, and stunningly beautiful. This is Kii Peninsula, to the south of the Yamato plain where early capitals of Japan were located. Some of the earliest sites for pilgrimage relating to Shinto deities are located in Kumano, in the region of Wakayama, with mountains rising to great height meeting the gushing sea.

This tour will explore the mystery and sacredness of the land of Shinto legends and gods in Kumano, one of the three sites in Japan designated as UNESCO World Heritage, and the Grand Shrines of Ise. The tour will also survey some temples, and monasteries in Nara and Kyoto for Buddhist interpretation of nature and the divine, expressed in garden art and Pure Land monasteries. Pilgrimage to contemporary art sites will allow one to reconsider one’s relationship with nature and the divine through art, installation and contemporary architecture in Naoshima and its neighbouring islands. This is a journey connecting the ancient past to the present, connecting one with nature, and interpreting such relationship through art, culture and architecture.

Resource Person
Professor Puay-peng Ho is Professor and Director of the School of Architecture and Director of the Centre for Architectural Heritage Research, The Chinese University of Hong Kong. Professor Ho received his First Class Honours degree in Architecture from the University of Edinburgh and a PhD in Art History from the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London. His thesis was focused on Buddhist art and architecture of the Tang dynasty. Professor Ho is a member of the Royal Institute of British Architects and the Society of Architectural Historians. Currently, he serves on the Town Planning Board, the Antiquities Advisory Board and the History Museum Advisory Panel, and is Chairman of the Council of Lord Wilson Heritage Trust. His research interests and publications are in the areas of Chinese art and architectural history, vernacular architecture, and architectural theory. He is also involved in many architecture conservation projects in Hong Kong.

The Land Between Two Seas with Dr. Joseph Ting

Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan were important stops along the old Silk Road. This region also marks the boundary of Christianity and Islam. In conjunction with the Museum Society’s upcoming trip to the Caucasus region, Dr. Joseph Ting will give a pre-trip lecture with powerpoint presentation to highlight the importance of this area as the crossroads between the East and West. Dr. Ting will talk about the geographical location of the three countries, as they are sandwiched between major powers from prehistoric times to the present day, resulting as a melting pot of different cultures including ethnicities, religions, and languages.

Speaker
We are privileged to have as our guest speaker, Dr. Joseph Ting. He majored in Chinese Literature and Chinese History from HKU and graduated with a BA degree in 1974. He was conferred an MPhil in 1979 and a PhD in 1989, also from HKU. Dr. Ting joined the HK Museum of Art as an Assistant Curator in 1979 and was appointed Chief Curator of the HK Museum of History in 1995. He retired in 2007 after serving for 28 years. He is currently an Honorary Assistant Professor in the School of Chinese at The University of Hong Kong, as well as an Adjunct Professor in the Department of History at the Chinese University of Hong Kong.

He is Honorary Advisor to many art and cultural institutions, including the University Museum and Art Gallery in HKU, the HK Museum of Art, the HK Museum of History, the Shenzhen Museum and Guangdong Provincial Museum. He is also a Member of the Antiquities Advisory Board, the Lord Wilson Heritage Trust and the Education Bureau of Hong Kong, an Honorary Fellow of the HKU and Hong Kong Institute of Education, and was an Honorary Research Fellow at the Centre of Asian Studies.

Piano Recital by Rodolfo Matulich

"I write the soundtrack of life as I see it, from my observatory suspended between earth and dreams…"
"In the music page I write of courage and joy, sometimes about the obscurity, absence and the vertigo of researching…" — Rodolfo Matulich

Composer Rodolfo Matulich will be playing to us the first part of 4 pieces – Crytal's Dreams, Emotional Sadness, Improvisation and All'Infinito – from his new album, the last of which will be publicly performed for the first time.

Join us for an Italian night of live music under the alluring gaze of Botticelli's Venus! The recital will be followed by a wine reception with the Composer.

Matulich got his diploma in pianoforte at the Music Academy of Alessandria, before he received a doctorate in composition from Regis University and Berklee College of Music in Boston (USA). He studied Film Scoring with Ennio Morricone at the Accademia Chigiana in Sienna and orchestra conducting with Descev and Schumacher in Lugano. Matulich has transcribed music by Mozart, Gounod, Bellini and Puccini for the Tokyo Quartet, the cadence of Bonifazio Asioli's Concerto for flute and orchestra for Andrea Griminelli, and he has also arranged pieces from Mascagni's Cavalleria Rusticana for the Symphonic Band within the Gianluigi Trovesi all'Opera project. He has conducted symphonies by Tchaikovsky, Beethoven, Mozart and Brahms, and with the Symphonic Orchestras of Plovdiv, Shumen and Sophia, and has contacts with the New York "Countdown Entertainment" society.

The event is co-organized by the Italian Cultural Institute, the Consulate General of Italy in Hong Kong and Macau, the University Museum and Art Gallery at HKU and the HKU Museum Society.

Arabian Days and Caspian Nights – Doha, Dubai, Sharjah, Abu Dhabi and Baku in Azerbaijan

The University of Hong Kong Museum Society is pleased to present an exclusive tour to two of today’s most dynamic regions of contemporary art and architecture: the Arab Gulf states of Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, and the South Caucasus nation of Azerbaijan. This survey tour will be held in conjunction with programs specially arranged for our group at Art Dubai 2014.

Both the Arab Gulf states and Azerbaijan comprise of wealthy governing patrons who have conscientiously invested into growing the contemporary art scene in addition to having invited some of the world’s most renowned architects and designers to build an environment of amazing structures. In a seven day period, our group will meet key players in Doha, Sharjah, Abu Dhabi and Dubai, including private art collectors, scholars, curators and artists, as well as see first rate art, architecture and design. We will be visiting the homes of private collectors as well as the regions’ highly acclaimed museums.

Similarly our four day visit to Azerbaijan, aptly labeled the Dubai of the Caucasus will consists of private visits to homes of local collectors and artist studios in addition to enjoying an overview of world architectural masterpiece structures within Baku. We will make time to visit the UNESCO World Heritage sites of the old walled city of Baku with the Shirvanshah’s Palace and Maiden Tower as well as tour the oil fields outside of the city.

Our tour will correspond with Art Dubai, the leading international art fair in MENASA (Middle East, North African and South Asia), which over the past seven years has become a cornerstone of a booming, contemporary art community. In 2013, Art Dubai presented 75 specially selected galleries from 30 countries.

The Crossroads of East and West A cultural trip to Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan with Dr Joseph Ting

Trip Overview

The forthcoming trip to Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan is meant to be a continuation of our visit to Uzbekistan last year. We travelled as far west as Khiva which is not far away from the east coast of Caspian Sea, and this year we continue with our journey exploring the land west of Caspian Sea.

The three small countries, Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan collectively known as Transcaucasia, are located south of the lofty Caucasus Mountains of Russia and north of the volcanic desserts at the border with Iran, and sandwiched by the Caspian Sea in the east and the Black Sea in the west. They are situated at the crossroads of Europe and Asia and have long been an important section of the Silk Road frequented by monks, warriors and merchants.

Georgians, Armenians and Azerbaijanis have their own indigenes ancient origins, tracing back to pre-historical times and each had its own golden age in history when their boundaries were expanded, trade flourished, and their literature and art reached great heights. However, their strategic geographical position combined with their exquisite beauty have attracted invaders from the ancient times to the modern day, including the Hittites, Assyrians, Scythians, Greeks, Romans and Persians in the ancient times to the Arabs, Turks and Mongols in the middle ages, and finally the Russians in the last two centuries. They became part of the USSR from 1921 to 1990. They regained their independence in 1991. Although they share borders with each other, each country has its own unique distinctive culture. Throughout history, they were influenced and enriched by the different cultures introduced by the powerful invaders, traces of which can be found in their languages, religions, cuisines, dresses and in particular, their architecture like churches, mosques, monasteries, castles, old towns preserved to this day, some of which are registered as World Heritage Sites by the UNESCO.

These include ruins of the Zvartnots Temple, considered pearl of the 7th Century architecture in Caucasus, Echmiadzin Cathedral, one of the oldest standing churches in Christendom, both in Armenia. Mtskheta, the ancient capital of Georgia with its architectural monuments, and the Bargrathi Cathedral and Gelati Temple are best examples of Georgian architecture at its height, just to name a few.

The three countries lie along the famous Silk Road which linked China with countries in Europe. Artashat, Tbilisi, Selim and Uplistsikhe were major stops in this important trade route and some caravanserai, built to accommodate travelers and merchants are preserved to this day.(Dr. Joseph Ting)

Resource Person

Dr. Joseph Sun Pao Ting was born in Guangzhou and raised in Hong Kong. He majored in Chinese Literature and Chinese History at HKU and graduated with a BA degree in 1974. He was conferred an MPhil in 1979 and a PhD in 1989, also from HKU.

Dr. Ting joined the Hong Kong Museum of Art as an Assistant Curator in 1979 and was appointed Chief Curator of the Hong Kong Museum of History in 1995. He retired in 2007 after serving for 28 years. He is currently an Honorary Assistant Professor in the HKU School of Chinese, and was an Honorary Research Fellow at the former Centre of Asian Studies.

He is an Adjunct Professor in the Department of History at the Chinese University of Hong Kong and a Member, inter alia, of the Antiquities Advisory Board, the Lord Wilson Heritage Trust and the Education Bureau of Hong Kong.

Dr. Ting is an Honorary Advisor to the Hong Kong Museum of Art, the Hong Kong Museum of History, the Hong Kong University Museum and Art Gallery, the Shenzhen Museum and the Guangdong Provincial Museum. He is an Honorary Fellow of the HKU and Hong Kong Institute of Education.

Jardines – A Legacy of Change with Dr. Ritchie Bent

Since its establishment in Canton (Guangzhou) in 1832, Jardine Matheson has grown into a global multinational corporation, employing more than 380,000 employees, operating in 50 countries, spanning various businesses including engineering and construction, aviation and shipping, motor vehicle manufacturing and trading, property, hotels, restaurants, supermarkets, e-solutions, insurance, and financial services (www.jardines.com). It boasts a history that has been the subject well covered by best-selling novelists, famous historians, and Hollywood films, including “Taipan” and “Nobel House”.

Dr. Ritchie Bent, Group Head of Human Resources for Jardine Matheson Limited, who has just completed a quarter of a century with the firm, will take us on a unique journey, tracing the fascinating history of the Jardine group, from its opium trading days, until now, and one that has played an integral role in the founding and subsequent development of Hong Kong.

Dr. Bent is an historian holding a PhD, M.Sc, and a BA (Hons) History degree from the University of Hong Kong. He is currently an Adjunct Professor at HKU; an Honorary Teaching Fellow at University of Leicester (UK); and Visiting Professor at Edinburgh Napier University Business School (UK). He is also a Chartered FCIPD (UK), Fellow and Council Member of the Hong Kong Management Association, and Chairman of the HRD Committee.

After his talk, Dr. Bent will give us a tour of the 48th and 49th floors of Jardine House, an area that is usually not open to the public. We will view Jardine’s artwork collection – an eclectic mix that ranges from George Chinnery sketches to various oil paintings by different artists.

It will be a morning mingling history, business, and art with Dr. Bent’s humour and wit.