HOK KWAN, conductor, violinist & violist In Hok’s conducting debut concert with Nova Sinfonia in Halifax, music critics gave him rave reviews: ”Nova Sinfonia, under guest conductor and concerto soloist Hok Kwan, gave Rimsky-Korsakov a run for his money with its performance of his barn-burning symphonic suite, Scheherazade...... Kwan conducted the orchestra throughout the evening with vigorous tempi and thoughtful control of phrasing.” Native of Hong Kong, Hok Kwan was the sole recipient of double scholarships to study under David Takeno in Guildhall School of Music in London, England. He has performed, recorded, and has been featured on television and radio as soloist and conductor on three continents. He also possesses valuable experience and knowledge in building orchestras. The Hong Kong Sinfonietta, with Hok as one of the founders, has established itself as the only fully local professional symphony orchestra in Hong Kong with over fifty contracted musicians. Since spring of 2006, Hok has been the Music Director & Conductor of Alto Mare String Orchestra, a group of musicians from Greater Saint John and beyond to compliment and benefit the community with high-quality orchestral performance. Notable Alto Mare performances in recent years under Hok’s direction included the Grand Finale of 2008 Canada Day Celebrations in Saint John, the Good Friday Bach Concert and Vivaldi's "Gloria" with Saint John Bach Choir in 2008, Benjamin Britten’s “Simple Symphony” and J.S. Bach’s “Magnificat” at the N.B. Spring Choral Fest, 2009. Apart from conducting, Hok is an active concert violinist and the Concertmaster of Prince Edward Island Symphony Orchestra (PEISO). Engagements in 2009  and 2010 include ALTO MARE’s regular concerts, the complete Four Seasons Violin Concertos as concerto soloist and conductor with the PEISO, solo violin & viola recitals, conducting the NOVA SINFONIA of Halifax in a program of Mendelssohn, Bizet and Tchaikovsky, and an All-Bach Choral Concert in NB with the ALTO MARE Orchestra & Chorus. He is also an experienced and valued violin teacher, clinician, and adjudicator. Apart from operating his private studio, Hok is a visiting tutor of Mount Allison University, New Brunswick, NB.                                                     Hok performs on an Italian violin by Gio Batta Morassi, Cremona, 1958. To read a "Salon Questionnaire" featuring Hok in the Telegraph-Journal, click here. To read a January, 2010 feature article about Hok Kwan in "The BUZZ" online,  click here.