The Works：Handpan maker Ting Ho-fung & in the studio: Hong Kong Youth Choir

In 2001, Felix Rohner and Sabina Schärer created the “Hang” instrument in Berne in Switzerland. It was derived from the steel pan or steel drums of the Caribbean. They called it “Hang”, which can mean either “hand” or “hill” in Bernese German because the instrument is played by hand and has a hill-like shape. Later, other instrument makers devised a group of related instruments known as the handpan, also played by hand, and known for their mellow sound. There are still only a few hundred handpan makers worldwide. One of them is Hong Kong’s Ting Ho-fung.

In 1996, Argentinian composer and conductor, Martin Palmeri wrote “Misatango”, a choral mass that incorporates tango music. He says that he had previously enjoyed both arranging tango music and directing choirs, and that it had long been his intention to arrange tango music for choral groups. Set up in 1998, the Hong Kong Youth Choir includes in its repertoire classical choral works, Baroque oratorios and Broadway musicals. They’re here to tell us more about their activities and to perform one of Martin Palmeri’s works.