Composition

Hidden Fruit

This piece was inspired by a specific banyan tree that can be found in Asia. This tree produces a special fruit called hidden fruit (wú huā guǒ), which is asexual. The piece portraits a moment of the tree reproducing without flowers to produce seeds with fruits. The meaningful Chinese name of this fruit resonates with our current situation in society. Life is full of loneliness, longing, acceptance and joy. These moments are irreversible, and happen in mesmerizing way. Ficus microcarpa (chinese banyan) has been widely planted as street trees and in front of schools and government buildings in Hong Kong. One afternoon, I passed by the governors’ office and saw this grown tree without flower and fruits. Seeding. Reviving. Immortal.

Composition

Alla Prima

Alla prima is a sonic diary created for zheng and electronics inspired by the word , Alla Prima (it.), meaning, at first attempt . This refers to a way of painting technique whereby wet paint is applied to previous layers of still-wet paint. The piece portraits a moment of the primitive world where ancient forests echo with primal calls of untamed creatures while untrodden paths wind through untamed wilderness. This painting technique was frequently used by old masters such as Vincent Van Gogh, Claude Monet and John Singer Sargent. This composition establishes a sonic imagery full of spirited gesture, with attacks and sustained tones that explore both natural qualities but also contextual potential of the sound material. There are moments where the soft tremelo plucking sound evolves, almost instantly, into Chinese gong ringing to a wind roar. Alla prima is a symphony of nature created out of recomposing temporal change of the zheng part, and slicing of audio materials.

Composition

Fire Whirl

Fire Whirl is a sound-based composition created for trumpet and fixed electronics. Fire Whirl is a reference to Nicolas Party’s exhibition Red Forest at Hauser & Wirth. This exhibition was a response to the ramping forest fire in California. This piece was created for HK Philharmonic trumpet player Robert Smith. Throughout the piece I employed a motif with 3 staccato 32nd. notes followed with a glissando to flutter tongue as the imagery of forest fire. This motif appears in different section of the music with different temporal change to imitate the flame and flare.

Performance

L’UNDERGROUND GLOBAL TOUR

Trumpet Soloist. Played trumpet and flugelhorn in the global concert tour of major Cantopop artist Terence Lam at O2 Arena, UK (10,000 capacity) & The Londoner, Macau (4,000)

RECORDING ENGINEERING

international art carnival

Sound Programmer. Recorded and created sound effects and soundtracks for a 60-minutes theatre play, Every Life Is A Song

Theatre

What is Moon’s Gender?

Music Programmer. Used MAX MSP to handle real-time data processing and motion sensors for stage actors to create a generative soundscape. “What is Moon’s Gender?” is a live theatre performance with one actor and one live electronic artist. This performance investigates the precarious nature of gender social norms and politics.

marcus lam

Composer

Trumpet Soloist

Recording Engineer Programmer

Art Director

Started playing classical trumpet at the age of 6, entered HK Academy of Art’s Orchestra Junior Section in 2004. Dropped out of high school and worked in the creative industry in commercial photography and advertising agency for 6 years. Returned to college and university to study BA in Music Composition in 2020. Performed trumpet on major stages including O2 Arena, UK; conducted recording for chart-topping Cantopop artists; and programmed and recorded sound for multi-disciplinary and theater pieces.

Work Experience

Trumpet Soloist

L’Underground Global Tour (Soloist, 2023): Played trumpet and flugelhorn in the global concert tour of a major Cantopop artist Terence Lam at O2 Arena, UK (10,000 capacity) & The Londoner, Macau (4,000)

Recording Engineer

Frenzi Music (Intern, 2022): Managed Frenzi’s recording studio and recorded multiple songs for Cantopop artists, including one of Hong Kong’s 2022 Commercial Radio Chart top-10 songs, Fallen

Hong Kong Ballet (Recording Engineer, 2023): Recorded Dr Eugene Birman’s multi-disciplinary work, Slow Dance, with acclaimed singer Anandi Bhattacharya

Programmer

International Arts Carnival (Sound Programmer, 2022): Recorded and created sound effects and soundtracks for a 60-minutes theatre play, Every Life Is A Song

Art Director

HIGH5 Creative Solution (Assistant Art Director, 2014-2019): Designed printed ads graphic design for Miele, TVC art direction for Hyundai, and photoshoot and art direction for Bayer HK

Norm Yip Photography (Photo Assistant, 2012-2013): Conducted photoshoot for The Art Newspaper at Art Basel HK 2013, and interior photoshoot for Starbucks HK Head Office

Composition portfolio

Hidden Fruit for string quartet, 6’00”

Alla Prima for zheng and electronics, 5’30’’

Fire Whirl for trumpet and electronics, 5’05”

What’s Moon’s Gender?: electronics live performance 9’00’’

Music Awards

Programming: Renaissance Foundation 2023, Best Performance for theater What’s Moon’s Gender?

Composition: New Generation Composer 2023, Finalist for contemporary classical piece Hidden Fruit

Trumpet: Winter Band Festival 2010, Gold Award as Principal Trumpet

Trumpet: Hong Kong Schools Music Festival 2010, First runner-up

Music Credentials

Trumpet ABRSM Grade 8; Piano ABRSM Grade 5; Music Theory ABRSM Grade 8

Email: mlpstudioy@gmail.com