Music in Words: Recent Episodes
HKU MUSE
This is a series of podcasts captured from live/video chats with HKU MUSE Artists at the University of Hong Kong, hosted by professors in the Music Department. Find out what music resonates in the artists’ minds in challenging times, how their musical journeys unfold, and their thoughts on the works that they present in the HKU MUSE Concert Series. Many of the episodes have an accompanying Spotify playlist with the music discussed during the conversation.
Japanese YouTuber-scientist-composer-pianist Hayato Sumino is a rising musical sensation traversing the classical and digital inspirations. He shared his unique musical journey and inspirations with Prof. Daniel Chua during the HKU student-exclusive 'Music In Words' dialogue. Hayato showcased his improvisational skills on the spot with a theme by the audience, and answered intriguing quick-fire questions from Prof. Chua.
An accompanying playlist featuring the music discussed is available on Spotify.
- Playlist: 'CATEEN! Hayato Sumino Playlist'
- Speaker: Hayato Sumino (Cateen)
- Moderator: Prof. Daniel Chua
- Month of Recording: October 2023
Two decades ago, the esteemed pianist Paul Lewis embarked on a musical journey of Schubert's complete piano sonatas. Now after an illustrious career spanning twenty years, he revisits this mellifluous cycle in a new light. In the 2022/23 Rayson Huang Lecture, Lewis discussed with Prof. Daniel Chua his new reading of Schubert's sonatas in relation to the composer's life experience and philosophy as a wanderer instead of a struggler.
An accompanying playlist featuring the music discussed is available on Spotify.
- Playlist: 'Paul Lewis: Performing Schubert Playlist'
- Video: 'Music in Words: Paul Lewis' on YouTube
- Speaker: Paul Lewis
- Moderator: Prof. Daniel Chua
- Month of Recording: February 2023
Distinguished Israeli cellist Gavriel Lipkind, with a lineage from Pablo Casals, has a conversation with Prof. Daniel Chua, head of HKU Music Department. Lipkind shared his insights on interpreting, performing, and recording Bach's Cello Suites, as well as his intriguing experiences as Rostropovich's student and as a contester preparing for the Leonard Rose competition.
An accompanying playlist featuring the music discussed is available on Spotify.
- Playlist: 'Gavriel Lipkind: The Bach Suites Playlist'
- Video: 'Music in Words: Gavriel Lipkind' on YouTube
- Speaker: Gavriel Lipkind
- Moderator: Prof. Daniel Chua
- Month of Recording: February 2023
Winner of the 2021 International Chopin Piano Competition, Bruce Liu has become a real sensation of the pianistic world and has been on an extensive tour across the world’s most prestigious stages. The recording of his title-winning performance was praised by Gramophoneas "one of the most distinguished Chopin recitals of recent years, full of maturity, character and purpose." We are thrilled to welcome Bruce to this new episode of 'Music in Words'. In conversation with Prof. Daniel Chua, Bruce talks about his artistic inspirations, interests in jazz and karting, thoughts on his overnight success and how technology influences the evolution of artistic approaches. Click to listen and find out more!
An accompanying playlist featuring the music discussed is available on Spotify.
- Playlist: 'Bruce Liu in the Time of COVID-19 Playlist'
- Video: 'Music in Words: Bruce Liu' on YouTube
- Speaker: Bruce Liu
- Moderator: Prof. Daniel Chua
- Month of Recording: May 2022
Widely recognized as one of today’s finest interpreters of Franz Schubert, celebrated tenor Ian Bostridge talks about Schubert’s song cycles, Die schöne Müllerin and Winterreise, and his own journey as a scholar-turned-vocalist. To accompany this episode, tune in to the recordings of these song cycles in the Spotify playlist.
- Playlist: 'Ian Bostridge: Schubert’s Song Cycle Playlist'
- Video: 'Music in Words: Ian Bostridge' on YouTube
- Speaker: Ian Bostridge
- Moderator: Prof. Daniel Chua
- Month of Recording: January 2019
"Hope you love the endless, abstract, and powerful message of this work..." Recorded during his visit in 2015 at HKU, pianist Konstantin Lifschitz discussed with Prof. Daniel Chua the art of playing J.S. Bach's The Art of Fugue. An accompanying playlist featuring Mr. Lifschitz's own recording of the masterpiece is also available on Spotify.
- Playlist: 'Konstantin Lifschitz: The Art of Fugue Playlist'
- Video: 'Music in Words: Konstantin Lifschitz (2015)' on YouTube
- Speaker: Konstantin Lifschitz
- Moderator: Prof. Daniel Chua
- Month of Recording: September 2015
Bach's 'The Well-Tempered Clavier' has laid the backbone of classical chromaticism, revealing the full-colour spectrum of all the 24 keys. Highly acclaimed as a Bach interpreter, pianist Angela Hewitt discusses the work's architecture, musicality, and spiritual elements, and shares with us what this music means to her.
- Video: 'Music in Words: Angela Hewitt' on YouTube
- Speaker: Angela Hewitt
- Moderator: Prof. Daniel Chua
- Month of Recording: September 2018
Pianist Paul Lewis shares with us how he makes use of the lockdown to revisit old repertoire and discover new works, his experience with live streaming, and his reflection on the meaning of live concerts. A heralded interpreter of Beethoven and Schubert, Paul also tells us how he finds their works deeply consoling at this time.
- Playlist: 'Paul Lewis in the Time of COVID-19 Playlist'
- Video: 'Paul Lewis in the Time of COVID-19' on YouTube
- Speaker: Paul Lewis, CBE
- Moderator: Prof. Daniel Chua
- Month of Recording: September 2020
Krzysztof Chorzelski of the Belcea Quartet shares how the ensemble copes with the unprecedented challenges and what the Beethoven Cycle means to them, and reflects fondly on their time with their mentors, the great Alban Berg and Amadeus Quartets.
- Playlist: 'Belcea Quartet in the Time of COVID-19 Playlist'
- Video: 'Belcea Quartet in the Time of COVID-19' on YouTube
- Speaker: Krzysztof Chorzelski
- Moderator: Prof. Daniel Chua
- Month of Recording: September 2020
Maestro Jaap van Zweden shares his leadership philosophy, his interpretation of Beethoven symphonies, his work with the Papageno Foundation, as well as the inspiration from other great conductors, including an episode on picking up the baton for the first time under Bernstein’s encouragement.
- Playlist: 'Jaap van Zweden in the Time of COVID-19'
- Video: 'Maestro van Zweden in the Time of COVID-19' on Facebook
- Speaker: Jaap van Zweden, SBS
- Moderator: Prof. Daniel Chua
- Month of Recording: October 2020
Oliver Schnyder and Benjamin Nyffenegger of the Oliver Schnyder Trio talk about their projects during the pandemic, how their personalities shape the group’s dynamics, the unique beauty composers reveal through the piano trio repertoire, as well as their experience in presenting these musical gems.
- Playlist: 'Oliver Schnyder Trio in the Time of COVID-19 Playlist'
- Video: 'Oliver Schnyder Trio in the Time of COVID-19' on YouTube
- Speakers: Oliver Schnyder & Benjamin Nyffenegger
- Moderator: Prof. Daniel Chua
- Month of Recording: September 2020
In this dialogue with HKU’s Prof. Daniel Chua, Edward Dusinberre and Harumi Rhodes of the Takács Quartet shared their thoughts in response to the unprecedented challenges we all face. Find out how the Quartet’s programming philosophy has evolved, what collaborations they find meaningful, and what music resonates in their minds.
- Playlist: 'Takács Quartet in the Time of COVID-19'
- Video: 'Takács Quartet in the Time of COVID-19' on YouTube
- Speakers: Edward Dusinberre & Harumi Rhodes
- Moderator: Prof. Daniel Chua
- Month of Recording: September 2020