Conductor Emeritus

Dr WONG Wing-hee

Dr WONG Wing-hee was born in 1917. His ancestral home was in Guangdong Province, but he grew up in Shanghai, the most cosmopolitan cultural center in the Orient at the time. When he was in his early twenties, he was already well known and had been in charge of several musical organizations. After his graduation from the Lester Institute of Technology, he worked as an engineer during the day and wrote incidental music for dramas in the evening. Some of his well-known art songs were written during that early period. It was, therefore, not easy to properly identify him according to his vocation or avocation.

In early 1946, Dr. Wong was appointed as conductor of the China Music Drama Company. He was also the first Chinese ever invited to guest conduct the Shanghai Municipal Orchestra, the first professional symphony orchestra in the Orient. At his debut performance, a critic from the China Press, an English newspaper gave a lengthy review, headlining "China Maestro Excels in SMO Concert" calling it " a most creditable performance." Prof. E. Felber described him in the Shanghai Herald as " a scrupulous and responsible leader and educator of the orchestra, fully devoted to his work."

In 1947, Dr. Wong came to America to further his study of music. He first attended Bob Jones University in South Carolina as a teaching fellow. He was often asked to conduct the University's productions of oratorio and opera. In 1950, he took his family with him to New York. Again he worked as an engineer, and at the same time pursued advanced studies in Music at Columbia University from which he attained his master's and conductor degrees. He also spent three summers studying with the world-renowned conductor, Pierre Monteux, and was praised as "One of the most outstanding pupils we have had here in our school." by the Director of L'Ecole Monteux.

1967 represents the turning point of Dr. Wong's life. He gave up his successful career as an engineer and accepted the call to return to the Far East to serve the church in many different capacities, and especially in the field of church music. He led different groups to make concert tours in Mainland China, Taiwan, and other Asian countries. He is the Permanent Honorary President of World Association for Chinese Church Music.

Dr. Wong was the Principal Conductor of the Hong Kong Oratorio Society from the 1967 until his retirement in 1989. Since then he became its Conductor Emeritus residing in America but continued to come back to conduct in Hong Kong on special occasions. Under his baton the Hong Kong Oratorio Society including in its repertory many important works, which were premiered not only locally but also in the Far East as well.

On 13 August 2003, Dr. Wong passed away peacefully in New York, aged 86.