Pioneering Paulines

Raymond Fu graduated from St. Paul’s in 1971, returning to the College in 1982, where he headed our music department until retiring in 2013. Fu was also a former choirmaster at St. John’s Cathedral, the chairman of Hong Kong’s Opera Society, and taught at the Chinese University of Hong Kong.

Fu is a mainstay of the choral music scene in Hong Kong. He has led more than forty musicals and operas, and has collaborated with the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra Choir, the Hong Kong Singers, and the Hong Kong Choir. Over the past two decades, Fu has recruited talent from St. Paul’s for major events, giving students invaluable experience. Beyond Hong Kong, he was an adjudicator at the inaugural Vietnam International Choir Festival (2011). He currently serves on the World Choir Council.

Music in St. Paul’s was already thriving under Moses Wu, where Fu found his lifelong passion. Heading the music department, Fu describes himself as a ‘facilitator’, believing students to thrive best on their own initiative. He continued existing traditions such as having student conductors while continuing to expand the department, notably shining a light on Chinese music. Fu also values learning from other cultures; during our 160th anniversary, Fu led our choir, instrumentalists, and Chinese ensemble to perform in England.

符潤光一九七一年畢業於聖保羅書院，在一九八二年重返聖保羅任音樂科主任，至二〇一三年退休。另外曾任聖約翰座堂詩班長、香港歌劇社主席及香港中文大學兼職敎師等職。

符氏爲香港歌劇界的中流砥柱，曾參與多達四十埸音樂劇和歌劇的指揮，曾任香港管弦樂團合唱團、The Hong Kong Singers，以及香港合唱團等指揮。過去二十年，每當籌備及上演大型歌劇時，符氏亦不忘招募聖保羅學生和校友參加活動。另曾於二〇一一年首屆越南國際合唱音樂節擔任評判，現時任世界合唱比賽理事會成員。

就讀聖保羅書院時，當時由吳東老師帶領，一直提供良好的音樂環境，使符氏有機會發揮。符氏曾形容自己角色爲「facilitator（輔翼）」，相信學生在自主的氣氛下參與音樂能得到更大肯定。符氏回母校授敎時，沿襲既有傳統，如讓學生擔當指揮，又擴大樂團數量，涉足中樂，鼓勵學生參加各音樂團體及大型比賽。符氏亦鼓勵學生放眼國際，汲取多國音樂文化，在一六〇週年校慶之際率領合唱團、弦樂團與中樂小組到英格蘭表演。