What do the urban soundscapes of a city represent? Case studies in Bangkok and Hong Kong ／ 都市聲音有何個性？ 考察曼谷和香港之城市聲景
(2016)
author(s): KA HO CHEUNG, Marcel Cobussen
published in: Journal of Sonic Studies
Urban soundscapes convey the cultural codes, history and collective memory of a society. Bangkok and Hong Kong are two open societies in Southeast Asia, within which local and imported auditory cultures co-exist, correlating to the demographics, cultural heritage, and recent geopolitical, economic and social transformations. Nevertheless, studies of their distinctive sonic phenomena are underrepresented in the field of sound studies. Encompassing street music, ritual activities, boxing matches, fresh produce markets, shopping arcades, commuting systems and various public spaces in Bangkok and Hong Kong, this article introduces case studies and contextualizes some distinct urban soundscapes, employing first-hand audio footage, as an initial pathway for building an auditory acquaintance with the region.
城市聲景蘊含社會的文化符號，歷史與集體回憶。曼谷和香港乃東南亞之開放城市，其本土與外來的聽覺文化並存，繫於族群分佈，文化傳承，地緣正治，社會經濟的演變。然而，聲音研究暫未對此題目有廣泛涉獵。有鑑於此，本文收納兩城市之街頭音樂，祭祀活動，鮮活市場，運輸系統，商場，拳賽，運輸系統，公共空間，就其聲景設案考察，為充實東南亞之聽覺智識引路。
Reflection - Developing cultural interaction with Hong Kong choral culture - Part 2
(last edited: 2024)
author(s): THOMAS CAPLIN
This exposition is in progress and its share status is: visible to all.
In order to follow up on my last visit to Hong Kong and Hong Kong Inter-School Choral Festival (HKICF), it was natural to look at different possibilities to a sustainable interaction between Norwegian/Scandinavian and Hong Kong choral culture. The Mentor Program "School Choir Advancement Program" was established. It is a natural extension of the "School Choir Incubator Program" that has been running for several years already. After I was appointed Artistic Advisor for HKICF (Hong Kong Inter-School Choral Festival), it was my idea to provide an opportunity for those who had already been in the festival's incubator program, to be able to take their personal development as a leader/conductor of school choirs further, under guided guidance. Therefore, together - on behalf of both WCCN (World Choral Conducting Network) and as a part of my R & D work at the University of Innand , Norway and HKICF, we developed this program, which is built on the same model I developed for Norwegian choral conductors, and which I have used for about 15 years.
Reflection - A cultural exchange in an encounter with Hong Kong choral culture - Part 1
(last edited: 2024)
author(s): THOMAS CAPLIN
This exposition is in progress and its share status is: visible to all.
This artographic research project reflects experiences from a meeting between Hong Kong and Norwegian choral culture. Through interaction with young singers from both primary and secondary schools, through performing with my own instrument the Defrost Youth Choir and through teaching and lecturing, I have been given a unique opportunity to cast a reflective light on both Hong Kong and Norwegian practices. This encounter has unveiled interesting differences in pedagogy, methodology and general didactics; but also on choral ideology and performing practices. What seems to be in figure for a Hong Kong school choir teacher, may not at all be in figure for a Norwegian choir teacher. This is what really puts my own practice theory as a choir leadership educator under the microscope – assessing what actually works regardless of culture.