Online Digital Music Programme “Ling Kai” (Spirit’s Domain)
Presented by the Tea House Rising Stars Troupe
Professor Richard Tsang
Composer of “Ling Kai”
Rehearsal Curator of the online digital music programme “Ling Kai” (Spirit’s Domain)
Professor Richard Tsang has been for many years the Founding Chairman of the Hong Kong Composers' Guild and Vice-Chairman of the Asian Composers’ League (ACL); and since 2013 an Honorary Member of the ACL. From 2002-08, he was elected President of the International Society for Contemporary Music (ISCM), the first non-European to hold this position since the society’s establishment in 1923. Professor Tsang has served for many years as Dean of Students and Professor of Music at the Education University of Hong Kong, actively involved in the research and promotion of Creative Musicking concept and practices. He is also a veteran broadcaster and has worked with Radio Television Hong Kong since 1979 in various capacities as producer, channel head and Head of English Programme Services. Over the years, Tsang has been active in the promotion of contemporary music and has organized many international exchange events and festivals in this field.
Ms. Naomi Chung
Head of Xiqu, Performing Arts of West Kowloon Cultural District Authority
Producer of online digital music programme “LING KAI” (Spirit’s Domain)
Naomi Chung joined West Kowloon as Head of Xiqu, Performing Arts in 2011. Since then she has produced a number of events, including the West Kowloon Bamboo Theatre (2012, 2013, 2014), Freespace Fest (2012), the Xiqu Centre Seminar Series, Rising Stars of Cantonese Opera, The Ghost Seller & His Butterflies, the Experimental Cantonese opera Farewell My Concubine (New Adaptation) and cultural exchange programmes in mainland China. Most recently she produced The Reincarnation of Red Plum for the grand opening of the Xiqu Centre. Before joining West Kowloon, Naomi Chung was Technical Director of Hong Kong productions at the Expo 2010 Shanghai China, and Head of Programmes & Education with the Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra (2001–2009).
Musicians
LEE Tik Lun | Gaohu
MAI Jiawei | Percussion
SZETO Wai Suet | Pipa
John HO Chun Hei | Dizi, Dongxiao
YUE Kin Long | Soprano Sheng
YUEN Ka Yi | Zheng
LIU Chun Hei | Erhu
Prof. Richard Tsang – Ling Kai (Spirit’s Domain)
Ling Kai, or the Spirit’s Domain, is music for the spirit.
The contemporary music piece Ling Kai (Spirit’s Domain) was created by Prof. Richard Tsang and premiered in 1978. Filmed by the Xiqu Centre, the 2021 live performance of Ling Kai was performed by the Tea House Rising Stars Troupe and produced by Naomi Chung.
The work conceptualises and expresses the communication between spirit and souls. The performers are encouraged to fully embody themselves through the sounds of their instruments. As the music unfolds, players feel as if they have been whisked away to a domain where only the spirit exists. The performers communicate with the sounds of their instruments as if they are speaking with their own voices, which amplifies the sense of communication between players and the audience.
Ling Kai (Spirit’s Domain) emphasises improvisation in contemporary music. The musicians create a contemporary and innovative atmosphere by freely interpreting the music. A great deal of concentration and imagination are essential in playing this piece. Players memorise their parts so that they can close their eyes while playing. The parts are kept simple and are used as starting points for improvisation. Audiences may also wish to close their eyes to feel the sound of a particular instrument and participate in the exchange; or sit back and observe the melding of individual minds and sounds to create a union and a heightened awareness of self.
Ling Kai (Spirit’s Domain) was commissioned by the Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra and premiered in 1978. The work has been included in the Orchestra’s touring programmes in recent years and has been warmly received by the audiences in Berlin (2004), Prague, Dublin, Toronto (2007), Vancouver, Moscow and St. Petersburg.