Daniel LO Ting-cheung

Daniel Ting-cheung Lo is one of the most prolific contemporary composers in Hong Kong. His works are frequently commissioned by esteemed arts organizations, including the Hong Kong Arts Festival, Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra, Hong Kong Sinfonietta, and Tai Kwun.

Lo’s diverse portfolio spans a wide array of musical genres, encompassing music theatres, orchestral works, and sound installations. Notable highlights in his recent work include Asterismal Dance, an orchestral piece commissioned for the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra’s 50th Anniversary, performed by Jaap van Zweden and the HK Phil during an extensive European tour in 2024. Recent premieres also include Autumn Rhythm and Autumn Rhythm II for orchestra, commissioned for the Hong Kong Sinfonietta’s Asian and European tours in 2019 and 2023 respectively, and Poids for large ensemble, composed for the Hong Kong New Music Ensemble’s tour in 2019.

Lo’s orchestral music has garnered international acclaim, with performances at prestigious venues such as Het Concertgebouw (Netherlands), Tonhalle Zürich Concert Hall (Switzerland), Grand Théâtre de Provence (France), Kulturpalast Dresden Concert Hall (Germany), BOZAR (Belgium), Esplanade (Singapore), Tokyo Opera City Concert Hall (Japan), and Weiwuying (Kaohsiung).

Lo’s compositions have been featured at numerous international festivals, including New Opera Days Ostrava (Czech Republic), Festival International de Piano La Roque d’Anthéron (France), Marvão International Music Festival (Portugal/Spain), Tongyeong International Music Festival (Korea), Asia Orchestra Week (Japan), Weiwuying TIFA Contemporary Music Platform (Taiwan), and the Hong Kong Arts Festival.

A key focus of Lo’s recent work is the integration of music with contemporary literature. His compositions inspired by modern writers include the music theatre Pressed for Love (2025), the music theatre Sunyata (2023), the chamber opera Women Like Us (2020/2022), the song cycle Songs of Virotopia (2022), and the multimedia music theatre The Happy Family (2021).

Lo completed his PhD in Composition at the University of York in the UK in 2017, under the supervision of William Brooks, with full support from the Hong Kong Jockey Club Music and Dance Fund. Prior to this, Lo studied composition with Chan Hing-yan at the University of Hong Kong, graduating with first-class honors in 2009 and later earning an MPhil in Music Composition in 2012.

In 2023, Lo received the “Award for Young Artist (Music)” at the 17th Hong Kong Arts Development Awards. In addition to his compositional endeavors, Lo teaches at the Department of Music at the University of Hong Kong and the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts. Since 2023, he has also served as the Director of Programming for the Hong Kong New Music Ensemble.