The Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU) Symphony Orchestra Annual Gala Concert 2025 was held successfully following its longstanding tradition. The enchanting performance invited nearly 1,200 audience on a musical odyssey through classical virtuosity, choral harmony, technological innovation, and emotional resonance.

As a pioneer in the transdisciplinary study of musical creativity, HKBU took the lab to the concert hall this year and themed it to uniquely bridge music and brainwave technology. With the use of portable Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS) devices, real-time monitoring utilising near-infrared light detected different levels of blood oxygenation in the players’ brain tissues while playing Gustav Mahler’s Symphony No.1 in D major, IV. Stürmisch beweget. The state-of-the-art technology created a singular musical experience for the audience by capturing the brain activity of the performers and translating these brainwave patterns into fluid images via artificial intelligence. It was an extraordinary synthesis between art and neuroscience. This method has the advantage that performers can fully immerse themselves in a natural musical performance environment to conduct a comprehensive study.

The concert was conducted by Professor Johnny M Poon, Associate Vice-President (Interdisciplinary Research), Founding Dean of School of Creative Arts, Dr Hung Hin Shiu Endowed Professor in Music. Featured artist and rising Spanish violinist Raquel Areal Martínez performed Max Bruch's emotive and technically demanding Violin Concerto No.1 in G minor (Op. 26). The piece moved from a stirring first movement through a deeply expressive adagio to a dynamic finale that showcased Ms Martínez's technical mastery.

Adding to the evening's allure, HKBU's chamber choir, Cantoría Hong Kong, presented Johannes Brahms's Warum ist das Licht gegeben dem Mühseligen?, Op.74, No.1, and Arnold Schoenberg’s Friede auf Erden, Op.13. The concert also performed Leonard Bernstein’s classic operetta Overture to Candide.

This year's Gala Concert is a platform where art and brainwave technology intersect, presenting a unique selection of masterpieces from the rich tradition, set amid diverse eras and artistic styles to enrich experiences for all audiences.