Hong Kong is a major cultural hub, regularly visited by the most renowned performers from all over the world and with an equally broad range of local cultures and talent. The Cosmopolis Festival aims to introduce audiences to music from a cross section of cultural, linguistic, ethnic, and economic backgrounds, representing traditions such as Indian classical music, Indonesian gamelan, Filipino jazz, Chinese orchestral repertoire, chamber music, as well as avant-garde, experimental, and multimedia works. 
 
Organized by the School of Humanities and Social Science at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology in collaboration with the newly-opened Shaw Auditorium, the festival is designed to include new commissioned works and performances by prominent local musicians alongside distinguished international guests. Concerts are paired with talks, workshops, and masterclasses, serving an educational role within HKUST’s music program but open to the broader public.

For our 2024 edition, we are proud to present the renowned Carnatic vocal duo Ranjani-Gayatri (India), modern jazz with the Chris Carpio Quartet (Hong Kong/Philippines), traditional Teochew instrumental music specialists of the Yi Xiang Chaozhou Ensemble (China), acclaimed piano virtuoso Paavali Jumppanen (Finland/Australia), contemporary Western classical music powerhouse Ensemble Dal Niente (United States), as well as educational events featuring the artists. 

The festival runs from February 16 to April 20, 2024. All events are free and open to the public.
 

Cosmopolis Festival Co-Artistic Directors

Ilari Kaila — Composer-in-Residence; Senior Lecturer, HUMA
Timothy Page — Composer, Sound Engineer; Lecturer, HUMA
 

Festival Artistic Advisory Panel

Mercedes Dujunco — Ethnomusicologist; Senior Lecturer, HUMA
Kung Chi-shing — Head of Contemporary Performance, West Kowloon Cultural District
Timothy Tsukamoto — Director of Artistic Planning, Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra
Andrea Fessler — Founder and Executive Director, Premiere Performances
Anna Kwong — Senior Lecturer; Program Director, Center for the Arts
Isaac Droscha — Vocal Artist; Senior Lecturer, HUMA
Galison Lau — Composer; Instructional Assistant, HUMA
Anish Mishra — Instructional Assistant, HUMA
 

Festival Production Team

Jenny Lim — Officer, DHSS
Galison Lau — Composer; Instructional Assistant, HUMA
Rod Yu — Pianist; Instructional Assistant, HUMA
Alvin Tam — Composer; Instructional Assistant, HUMA
Ilari Kaila — Composer-in-Residence; Senior Lecturer, HUMA
Timothy Page — Composer, Sound Engineer; Lecturer, HUMA
 

Special Thanks To:

Shaw Auditorium Program Committee
Shaw Auditorium Unit Staff
 

Contact

Email: cosmopolis@ust.hk
Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, or YouTube