Professor
Associate Vice-President (Interdisciplinary Research)
Founding Dean, School of Creative Arts
Dr. Hung Hin Shiu Endowed Professor in Music
JC3_101B
(852) 3411-7096
Johnny Poon stands at the vanguard of classical music and interdisciplinary research as a conductor and visionary academic leader.
Poon has led orchestras across the world's most prestigious stages, appearing regularly in concert halls and festivals including Isaac Stern Auditorium, Zankel Hall and Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall; Glinka Cappella Hall, Novgorod Philharmonic Hall, and Gnessin Institute of Arts in Russia; National Centre for the Performing Arts and the Forbidden City Concert Hall in Beijing, China; Operafestival di Roma in Italy, Harlaxton International Music Festival, Manhattan-Hong Kong Music Festival, and Hong Kong Arts Festival. He has conducted such ensembles as Moscow State Philharmonic Orchestra, St. Petersburg State Capella Orchestra, Sudestdeutsche Philharmonie, Kammarkoren Svenska Roster, Kammerchor Stuttgart, Slezske Divadlo Opava, Opera Hong Kong Orchestra, Sinfonica dell’ international Chamber Ensemble, New England Symphonic Ensemble, Taiwan Baroque Camerata, Xiamen Philharmonic Orchestra, Shenzhen Symphony Orchestra, and the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra. Poon has collaborated with artists, including Anne Akiko Meyers, Ryu Goto, Mengla Huang, Dan Zhu, Simone Lamsma, Nicole Cabell, Liping Zhang, Valentina Lisitsa, Andrew von Oeyen, Bart van Oort, Petra Somlai, Carole Cerasi, Mahan Esfahani, and Melvyn Tan. In addition, Poon directs the esteemed chamber ensemble Collegium Musicum Hong Kong. Praised for its imaginative programming and flair, the group has earned acclaim as one of Hong Kong's most dynamic chamber orchestras. Its artistry stems from Poon's unique approach in programe curation, deftly blending traditional 17th and 18th century repertoire with contemporary classical compositions.
Beyond conducting, Poon champions ground-breaking research transcending traditional boundaries. Currently Associate Vice-President (Interdisciplinary Research) at Hong Kong Baptist University, he oversees three interdisciplinary clusters and six pioneering labs investigating new frontiers in science, technology and the arts. His own work focuses on inventive interdisciplinary projects that expand the future of creative practice. One major contribution was his rediscovery and modern adaptation of an 18th-century opera by Antonio Caldara, Le Cinesi, delivering the first performance edition since its 1735 premiere. Poon further reimagined this centuries-old work through an innovative performance model incorporating music, dance, theater, visual media and artificial intelligence. As co-founder of the pioneering Turing AI Orchestra, Poon spearheads radical human-AI collaboration in the arts. This singular ensemble leverages science and technology to advance creative artificial intelligence in the arts to new heights.
With his commitment to musical excellence and interdisciplinary innovation, Poon has established himself as an influential conductor, researcher and academic leader. His dedication to pushing boundaries, whether on stage or in the laboratory, expands the landscape of classical music and creative practice as a whole. Poon's leadership and collaborations continue to shape the future of arts research and performance.
Associate Vice-President (Interdisciplinary Research), Hong Kong Baptist University |
Founding Dean, School of Creative Arts, Hong Kong Baptist University |
Dr. H.S. Hung Endowed Professor in Music, Academy of Music, Hong Kong Baptist University |
Project Coordinator, Creative Hub, Jockey Club Campus of Creativity, Hong Kong Baptist University |
Director, Motion Capture and Visualization Laboratory, Hong Kong Baptist University |
Principal Investigator/Anchor person, Peak Performance Across Disciplines, Cross-disciplinary Research Project (AM/AF/TIIS/SPEH), Hong Kong Baptist University |
Principal Investigator & Project Coordinator, Project MuSE, Hong Kong Jockey Club |
Deputy Project Coordinator, “Building Platform Technologies for Symbiotic Creativity in Hong Kong”, RGC Theme-based research Project |
Fellow, Hong Kong Academy of Humanities |
Position |
Committee |
Member |
Board of Trustees of The Hong Kong Jockey Club Music and Dance Fund, Hong Kong Jockey Club |
Chairman |
Art Form Sub-committee (AFSC), Hong Kong Leisure and Culture Services Department (HKSAR) |
Member |
Programme and Development Panel, Hong Kong Leisure and Culture Services Department (HKSAR) |
Member |
Research Grants Council (RGC), |
Chairman |
Advisory Board of Division of Culture and Creativity, United International College (UIC) Zhuhai, China PRC |
Founding Member |
Strategy Board of Shared Campus: Cooperation platform for international education formats and research networks |
Expert Advisers |
ACDFS Capacity Development Funding Scheme, Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau |
Member |
Council Development Council (CDC), Hong Kong Education Bureau |
Arts Advisor |
Film and Media Arts, Hong Kong Arts Development Council |
Member |
Advisory Board of Jockey Club Arts-based Cross Curriculum Creative Learning Project, Hong Kong Jockey Club |