Our research postgraduate degree programmes in music are prided with the longest history and also the largest intake amongst similar programmes in Hong Kong. The research activities of the Department of Music can be subdivided into four areas of concentration: (1) Composition, (2) Ethnomusicology/Chinese music, (3) Historical Musicology, and (4) Theory.

The Programme is research-oriented and a student may be required to enrol in formal courses as deemed necessary. All students must meet their Supervisors for prescription of courses every academic year before course selection.

Students have to fulfil the qualifying examination requirement before they submit their dissertations.

Fields of Specialization

Ethnomusicology
Historical Musicology
Theory

Ethnomusicology and Chinese Music

Ethnomusicology at CUHK is grounded in a comprehensive, fully integrated curriculum emphasizing a balanced approach to theory, methodology, and area study. Students engaging in ethnographic as well as historical research are taught by a team of four faculty members whose own cross- and interdisciplinary work bridges the fields of anthropology, musicology, dance, and performance studies and addresses issues of aesthetics, colonialism, diaspora, modernity, nationalism, politics, ritual, and tourism, among many others.

Theory
Cheong Wai Ling and Mak Su Yin, the two full-time faculty members in the field of music theory, with their complementary training and interests, can ensure comprehensive coverage of research areas in music theory and provide supervisory support to research postgraduates on a diverse range of thesis and dissertation topics. Cheong specializes in post-tonal theory and the music of Messiaen and Scriabin, while Mak is a Schubert scholar with experience in Schenkerian analysis and semiotic theory.