When Professor Johnny Poon talks about conducting, he could be describing his goals as an educator, as his approach to music and education has always been closely aligned. Professor Poon is HKBU’s Associate Vice-President (Interdisciplinary Research) and Dr Hung Hin Shiu Endowed Professor in Music. He also takes up the roles of Head of the Department of Music and the Music Director of the HKBU Symphony Orchestra.
Like a film director who visualises a screenplay with imagination, a conductor explores the subtext of musical scores and reimagines classic pieces anew. Like an architect who has to oversee the construction of buildings as well as the design, a conductor has to communicate well his vision of the score to the orchestra to ensure that it can be realised.
A conductor’s role
Some people think that the conductor is the soul of the orchestra, but Professor Poon believes it is impossible to control the emotions and attitudes of the ensemble, and therefore it is more important for the conductor to inspire and be empathetic.
In the eyes of Professor Poon, an orchestra is a miniature society. Each musician plays a unique role, and when the ensemble plays in harmony as one, they can create a brand-new musical world.
Indeed, there is a lot of hard work behind every compelling performance. According to Professor Poon, a professional orchestra typically rehearses together only a few times before a performance. In other words, the conductor is charged with the challenging task of unifying a diverse group of highly trained musicians within a short time and bringing the best out of the team. It can be very fulfilling to see the beauty of art come to fruition through the creation of an inclusive experience that connects people and goes beyond language.
Dare to adventure
Professor Poon has always had a strong passion for music which has helped him to become a celebrated conductor. His journey in conducting initially began when he was studying music composition as a postgraduate student in the U.S. and one of his teachers discovered his talent. Inspired by the thought of “why not?” Professor Poon made a bold decision to study conducting for his doctoral degree, and his enterprising mindset has served him well since that revelatory moment and throughout his conducting career.
Likewise as an educator, Professor Poon aims to inspire and motivate people. By setting a good example and emphasising the importance of empathy to his students, he hopes to encourage them to become accomplished and inspired musicians who can contribute positively to society.
With an overarching focus on guiding students to explore their outlook on life, Professor Poon encourages students to never lose hope, but instead ask the question “why not?” He believes that when we are brave enough to explore different possibilities, we can make new discoveries and create new experiences.
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