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Founded by Karen Yu and Dr Matthew Lau, The Up:Strike Project embodies the nature of the integral movement in percussion: “up” and “strike”. By bringing professional and emerging percussionists together, presenting and championing a diverse mix of percussion music, and supporting the future leaders of percussive arts, The Up:Strike Project endeavours to strike and stand out as the pioneer of the ever-changing art form in percussion and contemporary music.

Hailed by the Aspen Times for his “soulful and technically impressive solo” at his vibraphone concerto debut at the Aspen Music Festival, percussionist Dr Matthew Lau performs a wide range of repertoire with an absolute commitment to communicating the meaning and essence of percussion music to its audience, from arrangement of Bach’s Violin Sonata on marimba to avant-garde contemporary pieces by Franco Donatoni and Iannis Xenakis. Lau is the co-founder and artistic director of Hong Kong contemporary percussion group The Up:Strike Project. He is a member of the Hong Kong New Music Ensemble.

Pursuing a strong interest in contemporary percussion music, his vision and aesthetics aim to expand the ever-growing percussion repertoire by pushing existing boundaries, incorporating electronics and technologies and discovering new sounds. His interest in exploring new music has led him to commission new pieces with many renowned composers.

Lau obtained his DMA in percussion performance from Stony Brook University under Eduardo Leandro. Currently an adjunct faculty at Hong Kong Baptist University, Lau maintains a private teaching studio on the side; artist endorser of Marimba One, Black Swamp Percussion, and Elite Mallets (Spain), where his signature mallets are manufactured.

A percussionist, performance artist and interdisciplinary arts researcher, Yu uses sound-making as a medium to question and subvert the relationship between audience and performer. Formerly an artist-in-residence at the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity and a fellow at the Blackbird Creative Lab, Yu is also the co-founder and director of the chamber percussion group The Up:Strike Project and the Chief Curator of Contemporary Musiking Hong Kong. She obtained her Bachelor and Master of Music from McGill University, Canada, where she was a Schulich Graduate Scholarship holder.

Chow obtained his Master of Music in Performance and graduated from Guildhall School of Music and Drama, London. He studied timpani with David Corkhill (Principal Percussion of London Philharmonic Orchestra) and Tony Bedewi (Co-Principal Timpani of London Symphony Orchestra); and percussion with Sam Walton (Co-Principal Percussion of London Symphony Orchestra).

Prior to his graduate studies, Chow completed his Bachelor in Music (first-class honours) at the Hong Kong Baptist University as the best student, under the tutelage of Dr Lung Heung-wing. He obtained LTCL in Percussion Recital in 2010. He was awarded the Dr Daniel Tse Music Scholarship in 2013.

In 2015, Chow participated and performed with Britten-Pears Orchestra in Aldeburgh, United Kingdom and performed solo in International Katarzyna Myćka Marimba Academy in Hannover, Germany. He performed with London Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Simon Rattle in Barbican Hall in July 2015.

Apart from solo and orchestral music, Chow is also an experienced and avid chamber player, performing The Invisible Proverb quintet with Russell Hartenberger (member of Nexus) and choreographers in London Contemporary Dance School. He is a founding member of The Up:Strike Project and Quarter, the latter a quartet of two percussionists and two pianists.

A top prize winner in numerous major competitions, Chan’s diverse performing experiences have taken him to celebrated concert halls in multiple continents. Currently a fellow with the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra under the Orchestra Academy Hong Kong programme and a member of The Up:Strike Project, his past highlights include appearance as soloist with the Houston Symphony and Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra; as orchestral musician with the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra, Hong Kong Sinfonietta; and in summers at the Lucerne, Verbier, and Pacific Music Festivals. He toured around Europe as the co-principal with the World Percussion Group, and has collaborated with such acclaimed artists as Lawrence Lesser, Angelo Yu, Orli Shaham, and Aiyun Huang.

Chan obtained his Artist Diploma from the Colburn School and Master of Music from The Juilliard School.  He had also studied at the New England Conservatory and the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts.

A solo, chamber, and orchestral percussionist, Kwong’s footprints as a performer have extended worldwide, including World Percussion Group (2019), Sō Percussion Summer Institute (2019), Hong Kong Arts Festival with Li Biao Percussion Group (2019), Ravello Festival, Young Euro Classic Festival, and Lucerne Festival with Asian Youth Orchestra (2017), and International Katarzyna Myćka Marimba Academy (2017).

Kwong is the co-founder of M.A.R.B.L.E.S. Percussion and a freelance musician of Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra, Hong Kong Sinfonietta, and City Chamber Orchestra of Hong Kong.

She holds her Master’s degree from the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts fully supported by the Hong Kong Jockey Club Music and Dance Fund.

A member of the Hong Kong New Music Ensemble, Yim is currently teaching at the Hong Kong Baptist University and the Education University of Hong Kong. She is proactive in promoting classical and modern music education.

Yim graduated from the Hong Kong Baptist University, the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, the Royal College of Music in London, the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, and University of Sydney where she obtained her Master’s degree of Music Studies majoring in piano.

Yim has long been dedicated to solo and chamber music recitals, having performed with different groups including Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra, Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra, Hong Kong Bach Choir and Zuni Icosahedron. She has set foot on many countries / regions including the Mainland, Taiwan, Malaysia, Australia and the United Kingdom.