Biography

Lora Chow, born in Hong Kong, is an award-winning composer, coloratura soprano, pianist, and multi-instrumentalist. She graduated magna cum laude from Yale University, where she developed a unique musical voice, drawing inspiration from classical composers such as Chopin and Rachmaninoff, as well as film composers like John Williams and Joe Hisaishi. Her diverse body of work includes piano improvisations, orchestral, chamber, vocal, and piano compositions, which have been performed by prestigious ensembles worldwide, including the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra, Orchestra della Toscana in Italy, the Budapest Art Orchestra and the Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra. Her original musical Dr. Clown was featured at the Hong Kong Fringe Festival 2026. She has also composed two operas: Sleepless Moon and Ambush from All Sides. Her scores are published by the Universal Edition. Her original piano albums are released by the record label Prima Classic. She plays multiple instruments, including piano, harp, organ, trumpet and violin.

Lora’s music explores the connection between the inner self and the external world, often reflecting her life journey through evocative melodies and rich harmonies. Known for its healing and meditative qualities, her work has touched audiences globally, offering moments of introspection and emotional renewal. She has received numerous accolades, such as the Chigiana Film Scoring Award for Best Storytelling, the CASH Music Fund, Top 5 in the CASH Golden Sail Music Award for Best Young Composer's Serious Composition, the Cole Porter Fellowship in Music and Theater, the Louis Sudler Creative and Performing Arts Award, the Curtis Recital Plate, the Katie Lees Award for Musicianship, and the Anita Hewitt-Jones Composition Prize.

As the youngest singer in Yale Schola Cantorum, Lora toured with world-renowned conductors Masaaki Suzuki and Simon Carrington in Europe, the U.S. and Asia. She has also performed various roles in operas, including Cherubino in Le Nozze di Figaro with the New York Lyric Opera Theatre, Zelatrice in Suor Angelica at Operafestival di Roma, Second Lady in The Magic Flute at the Bethesda Summer Music Festival, Adina (cover) in L'elisir d'amore in Varna State Opera, Isabella in L’Italiana in Algeri and Mrs. Grose in The Turn of the Screw with the Opera Theatre of Yale College, and Asdrubale in Scipione Affricano and Speranza in L’Orfeo with the Yale Baroque Opera Project. She has sung in masterclasses by Maestro Helmuth Rilling, soprano Sumi Jo, Camilla Tilling, Anna Shafajinskaia and Olga Makarina.

Lora is the former Associate Music Director at Disney. Lora currently sings with the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra as Soprano Fellow. In addition to her artistic career, Lora is deeply committed to community engagement, collaborating with various charitable organizations to promote social change through music. She co-founded the Yale Alumni Chamber Music Society of Hong Kong and Virtuoso Fiesta and currently serves as Vice-Chairwoman of SingFest and Voting Member of the Recording Academy.

周曉晴是當今音樂界罕見的跨界作曲家，她的音樂語言融合了東方的詩意與西方的結構之美，並以其獨特的社會關懷和國際視野，迅速在當代音樂版圖上留下深刻印記。畢業於耶魯大學，以優等榮譽取得音樂與經濟學雙學位，她隨後跟隨荷里活作曲家 Patrick Kirst、Lawrence Shragge 及 Christopher Young 深造作曲，從而將嚴格的古典訓練與電影般的敘事張力融為一體。

她的創作涵蓋歌劇、音樂劇、管弦樂、室樂、鋼琴小品及電影配樂。歌劇《蔽月無眠》（Sleepless Moon）以中西元素的交織探討世界和平；《十面埋伏》（Ambush from All Sides）則從中國古代文化中提煉當代精神。音樂劇《小丑醫生》（Dr. Clown）於2026年在香港藝穗節首演，以追夢故事探討生命意義與家庭修復，感動無數觀眾。在電影配樂領域，她為揭露人口販賣的紀錄片《Monica》及倡導社會共融的《The Way You Dance》譜寫配樂，展現出用音樂回應時代的勇氣與溫度。

她的管弦作品曾由香港管弦樂團、意大利托斯卡納交響樂團、索菲亞小交響樂團、布達佩斯配樂樂團及香港中樂團等頂尖樂團首演。樂譜由維也納環球出版社（Universal Edition）出版，原創鋼琴專輯由Prima Classic全球發行，其中兩張專輯更入圍格萊美獎提名。她曾榮獲奇吉亞納電影配樂大獎最佳敘事獎、CASH金帆音樂獎最佳年輕作曲家嚴肅音樂作品最後五強、科爾·波特音樂與戲劇獎學金等多項國際殊榮。

作為花腔女高音，周曉晴曾是耶魯清唱團（Yale Schola Cantorum）最年輕的成員，隨指揮家鈴木雅明及Simon Carrington巡演歐、美、亞洲。她的歌劇角色涵蓋莫扎特、普契尼及巴洛克作品，包括《費加羅的婚禮》中的凱魯比諾、《修女安潔莉卡》中的傑拉特里絲、《意大利女郎在阿爾及爾》中的伊莎貝拉等，並曾於曹秀美、Helmuth Rilling等大師班上獻唱。這份深厚的聲樂經驗，使她的聲樂寫作始終貼近人聲的本質與情感。

除了創作與演出，周曉晴亦積極以行動推廣音樂。她現任香港管弦樂團女高音、香港聲蜚合唱節副主席，並聯合創辦耶魯大學香港室樂社及樂鑽會。她曾擔任迪士尼副音樂總監，目前為美國格萊美獎評審和香港康樂及文化事務署節目及發展委員會委員。