Library lecture series revisits six Hong Kong music pioneers
AM730 · 1 SOURCESabout 4 hours ago2 MIN
Summary
Former library head Dr Cheng Hok-yan has launched a six-part lecture series, “Hong Kong Music Stories Series — Starting From the Library”, built around rare manuscripts preserved through the Hong Kong Central Library’s long-running music special collections drive. The programme revisits six veteran local music figures through archival documents and conversations with invited scholars and specialists. Running from October 27 to December 1, each Cantonese session lasts about 90 minutes and is priced at HK$80.
Key Points
- The Hong Kong Central Library began its “Hong Kong Music Special Collections Acquisition Campaign” in 2001, and the preservation effort has now continued for a quarter of a century.
- Dr Cheng said the work was not only archival rescue but also a deeply personal journey shaped by encounters with senior musicians and stories of hardship, joy and human warmth.
- The six lectures cover Wu Man-sum, Chan Nang-chai, Lo Ka-chik, Tong Leung-tak, Chan Dip-yi and Pong Chau-wa, with guest speakers including Wong Chi-wah, Yip Sai-hung, Ku Sing-fai and Chan Wai-shun.
- Topics include Wu Man-sum’s humour and streetwise wit, Chan Nang-chai’s lifelong pursuit of musical dreams, and Lo Ka-chik’s years leading the RTHK Cantonese music ensemble.
- The final three sessions examine Tong Leung-tak’s erhu teaching anecdotes, lyricist Chan Dip-yi’s century-long literary legacy, and Pong Chau-wa’s work in early Hong Kong film scoring behind “Old Dreams”.
Why It Matters
The series turns library holdings into public cultural memory, giving Hong Kong audiences a direct way to reconnect with older generations of local music-makers through original documents and expert interpretation. By placing manuscripts, donated works and oral recollections in one programme, it also shows how preservation can keep the city’s performing arts history accessible beyond the archive.