A quarter of a century has passed since pianists Hui Ling and Julie Kuok joined forces to form HK Duo in the year 2000. What began as an artistic experiment has matured into one of Hong Kong’s most enduring chamber partnerships, a collaboration grounded in trust, curiosity, and the shared joy of music-making. As they celebrate their 25th anniversary concert this December, the duo reflects on how time, experience, and friendship have shaped their musical bond.
Image – the Reflection of Don Juan by Julie Kuok
“In the beginning, it was a journey of discovering, exploring, and compromising,” Hui Ling recalls with a smile. “We learned more about ourselves and each other, our differences in perception, touch, and style. We had to adjust everything from tempo and articulation to tone colour so that our playing blended as a whole.” Through years of dialogue, debate, and countless performances, that effort has blossomed into something intuitive. “Now there’s a kind of unspoken spontaneity between us,” she adds. “It allows a greater sense of freedom on stage.”
Samba Triste from Four Piece Suite by Richard Rodney Bennett
For Julie, the secret to this long and harmonious collaboration lies in a deep sense of humility. “Mutual respect and open-mindedness,” she says simply. “We put music above our egos. Sometimes we experiment with ideas we initially disagree on, and later we find beauty in what once felt uncomfortable. It’s exciting not to always know what’s coming next. That sense of curiosity keeps our collaboration alive.”
Hui Ling and Julie Kuok (HK Duo)
The upcoming concert program reflects both their artistry and philosophy, an intertwining of introspection and joy. The evening begins with Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5 (First Movement), arranged for duet, followed by Schubert’s Fantasy in F minor and the world premiere of Julie’s new composition, Dance of Metamorphosis.
“We wanted the program to mirror life’s emotional arc,” says Hui Ling. “Beethoven’s ‘Fate’ Symphony shows his defiance against destiny, while Schubert’s Fantasy reflects acceptance. Julie’s new work then offers a spiritual response, an expression of our attitudes toward mortality.”
Julie’s Dance of Metamorphosis draws inspiration from the theme song of the Hong Kong film The Last Dance. “I couldn’t help but cry every time I listened to it,” she admits. “It moved me deeply.” Yet her composition extends beyond personal sentiment. “I wanted to explore how music can express fear, mystery, acceptance, and inner peace, all connected to our ultimate destiny, death.”
The piece also weaves together musical references from Beethoven’s ‘Fate’ motive, Liszt’s Dante Sonata, Saint-Saëns’ Danse Macabre, Carter Pann’s Circumnavigator, and even the Latin hymn Dies Irae and the Buddhist Rebirth Mantra. “These quotations are treated with utmost respect,” Julie explains. “The idea is to create a bridge, looking back to Beethoven while anticipating the Saint-Saëns and Pann that appear later in the concert. I hope listeners will appreciate that thread of connection.”
Jamaican Rumba by Arthur Benjamin
To balance the emotional intensity of the first half, the duo turns toward playfulness in the second. “We wanted something lighter,” Hui Ling says. “After all, we should embrace the bright sides of life.” Their choices include Saint-Saëns/Debussy’s Rondo Capriccioso, Mack McCray’s Circus Suite, and Carter Pann’s Circumnavigator. “McCray was my piano teacher at the San Francisco Conservatory, and I promised to perform his piece one day,” she adds. “Now the time has come. His music reminds me that life is a game, joyful and unpredictable. And Pann’s ragtime-inspired rhythms are just irresistible.”
The program showcases both four-hand duets and two-piano works, offering listeners a contrast in color and texture. “The difference is big,” Ling notes. “Playing a duet on one piano is intimate but physically challenging. We sit shoulder to shoulder, share one pedal, and sometimes intertwine our arms. It’s all about coordination and sensitivity. Two pianos, on the other hand, offer more freedom and power, almost orchestral in scale. Both have their own charm, one speaks softly to the soul, the other fills the space with grandeur.”
Hui Ling and Julie Kuok (HK Duo)
That balance between intimacy and expansiveness also defines their partnership. Over the years, their collaboration has deepened not only musically but personally. “I’ve learned so much from Ling’s intuitive power and honesty,” Julie says. “She tells me exactly how she feels about a piece, sometimes even suggesting I cut a section I spent hours composing,” she laughs. “But I value her instincts. It’s made our work stronger.”
Ling returns the compliment. “Julie is an exceptional listener. Even if I make a spontaneous change during performance, she reacts instantly. Memorising for a two-piano concert is incredibly demanding. You must know both parts by heart. That kind of trust only comes from years of working together.”
When asked about their most meaningful performance, both recall moments of transcendence. “Whenever we feel the audience breathing with us, sharing that same musical space, it’s unforgettable,” Ling says. Julie recalls a charity concert they gave for the Association Concerning Sexual Violence Against Women. “I was terribly sick with a cold,” she remembers. “Miraculously, after my first bow followed by the very last note, I saw dark fog coming out from my chest and swiftly moving away. I felt relieved, refreshed, and my coughing stopped. It seemed my good deeds healed me instantly, thanks to positive vibes!”
Hui Ling and Julie Kuok (HK Duo)
As for what comes next, both pianists prefer to let inspiration guide them. “Exposing future plans is taboo,” they say with a laugh. “We follow the principle of conveyor-belt sushi, we pick what comes when it rolls by. If nothing comes, we order when we feel hungry.”
After twenty-five years, that philosophy feels just right, spontaneous yet grounded, curious yet wise. For Hui Ling and Julie Kuok, the heart of HK Duo lies not in predictability but in shared discovery. Their music, rooted in friendship, trust, and gratitude, continues to remind audiences that harmony is not the absence of difference but the art of listening deeply to another.
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Event detail: https://www.urbtix.hk/event-detail/14159/
