Kaplan Hall, Rm 193 and Online
Note: This event will be available in hybrid format (in-person and online) and is free and open to the public. No RSVP required.
Attend In-Person at Kaplan Hall, Room 193
Attend Online via Zoom (Meeting ID: 992 1450 6195): https://ucla.zoom.us/j/99214506195
Cantonese opera is one of the 348 Chinese opera genres popular in Guangdong Province including Hong Kong and Macao since late Qing Dynasty. In 2009, Cantonese opera was enlisted in the Human Intangible Cultural Heritage by the UNESCO. This lecture offers a hands-on introduction to Cantonese operatic singing and accompaniment, approached as applied musicology. Participants will engage directly with these performance practices as part of the exploration.
Professor Leung Bo-Wah (梁寶華) is a Professor in the Department of Cultural and Creative Arts at The Education University of Hong Kong and Executive Director of the Xiqu and Intangible Cultural Heritage Centre. Internationally recognised as a leading scholar in music education and applied musicology, he has played a pivotal role in advancing global dialogue on cultural sustainability and arts education. He previously served as President of the International Society for Music Education (ISME) and currently sits on the Executive Board of the International Music Council (IMC) as Treasurer, in addition to chairing the Asia‐Pacific Symposium for Music Education Research (APSMER). Through these leadership roles, he has contributed significantly to shaping international cultural policy, strengthening global networks, and fostering intercultural understanding through music.
Professor Leung has long championed the transmission of Cantonese opera, a UNESCO‐listed Intangible Cultural Heritage, positioning it as a platform for cross‐cultural learning and global heritage awareness. His leadership in the “Cantonese Opera in Schools” initiative earned the International Music Council’s Music Rights Award in 2011, recognising its impact on cultural participation worldwide. He also led the development of the patented “Yueju Accomp” iPad application, an innovation that integrates traditional arts with digital technology and has been showcased internationally as a model for technology‐enhanced heritage education.
With over 150 international refereed publications, including journal articles, edited volumes, monographs, and book chapters, Professor Leung’s research spans music education, creative pedagogy, cultural identity, arts technology, and intangible cultural heritage transmission. His work is widely cited across continents and has informed educational practices and cultural policy discussions in Asia, Europe, North America, and beyond. According to Stanford University’s 2025 Global Scientist Rankings, he is listed among the top 1% of scientists worldwide, underscoring his global academic influence and sustained contributions to international cultural understanding.
This lecture is co-sponsored by the UCLA Asian American Studies Center's Cantonese Art and Culture Fund, UCLA Asia Pacific Center and UCLA Department of English.
For questions about the event, please contact asia@international.ucla.edu
Download file: 7-22-2026-Lecture-Info-&-Short-Bio-d1-gqb.pdf
Sponsor(s): Asia Pacific Center, Asian American Studies Center, English, AASC Cantonese Arts and Culture Fund
