Having served the Academy for more than eight years in the role of Director, Professor Adrian Walter will retire at the end of December when a new stage of his life will open up with a renewed focus on family and music. A veteran in the field of higher education, Professor Walter has worked in tertiary management for over 30 years and was previously at the Australian National University in Canberra as both Professor of Music and Head of the School of Music, as well as Head of Creative Arts and Dean of the Faculty of Law, Business and Arts at Charles Darwin University. In reflecting on his move to Hong Kong, he feels it was the city's multiculturalism that was one of the driving forces that attracted him, "It resembles my long-time home town of Darwin in so many ways, not just the weather, but in the vitality and energy emanating from the community."
Drawing a comparison between the creative fields in Hong Kong and Australia, Professor Walter says there are many similarities – performing artists are passionate about their art form wherever they live. He was instantly impressed and delighted by the Hong Kong community's engagement in so many creative and performing arts activities at both the professional and community level. The Hong Kong government's support of the local and international art scene is extensive, and greatly contributes to the city's vibrancy. Consequently there is a deep understanding and appreciation of the value of the arts and culture that really stands out. "For artists, Hong Kong is a creative and artistic oasis. Tertiary education is excellent and well funded, and our Academy performing arts graduates are gainfully employed. There is an incredible buzz in the performing arts scene here that I picked up early on," he says with delight. "It is such a pity that COVID-19 has curtailed so many live performances and productions which I'm sure we have all missed during this difficult time, but no doubt they will resurface with renewed vigour; that's what artists do!"
Establishing the School of Chinese Opera
As well as recognising the importance of Western influence on artistic and cultural development in Hong Kong, he considers the city's unique Chinese and Cantonese background a major feature in defining the cultural identity of Hong Kong. In view of the significance of preserving the local traditional Cantonese culture in Hong Kong, the Academy in 2013 established the School of Chinese Opera and launched the world's first four-year full time Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) (Honours) Degree programme in Chinese Opera. The School has since continued to grow and prosper with great support from the community and stakeholders alike.
By establishing the School of Chinese Opera, Professor Walter acknowledges the crucial role the Academy plays in nurturing and sustaining this authentic Chinese artistic practice. The understanding and celebration of one's local culture is the foundation to forming a solid social identity and hence a sense of belonging to a community. He also emphasises the universality of the themes of Chinese opera to which even non-Chinese speakers can relate. "Operatic stories are universal. It doesn't matter if you are Thai, Indonesian, Western or Chinese. There are similar themes—human conflict, love, war and death, it is the universal story of humanity just expressed in different cultural idioms. This has indeed been a captivating world to discover and I have enjoyed attending many Cantonese opera performances during my time here."
Incorporating Technology into Teaching
Inspired by the application of remote communication technology in teaching at the Australian National University, he came to realise the power of the medium in enriching students' learning experiences, and was therefore prompted to initiate the Innovation Hub (now renamed Education-Information Technology), which among other key technology-based initiatives began offering live streaming of masterclasses and innovative approaches in the delivery of performing arts education. Professor Walter is constantly looking for ways to incorporate new technologies into the creative space of the Academy. A good example of a new technology driven initiative is Spatial Outcome Based Assessment which will be introduced into the School of Chinese Opera in the near future, and will allow students to review and study in great detail recorded performances using virtual reality.
Not only does the use of technology benefit students by offering an alternative mode of learning, but the Academy's early development of online streaming of classes fortuitously positioned it to proactively manage the challenges thrown up by the unexpected pandemic that rapidly spread across the world this year. In the face of COVID-19, instead of brooding over this collective predicament, Professor Walter worked closely with the Academy's staff and Schools to embrace online teaching, while also taking the opportunity to review the current curriculum and further open up new educational possibilities within the Schools. "I would never suggest that online teaching should be the totality of what we do; but it suggests that there is the possibility for a blended model, a way of interacting with students that goes well beyond the traditional confines of that one weekly lesson or face-to-face contact," he contemplates.
The Vision of Youth
As well as the unprecedented pandemic, Professor Walter has led the Academy through some other very challenging times. Reflecting on this journey he encourages young people to focus on making positive changes through collaboration, communication and negotiation. "I have always worked on the basis that the best course in life is to use your skills and talents to improve the world and society. Many solutions can be found through the unique and creative voices of artists with their distinctive perspective and world view; finding solutions for even the most challenging situations. You actually have much more power to influence and to make change that way."
Professor Walter strongly believes in the unlimited potential of young people to positively influence the future of Hong Kong. He thinks being trilingual gives young Hong Kongers a distinct competitive edge on the world stage, and in particular the potential to lead the development of positive and productive relationships with the Mainland. "The two most useful and powerful business languages in the contemporary world are without doubt English and Putonghua. Young people in Hong Kong have these languages at their fingertips but don't always realise how well this positions them, and the competitive advantage it gives them, in building their careers."
The Academy has been an instrumental player in the instigation of the Guangdong-Hongkong-Macao Greater Bay Area Music Education and Arts Development Alliance. This alliance is helping to connect the talents of young people living in all the neighbouring regions. As part of the Global Development Plan that the Academy is developing, Professor Walter advises young people to build and maintain an open global perspective to expand their exposure not just to European influence, but also to the rich cultures that abound within this region. "Let's think of it like this. We have developed what we are calling a Global Partnership Compass at the Academy, part of a plan that will help guide us in establishing partnerships with other major tertiary institutions and key performing arts and industry partners. It is built around a series of concentric rings. In the middle is Hong Kong, around that is the Greater Bay Area and the Mainland, and then Hong Kong's immediate Asian Region; reaching out to Australia, Europe and America. The circles get thinner as they spread out. The wider circles at the core of the compass embrace the key relationships involving our immediate neighbours. These are the ones that are really our primary contacts and thus the ones we should initially focus on building key partnerships with," he explains.
Quality Precedes Ranking
This year, as part of the QS World University Rankings, the Academy was ranked No. 7 in the world in the category of performing arts, moving into the global top ten for the first time. For the second consecutive year the Academy was also ranked number one in Asia. Professor Walter humbly attributes the success to the concerted effort of the whole Academy community; with the visionary leadership of the Council Chairman, Professor Stephen Chow, the passionate input and commitment of Council members, and all faculty and administrative staff . He further identifies the adoption of a quality-driven approach as a decisive factor in such a remarkable achievement. "Rankings within any system inevitably go up and down over time, but the quality of what we are doing does not. The Academy is committed to ensuring that the quality of its work improves on an incremental and continuous basis." Professor Walter is confident that the Academy, as the only specialist tertiary conservatoire in Hong Kong, will always prioritise the quality of its work and value to the community over other considerations.
Inclusiveness Matters
"Inclusivity" is the word that perfectly captures the leadership style of Professor Walter. Whether it is a member of the senior management staff or part time casuals, he feels it is important that everyone is treated with equal respect. "I am certain that all staff strive to give their best, and all share the same love and passion for what they do at the Academy. It's important to embrace that enthusiasm and involve staff in considering the future development of the Academy and in decision making – no matter at what level this occurs positive ripples flow out and are felt." Given the tremendous amount of time and effort he spends on Academy business, he sees the Academy as more than just a workplace; it is a second home which he deeply cares about. "We have been given the responsibility to do our best to look after and build the Academy while we are here. That is our number one task. You hope, at the very least, that you can leave the place a little better than when you arrived," he says with conviction.
Leaving without Losing Touch
Speaking of his plans for retirement, music will continue to play a significant part in his life. He is planning to delve deeper into the artistry of the classical guitar, which has always been his area of specialist expertise, and finish that illusive book on 19th century guitar pedagogy. Intriguingly, although he has spent eight years living in Hong Kong, he did not unfortunately get the chance to learn Chinese. "It is something I regret not having the time to do, but my wife and I have decided we will take classes when we return to Australia with more time available. And of course, I will have to come back and visit to get some real-life practice and experience," he jokes. In his role as Emeritus Professor he will also be conducting a pedagogy course for the Academy's School of Music online after he leaves Hong Kong and keeping in touch with his guitar students through the world of technology. "I hope to keep the connection with the Academy and Hong Kong alive. There is still so much to be experienced in Hong Kong that will require more visits. Many special friendships have been formed and many cherished memories to hold dear. Hong Kong is not a place you can easily forget."
(The article was published in the Dec 2020 issue of Academy News. Click here to read the original story.)
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