About the Founder: Wai Kit Leung (FRSM, LRSM, DipABRSM)

WaiKitLeung_oboes Wai Kit French Bassoon

梁偉傑於12歲開始學習雙簧管,16歲自學巴松管，一年半後於香港校際音樂節巴松管高級組獨奏奪得冠軍殊榮。

在1993年，梁偉傑以145分卓越成績取得英國皇家音樂學院雙簧管8級證書。其後更被英國皇家音樂學院邀請到英國進行演奏面試，旅程所有食宿機票開支由英國皇家音樂學院支付。更保證如果梁先生能夠通過面試，音樂學院將會頒發全額獎學金給予梁先生以支付為期四年的音樂課程。 但可惜當時梁先生已準備到加拿大升學及移民，不能夠到英國參加面試及升學。

在加拿大生活及升學期間，梁先生以自修形式全數考獲英國皇家音樂學院雙簧管演奏級文憑 (DipABRSM, LRSM 及 FRSM)。在2003年，梁先生更成為全球首位考獲英國皇家音樂學院演奏級院士文憑 – FRSM的管樂演奏家。 在2004年，他畢業於美國史丹福大學(Stanford University)並取得音樂文學碩士學位(Master of Arts in Music) 。

梁先生是雙簧管及巴松管的學者，曾為外國著名音樂學術雜誌 The Instrumentalist 及 Double Reeds 多次撰寫關於雙簧管及巴松管的文章。梁先生的熱情不論對音樂教育工作或音樂學術，都是有增無減。在他回港後，致力將自己擁有的音樂知識傳授予有抱負的學生。

梁先生回港後多次為香港電台第四台撰寫文章及製作節目。他創作的”賀力加八十大壽”特輯被外國樂評家評為最世界同類節目中最出色的。

Wai Kit Leung began playing oboe in Hong Kong at the age of 12.  He started playing bassoon 4 years later and become the winner of Senior Bassoon Solo at the Hong Kong Schools Music Festival after 1.5 years of self-studies.

In 1993, Wai Kit Leung passed Grade 8 oboe with a mark of 145, which prompted an invitation from ABRSM to travel to London for free to audition for a full scholarship to study oboe at one of the Royal Schools of Music (he was unable make the trip because of his imminent emigration to Canada).  While living in North America, Wai Kit Leung furthered his oboe studies with intensive summer courses with legendary oboists Maurice Bourgue, Hansjorg Schellenberger and Alex Klein.  In 2003, preparing for the exam entirely on his own, Wai Kit Leung became the first person in North America as well as the first wind player worldwide to receive the FRSM.

Wai Kit Leung studied bassoon with Allan Thorpe of Vancouver Opera and Rufus Olivier of San Francisco Opera.  He also studied French bassoon in summer courses with Paris Conservatory Professor / Paris Opera Solo Bassoon Gilbert Audin.

Wai Kit Leung is well-versed in early music and studied baroque oboe with Frank de Bruine, Stephen Hammer, Gonzalo Ruiz and Sand Dalton, as well as renaissance winds with Herb Myers.  He has performed with a variety of ensembles, ranging from shawm band and wind octet on period instruments to various orchestras.

Wai Kit Leung devotes most of his musical activities to teaching and musical research.  He is a well-known scholar on the history of oboe and bassoon.  He has written a number of articles on oboe and bassoon forThe Instrumentalist and Double Reed which enjoyed worldwide circulation.  Wai Kit Leung has taught in 4 different countries, including at Stanford University in the USA.  He recently returned to Hong Kong and has written multiple articles and radio programmes for RTHK Radio 4. His special radio series “More than an Oboe Virtuoso – Holliger at 80” has received critical acclaims worldwide.

Here is a list of teachers Wai Kit Leung have studied with (masterclasses and workshops included):

Oboe:

  • Maurice Bourgue (Professor, Paris Conservatory and Geneva Conservatory. Former Principal Oboe of Orchestre de Paris)
  • Hansjorg Schellenberger (Former Principal Oboe of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra)
  • Alex Klein (Former Principal Oboe of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra)
  • Elaine Douvas (Head of Woodwinds, Julliard. Principal Oboe of the Metropolitan Opera in New York)
  • David Walter (Professor, Paris Conservatory)
  • Philippe Magnan
  • Roger Cole (Principal Oboe, Vancouver Symphony Orchestra)
  • Harald Hörth (Principal Oboe, Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra)

Baroque Oboe:

  • Frank de Bruine (Principal Oboe, Orchestra of the 18th Century)
  • Stephen Hammer (Principal Oboe, Handel and Haydn Society)
  • Gonzalo Ruiz (Instructor, Julliard School of Music)
  • Sand Dalton (Soloist and instrument maker)

Bassoon:

  • Rufus Olivier (Principal Bassoon, San Francisco Opera)
  • Allan Thorpe (Bassoon, Vancouver Opera)
  • Gilbert Audin (Professor, Paris Conservatory; Solo Bassoon, Paris Opera)

Recorder:

  • John Tyson (Faculty, New England Conservatory and Boston University)
  • Dan Laurin (International soloist)
  • Saskia Coolen (International soloist)
  • Mathias Maute (International soloist)
  • Paul Leenhouts (Professor, Sweelinck Conservatory

Clarinet

  • Chi-Yu Mo (Principal E-flat Clarinet, London Symphony Orchestra)

Renaissance Winds:

  • Herb Meyers (Instructor, Stanford University)

Saxophone:

  • Hal Stein (Instructor, Stanford University)