Push the ENVELOPE: A program to develop creative engagement between emerging artists and audiences in Hong Kong

Abstract

Push The ENVELOPE Sound Art Initiative is a 2-year program curated by Contemporary Musiking Hong Kong and designed by a team of professional sound artists, instrument designers, experimental musicians, and composers to introduce sound as a medium for creation and collaboration. This paper describes the background to and impetus of the initiative; gives an outline of activities; and discusses objectives and methods for engaging deeper contacts between audiences and artists in Hong Kong.

Keywords

Sonic art / Instrument designing / Sound art pedagogy / DIY electronics / Hong Kong

Funding

Push the ENVELOPE is a project proposed by the Artistic Director (first author of this article), Karen Yu, on behalf of Contemporary Musiking Hong Kong, and funded by the ACDFS of the Culture, Sports, and Tourism Bureau of Hong Kong SAR. Contemporary Musiking Hong Kong is an arts organization supported by the Hong Kong Arts Development Council under the 3-year Grant Scheme.

Conflict of interest

PerMagnus Lindborg is the Guest Editor of this special issue, but was not in any way involved in the editorial and peer-review process conducted for this paper, directly or indirectly. Separately, other authors declared that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have influenced the work reported in this paper.

References

[1] Ikeshiro R, Charrieras D, Lindborg P. Charting the scenes of sonic arts in Hong Kong. Organised Sound. 2022; 27(3):369-378. doi: 10.1017/S1355771822000450

[2] Mouillot F, Charrieras D. Interview with Samson young. In: Charrieras D, Mouillot F, editors. Fractured Scenes: Underground Music-Making in Hong Kong and East Asia. Springer Nature; 2021. Available from: https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-981-15-5913-6 [Last accessed on 2025 Jan 10].

[3] Hsin F, Kuan-Ting W. An Activity as a Platform for Dialogue: The Development and Influence of the Lacking Sound Festival; 2019. Available from: https://map.tfam.museum/storage/files/shares/ma/ma192/ma0192-05.pdf [Last accessed on 2024 Nov 17].

[4] Alperson P. The instrumentality of music. J Aesth Art Crit. 2008; 66(1):37-51. doi: 10.1111/j.1540-594X.2008.00286.x

[5] Cox C, Warner D, editors. Audio Culture: Readings in Modern Music. Massachusetts: Continuum; 2004.

[6] Timoney J, Lazzarini V, Keller D. DIY electronics for ubiquitous music ecosystem. In: Lazzarini V, Keller D, Otero N, Turchet L, editors. Ubiquitous Music Ecologies. England: Routledge; 2020.

[7] Keller D, Lazzarini V, Pimenta MS. Ubiquitous Music. Germany: Springer; 2014.

[8] Tse KP. Opportunities in theatre performing arts advancement in bettering underground music development:A reflection on the relevance of the technical production in local/ global experimental music performances. In: Charrieras D, Mouillot F, editors. Fractured Scenes: Underground Music- Making in Hong Kong and East Asia. Springer Nature; 2021. Available from: https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-981-15-5913-6 [Last accessed on 2025 Jan 10].

[9] Mouillot F, Charrieras D. Interview with Kung Chi Shing. In: Charrieras D, Mouillot F, editors. Fractured Scenes: Underground Music-Making in Hong Kong and East Asia. Springer Nature; 2021. Available from: https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-981-15-5913-6 [Last accessed on 2025 Jan 10].

[10] Chiu A. Sound Brood: An Interdisciplinary Approach in Sound, Music and Art. Kowloon: Contemporary Musiking Hong Kong Limited; 2018.

[11] Lima MH, Keller D, Flores LV, Ferreira E. Ubiquitous music research: Everyday musical phenomena and their multidisciplinary implications for creativity and education. J Music Technol Educ. 2017; 10(1):73-92. doi: 10.1386/jmte.10.1.73-1

[12] Chion M. In: Gorbman C, editor. Audio-Vision: Sound on Screen. New York: Columbia University Press; 2019.

[13] Schaeffer P. La Musique Concrète. Paris: Presses Universitaires De France; 2020.

[14] Lachenmann H. Guero: Für Klavier for Piano. Germany: Breitkopf and Härtel;1988.

[15] Collins N. Handmade Electronic Music: The Art of Hardware Hacking. 3rd ed. England: Routledge; 2020.

[16] Ghazala R. Circuit-Bending: Build Your Own Alien Instruments. 1st ed. United States: Wiley; 2005.

[17] Russolo L, Filliou R, Pratella FB. The Art of Noises: Futurist Manifesto, 1913. United States: Something Else Press; 1967.

[18] Cage J. Silence: Lectures and Writings. Connecticut: Wesleyan University Press;1961.

[19] Schwitters K. Kurt Schwitters: Ursonate. Merz 24. Hannover: Merzverlag, Hannover; 1932.

[20] Rudi J. Questions and challenges in ubiquitous creativity. In: Lazzarini V, Keller D, Otero N, Turchet L, editors. Ubiquitous Music Ecologies. England: Routledge; 2020. p. 101-116.

[21] Education Bureau, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. Music Curriculum Resources. Education Bureau.Available from: https://www.edb.gov.hk/en/curriculum-development/kla/arts-edu/resources/mus-curri/index.html#ss [Last accessed on 2025 Apr 28].