The Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra has named Paul Leung, a 55-year-old
retired government official, as executive director.
The appointment, announced Tuesday, was a surprise to many; Leung (left in photo, with Philharmonic chairman Hu Fa-kuang) has little background in the arts and no training or experience in managing an orchestra. It was probably also a surprise to Leung, who joined a real estate company in February shortly after his retirement from civil service.
In his 32 years of civil service, in both the British and post-handover Hong Kong administration, Leung served in a wide spectrum of governmental posts, from transport to trade. From 2000–2002, he served as the director of Leisure and Cultural Services, which distributes funds to local performing troupes, including the Philharmonic, as well as maintaining beaches, parks, libraries and sports venues.
In a press release, the Philharmonic declared that his previous posting had provided Leung with "a full and insightful understanding of the local cultural scene and of the role and operations of the Hong Kong Philharmonic Society." He was expected, the statement said, to "help to give it new direction and vision."
Leung faces some daunting tasks, including the search for a music director to replace Samuel Wong, who was fired and then rehired with the downgraded title of principal conductor last year.
The appointment of a retired civil servant as the chief executive is a departure from precedent for the Philharmonic. Leung's two immediate predecessors, Stephen Crabtree and Edith Lei, both had backgrounds in orchestral management: Crabtree was the former chairman and managing director of the London Philharmonic Orchestra; Lei, a pianist by training, succeeded Crabtree after years of working directly under him.
In interviews following the announcement, Philharmonic musicians expressed either indifference or wariness toward their new boss.
"He is to us an unknown entity," said one string player. "But never mind. We have no expectations of management, which never consults us on anything anyway." The player noted that musicians had heard nothing about the hire until the day after the official press release.
"It would not surprise me if Leung is coming with an axe," said another player speaking on the condition of anonymity. "It seems change is inevitable. Let's keep our fingers crossed on the hope that Leung's government connections will bring us something positive."
Leung himself remained silent about the appointment, but he will face a press
conference on 16 June, his first day of work.
