A premier choral ensemble.
NOĒMA is a leading chamber choir dedicated to advancing Hong Kong’s choral scene. Comprising some of the finest local choral musicians, the group has quickly become one of the city’s premier ensembles under the dynamic leadership of Artistic Director Sanders Lau, who founded the choir in 2022. NOĒMA has performed to critical acclaim, with invitations from eminent presenters, including MUSE of The University of Hong Kong (HKU), Tai Kwun, and most recently, the Hong Kong Arts Festival in the sold-out multimedia choral concert ‘Garden of Repose’. This cross-disciplinary performance was specifically designed and curated for the choir and has received high praise. It was nominated and shortlisted for the 2024 Classical:NEXT Innovation Award.
The choir’s ethos is centred on applying ideals of rhetoric––the art of persuasion––to its performances, always exploring and harnessing the expressive landscape in its repertoire. NOĒMA is known for its innovative and thought-provoking programming, creating profound dialogues among music, poetry, and spirituality, and reaffirming the relevance of choral art in contemporary society, offering a diverse and stimulating repertoire.
Collaborations are integral to NOĒMA’s endeavour. The group has partnered with artists such as the Cong Quartet, composer Adrian Wong, director/choreographer Ivanhoe Lam, and set designer Ruby Law. In the 2024/25 season, NOĒMA will again collaborate with Ivanhoe Lam in a multimedia theatrical performance as part of his artist residency at the East Kowloon Cultural Centre. Additionally, NOĒMA is partnering with the HKU Chamber Singers as part of the inaugural HKU Doming Lam Composition Prize, furthering its commitment to developing Hong Kong’s choral community.
The choir’s ethos is centred on applying ideals of rhetoric––the art of persuasion––to its performances, always exploring and harnessing the expressive landscape in its repertoire. NOĒMA is known for its innovative and thought-provoking programming, creating profound dialogues among music, poetry, and spirituality, and reaffirming the relevance of choral art in contemporary society, offering a diverse and stimulating repertoire.
Collaborations are integral to NOĒMA’s endeavour. The group has partnered with artists such as the Cong Quartet, composer Adrian Wong, director/choreographer Ivanhoe Lam, and set designer Ruby Law. In the 2024/25 season, NOĒMA will again collaborate with Ivanhoe Lam in a multimedia theatrical performance as part of his artist residency at the East Kowloon Cultural Centre. Additionally, NOĒMA is partnering with the HKU Chamber Singers as part of the inaugural HKU Doming Lam Composition Prize, furthering its commitment to developing Hong Kong’s choral community.
Photography: Calvin Sit
THE MEANING OF ‘NOĒMA’
NOĒMA (νόημα) originates from classical Greek and means ‘the content of thought’. In the Renaissance, music scholars adopted the term to describe homophonic singing for its ‘sweetly stimulating and soothing effect on the ears and spirit.’ This duality mirrors the ensemble’s intellectual and emotional approach to music.
Sanders Lau
Artistic Director, FounderSanders Lau is a multifaceted conductor with an unwavering conviction in choral music’s singular power to express and connect. He is the Artistic Director and founder of NOĒMA, and has established the choir as one of the most dynamic and innovative forces in the city’s choral landscape. Sanders believes home-bred professional choral performances will be vital in advancing the local scene. He is known for his approach to programme curation that sparks contemplation, blending standard repertoire with contemporary writings, many of which were Hong Kong and world premieres, in seamless narratives.
Sanders has also served as Resident Conductor with Die Konzertisten, where he has collaborated with a constellation of internationally renowned conductors, including Stephen Layton, Jonathan Cohen, and John Butt, and has cultivated a specialised interest in the historically informed performances of early music.
A highly sought-after choral artist, Sanders frequently guest-conducts, adjudicates, and offers masterclasses and clinics for eminent organisations such as the Hong Kong Arts Festival, Voices of Singapore Festival, and Hong Kong Inter-School Choral Festival. He is ardent about nurturing the next generation of choral leaders and has coached choirs from major universities in Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Macau, as well as numerous other youth and school choirs. His conducting courses have been attended by hundreds of school music teachers and young professionals, furthering his impact on the choral community.
In 2023, Sanders won the First Prize and two Special Awards at the Romano Gandolfi International Competition for Choral Conductors. As a tenor, Sanders recently debuted as the Evangelist in Bach’s St John Passion
CONTACT
ENQUIRY
info@noema.hk
WhatsApp: 57780872
ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
Sanders Lau
sanders.lau@noema.hk
GENERAL MANAGER
Eleanor Chu
eleanor.chu@noema.hk
FOLLOW US
Web design: Jonathan Mak
©2024 NOĒMA. All rights reserved.
info@noema.hk
WhatsApp: 57780872
ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
Sanders Lau
sanders.lau@noema.hk
GENERAL MANAGER
Eleanor Chu
eleanor.chu@noema.hk
FOLLOW US
Web design: Jonathan Mak
©2024 NOĒMA. All rights reserved.
