Jonathan Cheng is a versatile harpsichordist whose artistry is distinguished by a refined touch, musical sensitivity, and an informed engagement with the repertoire. Equally active as a soloist and basso continuo player, he has performed extensively in Hong Kong, Canada, and the United States, as well as across Europe. His European engagements have included performances at historic venues such as the 9th-century Abbazia di Casola Valsenio, the UNESCO World Heritage site Basilica di Sant’Apollinare Nuovo in Ravenna, the 15th-century Gothic-Romanesque Chiesa di San Francesco in Cotignola, Chiesa dell’Osservanza Santa Maria degli Angeli, and Chiesa di San Lorenzo in Bocconi. In Hong Kong, he has performed at major venues including Hong Kong City Hall Concert Hall and Sheung Wan Civic Centre Theatre. His solo appearances include the Emilia Romagna Music Festival in Ravenna and the French May Arts Festival in Hong Kong.

 

As one of Hong Kong’s most sought-after harpsichordists and continuo players, Jonathan has collaborated with an extensive roster of distinguished musicians, including violinists Emmanuel Coppey, Alexandre Pascal, Domenico Nordio, Léo Place-Desprez, Riccardo Zamuner, Leung Kin Fung, Wong Sze Hang, and Yip-Wai Chow; violists Yu Sun and Joseph Kam; cellist Laurent Perrin; double bassist Thomas Lai, recipient of the Audience Award at the prestigious ARD International Music Competition; guitarist Diego Campagna; and pianist Colleen Lee, among others. His ensemble engagements include performances with the NHKP Baroque Chamber Orchestra, Hong Kong Chamber Orchestra, and McGill Baroque Orchestra, establishing a substantial presence in Hong Kong’s Baroque and chamber music scene. In 2024, he performed in the world premiere of Dr. Mui Kwong Chiu’s Beautiful Hong Kong, a multimedia work inspired by the cultural landscape and distinctive character of the city, presented by New Hong Kong Philharmonia at Hong Kong City Hall Concert Hall.

 

Jonathan’s musical formation has been shaped by studies at McGill University and the University of Michigan, where his principal mentors have included Elizaveta Miller, Joseph Gascho, Siebe Henstra, Yago Mahugo, and Arthur Haas. He has further pursued chamber music with Dr. Olivier Brault, Matthew Jennejohn, and Vincent Lauzer. He is currently pursuing a Doctor of Music in Harpsichord Performance at McGill University with scholarship and fellowship support from the Graduate Excellence Fellowship, Panicaro China Strategy Graduate Award, and Panicaro Chinese Scholarship. His doctoral research examines the transmission and reception of Western keyboard music in Qing-dynasty China, with particular focus on the Italian missionary-musician Teodorico Pedrini and the role of the harpsichord at the Qing imperial court.

 

Alongside his performing career, Jonathan is the Founder and Director of New Hong Kong Philharmonia (NHKP) and founder of the NHKP Baroque Chamber Orchestra, through which he has created opportunities for Hong Kong musicians to perform alongside internationally acclaimed artists. Under his artistic leadership, the orchestra has collaborated with musicians including Emmanuel Coppey, Alexandre Pascal, Domenico Nordio, Léo Place-Desprez, Yu Sun, Diego Campagna, Colleen Lee, and Rachel Cheung, and has appeared in Hong Kong and internationally, including performances in Italy presented in association with Emilia Romagna Concerti. The orchestra’s commissioning and presentation of Beautiful Hong Kong further reflects Jonathan’s interest in bringing the classical tradition into dialogue with contemporary Hong Kong creativity.

 

Jonathan holds a Master of Music in Harpsichord Performance and a Bachelor of Business Administration with High Distinction from the University of Michigan, where he also earned a Graduate Certificate in Arts Entrepreneurship and Leadership. His academic and artistic work has been recognized through numerous honours, including the Graduate Merit Award (Music), Marilyn Mason–William Steinhoff Scholarship, Shearwater Fund Scholarship, EXCEL Impact Award, EXCEL Entrepreneurship Award, EXCELerator Fellowship, and the Michigan Artist Citizen designation.

 

At the heart of Jonathan’s artistic practice is a belief in the enduring ability of music to transcend time and place. For him, the harpsichord is not merely an instrument of the past, but a living voice—one capable of carrying music across centuries, cultures, and generations. Through performance, scholarship, and artistic collaboration, he seeks to bring this voice into conversation with the present, allowing the music of another age to be heard anew and to find new meaning within the cultural life of Hong Kong and beyond.