Fung Ka Hing, Trumpet "You can do it. You just need to find your passion!"
AYO member 2001 & 2002 Yamaha Artist (Hong Kong) Associate Music Director -The Hong Kong Symphonic Winds Principal Trumpet - Hong Kong Sinfonietta (2007-2014) The Asian Youth Orchestra is a place you see possibilities and it’s telling you that you can. I was like any other average kids from Hong Kong, grew up in a local family and lived in a public house, went to local school, with not much musical background, first known the trumpet at the age of 10 in a primary school marching band. I got into a band which has great tradition and quality in my secondary school, in there I was fortunate enough to find my passion about music and trumpet, then I decided to pursuit my music degree at the HKAPA with a simple reason - I want to play the trumpet everyday!
HKAPA is the place that I first heard about the AYO, yes, people were telling me that you have to compete with candidates from all around Asia and you have to be the best to get in to the AYO. I though “I will give it a shot!” My first AYO audition was in 2000. With not much orchestral playing background, I didn’t get in. But at the end of the audition, a gentleman came over from the panel seat and said “keep it up, there’s always next year”. I found out later that was Mr. Pontzious. Yes, there’s always next year, and my hard work did pay off, I got in the AYO in 2001!
I was getting very excited to the summer, to meet and play with world class soloists and conductors, coached by the best quality faculty members, and of course to make music with 100 other best young musicians from all around Asia.
First day in AYO, from the down beat of the first rehearsal, of course we were playing “Nimrod”, it’s way beyond my expectation, and after we played the last note, I knew, my whole life was going to be different.
Three weeks intensive rehearsal camp - 9am-6pm Monday to Saturday, followed by three weeks intensive concert tours -- 15 concerts in 21 days, it was not easy, but it made everything possible, we saw the possibilities from each other, we trusted each other and we loved each other, each of us, from total stranger to a family, and that made the perfect harmony on stage, the most beautiful music I had never played.
AYO opened my eyes, it also made me see the possibilities in myself, yes you can do it, you just have to find your passion, if you can’t make it today, THERE’S ALWAYS NEXT YEAR!
Two years of AYO enriched my life not only artistically, I made lots of friends, which I’m still seeing them all the time and work closely in all kinds of musical and non musical occasions, also learned to believed in them, we are here to make things better, make the world a better place, that we all learned from the AYO. I would like to say a big Thank You to Mr. Pontzious who has such vision and leadership to make all this happened! Thanks to all AYO coaches for your professionalism, your care and your love that changed all of our lives, especially to Mr. Ed Hoffman, my trumpet coach in AYO, who gave me much encouragement and numerous support during and after my time in AYO.
Last but not least, thanks to all patrons, sponsors and supporters who make the AYO a great success in all years, Thank You!
