CASH records with deep sadness the passing of Doming Lam, the ‘Father of New Music in Hong Kong’ on 11 January, 2023. It is a huge loss to the Society and all musicians in the serious music scene. We have since lost a highly respected all-round musician.

Lam’s works have always pioneered in the music industry, and his peers and younger generations would call him ‘Maestro’. He created works according to the rule of ‘Asserting one’s roots from the past; while breaking new ground through the avant-garde’. He created his first successful masterpiece Thanksgiving to Joe-Kwan, the Kitchen God in 1976, and then created Execution and Insect World in 1978 and 1979 respectively. He was praised as the pioneer of creating symphonic works for Chinese folk instruments, and had also inspired many young composers.

Maestro Lam was the founding director of CASH. He has contributed a lot for the development of the Society and actively strived for the greatest rights and interests of music creators, and made great contributions. In 1999, he was awarded the ‘CASH Hall of Fame Award’ by the Society in recognition of his outstanding achievements in music. He moved to Toronto in the 1990s, but his enthusiasm to continue to create music did not stop. His works String Quartet No.2 (5 Settings) and Re-transformation of Xi-Pi won the ‘Best Serious Composition’ of the CASH Golden Sail Music Awards in 2010 and 2012 respectively. He also received the 2006 and 2016 CASH Golden Sail Most Performed Works Awards – Local Serious Work with the works Insect World and Moonlight Over the Spring River respectively.

Maestro Lam has supported the Society for many years and often attended the Society’s events. He also often gave advice on the Society’s affairs and was very concerned about the development of the Society. We will always remember Maestro Lam’s great contribution to Hong Kong’s serious music and his selfless spirit in promoting the development of the industry. We would like to express our sincere condolences to Maestro Lam’s family and may he rest in peace.

It is with deep sadness that we mourn the passing of Joseph Koo (Master Koo), the ‘Godfather of Cantopop’ on 3 January, 2023. It is a huge loss to both the Society and all musicians in the Hong Kong music scene.

Master Koo’s music career has lasted over half a century with countless classic works, and his songs have enjoyed great popularity. Originated by Master Koo, a new Cantopop genre incorporating Chinese tunes into pop songs swept through the entire Chinese society in the 1970s and 1980s and made great contributions to Hong Kong pop music. The theme songs of TV dramas he created are deeply rooted in the hearts of the people, and everyone is familiar with them, including ‘Ti Xiao Yin Yuan’, ‘Kuang Chao’, ‘Yi Tian Tu Long Ji’, ‘Shi Zi Shan Xia’, ‘Shang Hai Tan’, ‘Liang Wang Yan Shui Li’, ‘Wan Shui Qian Shan Zong Heng’ and many more.

Being a founding member of the Society, Master Koo has contributed a lot to the promotion of music creation and copyright in Hong Kong. In 1997, he was awarded the ‘CASH Hall of Fame Award’ by the Society. Master Koo had also maintained contact with the Society over the years and spared no effort to support the younger generations. In 2009, Master Koo and the Society launched the ‘Joseph Koo New Generation Award’ in recognition of local new generation musicians who made outstanding achievements in the music scene.

Master Koo was friendly and easygoing. Every CASH colleague who had come into contact with him would praise his musical talent and shall never forget his kind attitude towards people. We will always remember Master Koo’s great contribution to the Hong Kong pop music scene, as well as his selfless spirit in supporting the younger generation. May Master Koo rest in peace, and we would like to express our deepest condolences to Master Koo’s family.