Joseph Chan

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Joseph (Hiu Fung) Chan, a violist based in Brussels and born in Hong Kong, earned his Postgraduate and Master of Music from the Koninklijk Conservatorium Brussel, studying under Paul de Clerck and Tony Nys. Prior to this, Joseph obtained a Bachelor of Music from the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, where Jia Yang Wang mentored him and he received the Best Academic Achievement Prize for the 2018/2019 academic year. He is currently pursuing an Advanced Master of Contemporary Music at KASK & Conservatorium / School of Arts Gent.

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Moreover, Joseph has actively sought opportunities for growth by attending prestigious master classes, and learning from esteemed violists, including Tatijana Masurenko, Nobuko Imai, Thomas Riebl, WenTing Kang, Chi-Yuan Chen, Tomoko Akasaka, Wilfred Strele, and Paul Silverthorne among others. His master class experiences include participation in the Enghien International Musical Encounters, Tibor Varga Academy, Virtuoso & Belcanto Festival, III Encuentro International York Bowen, Internationale Sommerakademie Bad Leonfelden, and Lunigiana International Music Festival, where he was the winner of the concerto competition.

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Joseph is well-versed in chamber music playing. He often collaborates with different musicians and performs in various settings of chamber music. He has attended many music festivals, programs, and master classes focused on chamber music, such as the Resonance Chamber Music Academy and the Kammermusik-Summit Künstlerhaus Boswil. He has performed with esteemed musicians, including Philippe Graffin, Amy Norrington, Martijn Vink, Erik Schumann, Razvan Popvici, and Valentin Radutiu. He has also received master classes from the Endellion String Quartet, Orion String Quartet, Shang Hai String Quartet, Marc Danel, Guy Danel, Joseph Kluson, and Clive Brown.

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Joseph had the opportunity to play under the baton of esteemed conductors, including Jaap van Zweden, Tamás Vásáry, Elim Chan, and Lio Kuokman, among others. He performed at prestigious venues such as BOZAR, Flagey, MIM Concert Hall, MIRY Concert Hall, Musikverein Vienna, Het Concertgebouw Amsterdam, Slovenian Philharmonic Building, Hong Kong Cultural Centre, and Hong Kong City Hall. He has also performed as a substitute violist with the Antwerp Symphony Orchestra.

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Joseph has extensive experience in contemporary music. He worked with composer Pierluigi Billone, performing "Δίκη Wall," a piece written for percussion, alto flute, bass clarinet, piano, violin, viola, and cello. He collaborated with Helmut Lachenmann, performing "Ausklang" as the principal viola of the symphonic orchestra at the Royal Conservatory of Brussels. Additionally, he performed "Searching," a duo for viola and marimba by Wim Henderickx, in the concert hall of the Royal Conservatory of Brussels. He also participated in the Echigo-Tsumari Art Field in Japan as a member of a string quartet, where they performed "On Harmony as Such and on the Harmony of Men" by Kam Shing Hei, a unique fusion of Chinese opera and Western string quartet elements.

 

In addition to performing, Joseph is passionate about teaching and has several years of experience in various educational settings, including primary schools, secondary schools, and international schools, as well as providing private lessons. His teaching focuses on cultivating musical expression through the natural and balanced use of the body. He has gained valuable insights into the Alexander Technique through private lessons with Claire Destrée, which have informed his mindful approach to musical practice.

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Joseph plays a viola crafted by Reto Gasser in 2014 and uses a bow made by Doriane Bodart in 2024.