A Canvas of Campus Talent: Shaw Auditorium Celebrates Five Years of Creativity
HKUST’s creative juices not only fuel groundbreaking discoveries in our labs but also spark spectacular artistry on stage.
On the evening of September 2, the Main Hall of the Shaw Auditorium hummed with an electric, celebratory glamour for its 5th Anniversary Celebration Gala.
The Shaw Auditorium has proven to be far more than just a stunning architecture since opening its doors in 2021. It has blossomed into the vibrant, beating heart of campus culture. To honor this milestone, a constellation of talented members from across the HKUST community delivered a series of spellbinding performances. This three-chapter theme mirrored the venue’s own five-year journey of growth and exploration.
A Spark of Inspiration
The spotlight first found Particles, a band of science students formed in 2012 to spread musical joy across campus. Their pop and acoustic arrangements of Terence Lam's "Boundless", GGteens’ "Not Cool At All", Panther Chan's "Overpowered", and Jacky Fan's "Long Live Tears" revealed a vibrant, rhythmic soul.
This intimate energy set the scene for the HKUSTSU Dance Society, whose contemporary routine titled "NewCurrent26 Madan25 Piece" included the visually arresting sight of the dancers’ silhouettes against the stage lights, leaving the audience breathless.
Crescendos of Growth
Stepping into the 2nd chapter of the program, the evening traded intimate pop rhythms for sweeping classical grandeur.
Under the experienced baton of Dr. Ken CHENG, the HKUSTSU University Philharmonic Orchestra—a student-led society uniting instrumentalists from diverse academic disciplines since 2005—performed stirring interpretations of Dmitri Shostakovich’s "Waltz No. 2" and Johann Strauss Sr.’s "Radetzky March."
Marcus LI, oboist with the HKUSTSU University Philharmonic Orchestra, spoke glowingly of the venue’s unique acoustics: “The Shaw Auditorium does an excellent job of concentrating sound into a single volume, which is essential for both practice recordings and live performances. On top of that, the spacious stage gives musicians plenty of room to move comfortably while performing.”
The auditory spell deepened as the HKUSTSU Chinese Orchestra intertwined its traditional sounds with the Philharmonic Orchestra in an East-meets-West crossover, delivering a medley from The Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils, featuring Joseph Koo's "Forgotten in the Mists" and "Thousands of Rivers and Mountains."
Conducted by Mr. CHAN Chiu-yin, the Chinese Orchestra then seized the stage and wove rich traditional timbres through percussion classics and heroic themes in "The Men Should Be Strong" and "Drought-Breaking Thunder." The Chinese Orchestra also performed “Dragon and Tiger in High Spirits.”
A Vision for Tomorrow
The final movement of the show envisioned the road ahead, shining a spotlight on the vocal harmonies of the singing group Tunatics A Cappella, founded in 2015. The group’s name fuses 'tune' and 'lunatic' to capture the singers’ fierce dedication to music. They delivered spectacular, instrument-free renditions of pop hits "September," Khalil Fong's "Spring Breeze," and "This Is Me."
Wesley CHEN, a member of Tunatics A Cappella, described performing at the Shaw Auditorium as a dream come true. “Every beatboxer, vocalist, and musician dreams of taking the stage before a full house. HKUST gave us this incredible platform, and sharing our favorite tracks with the audience was pure joy.”
The HKUSTSU Rope Skipping Club bounded onstage next, propelling the evening's energy forward with their routine, "Shaw We Jump Together?". Centered on the theme of friendship, the performance featured a synchronized duo and group skipping tricks to celebrate the strong bonds built among students and the Shaw Auditorium over the last five years. Established in 2016 to elevate the sport across campus, the club recently captured the Audience Choice Award at the HKUST Talent Quest 2026.
Serving as the evening's finale, the HKUST Community Musical proved why it stands as one of the flagship artistic traditions at HKUST. The university’s musical traditions trace back to 2009 in off-campus venues, and since 2024, the HKUST Community Musical has made the Shaw Auditorium its annual home—bringing past productions like The Music Man, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, and Carousel to life.
To mark this 5th anniversary celebration, Music Director CHAU Chuck-Jee, an HKUST alumnus who was involved in the musical productions, was invited to select and rearrange a medley of numbers from the three productions. An ensemble of cast members from these musicals, comprising students, staff and alumni, reunited on stage to recreate these iconic moments, bringing the anniversary celebration to a memorable close.
A Boundless Future
One of the objectives of the Shaw Auditorium when it opened five years ago was to cultivate arts and cultural exchange, connecting the HKUST community with diverse programs. In step with HKUST’s 35th anniversary celebrations this year, this milestone highlights a community whose creative rhythm has grown over time.
