Hong Kong-born conductor Elim Chan is reshaping classical music with bold ideas and unrelenting determination, challenging assumptions about women, orchestras, and audience engagement as she pushes the boundaries of traditional practices in a rapidly evolving cultural landscape.
Since her breakthrough a decade ago, Hong Kong-born conductor Elim Chan has waged a “long-term battle” against outdated perceptions about herself, classical music, and the management of orchestras.
In 2014, Chan became the first woman to win the prestigious Donatella Flick Conducting Competition, launching an international career that included time at the London Symphony Orchestra and the honor of opening this year’s BBC Proms, Britain’s leading classical music festival.
“I love to surprise people,” said Chan, 38, in an interview ahead of guest-conducting the Hong Kong Philharmonic this month. “When I started, people had very low expectations of me. They thought, ‘Yeah, a little Asian girl... what can she do?’”
Her journey highlights the evolving classical music world, where a new generation of conductors is reshaping traditions.
Chan recently concluded a five-year tenure as principal conductor of the Antwerp Symphony Orchestra, leaving with a strong belief that orchestras must innovate to engage audiences in an age of endless distractions.
Although many ensembles reevaluated their approaches after the Covid-19 pandemic, Chan emphasized the need to build on lessons learned rather than reverting to old routines. “An orchestra is one of these dinosaurs. It takes a long time for something to really stick,” she said, acknowledging early missteps like subpar video productions but vowing to continue pushing boundaries.
Hong Kong Roots and Determination
Raised in a middle-class Hong Kong family, Chan’s musical journey began with singing in school choirs and mastering instruments like the cello, which she practiced obsessively. Local conductor Yip Wing-sie was an early role model, showing her that women could lead orchestras.
However, it wasn’t until her undergraduate years at Smith College in the United States that she seriously considered conducting as a career. “I made excuses not to pursue music because I wanted to be like my friends,” she explained, “but music kept showing up in my life.”
Now based in Amsterdam, Chan remains deeply connected to her Hong Kong roots. Reflecting on the city, which transitioned to Chinese rule when she was 10, she said, “I’m proud there’s this thing called a ‘Hongkonger’—a cool hybrid quality shaped by growing up in British colonial times.”
Her working style, defined by Hong Kong’s hyper-competitive environment, embodies a “can-do spirit.” She recounted, “If something needs doing, I will do it well. If others aren’t pulling their weight, I’ll finish it for them,” adding that she has since learned to set boundaries to better focus on her core responsibility: standing up for music and its artistic priorities.
Addressing Women’s Challenges
From the start, Chan’s career has been intertwined with discussions about breaking gender barriers in a male-dominated field. However, she described this conversation as a “struggle.”
“I fully support women, but how do we do it? That’s the challenge,” she said, noting that orchestras are still exploring ways to empower women and minority leaders.
While she floated ideas such as creating an orchestra for young girls, she expressed mixed feelings about La Maestra, a women-only conducting contest in France. “After 10 years, I don’t need quotas. People hire me because I’m good,” she said.
Chan acknowledged that women conductors face unique pressures, sometimes from unexpected sources. “The harshest critics are often women musicians. There’s a sense of, ‘Don’t mess it up for us.’”
Although she remained tight-lipped about her next role, Chan revealed plans to explore opera and spotlight Japanese composer Noriko Koide.
Rethinking Orchestras
Chan views the conductor’s role as a mix of “the biggest diplomat and the biggest cheerleader” tasked with reshaping the orchestra-audience relationship.
“It’s a crazy time in the world right now,” she said. “Just being on stage and having a good concert — for me, it’s not enough anymore.” Chan envisions building platforms that engage people beyond the auditorium, ensuring orchestras remain relevant in a rapidly changing world.
With AFP
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