Emma Yi Kiu Chan
Emma is graduate oboist in the Royal Northern College of Music, having obtained her Master's in Music Performance under Jonathan Small (Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra) and Jennifer Galloway (BBC Philharmonic), as well as cor anglais under Gillian Callow (BBC Philharmonic). She also obtained her Bachelor in Music with second upper class honours in the RNCM, learning under Hugh McKenna (previous principal oboe of the Hallé).
​Born in Hong Kong, Emma started learning the oboe at the age of 7, and under her school's recommendation she joined the school orchestra at the age of 10, as well as the Metropolitan Youth Orchestra outside school. Highlights for her included going to Vienna to participate in the Summa Cum Laude International Youth Music Festival with the St Stephen’s College Chamber Orchestra, performing the Cor Anglais solo of Schindler's List with the Metropolitan Youth Orchestra, as well as playing Principal Oboe/Cor Anglais with the Hong Kong Festival Orchestra for their summer concert with TwoSet Violin.
During her time in college, Emma was devoted to develop her skills towards being an versatile ensemble musician, participating in different orchestral performances such as performing with the Her Majesty Royal Marines for their joint concert with the RNCM, performing operas by Puccini, Poulenc, Strauss and Menotti with the RNCM Opera Orchestra, and joining the RNCM Symphony Orchestra to participate in the 44th Cantiere in Montepulciano, Italy. Emma is also a founding member of the Manchester-based Azalea Wind Quintet, finalist for the 2022 and 2023 RNCM Fewkes Woodwind Prize, one of the most prestigious chamber music prizes in the RNCM.
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Emma has played in masterclasses of renowned oboists such as Philippe Tondre, Jacques Tys, and Fabien Thouand. Emma has also won the Second Prize in the Baroque Woodwind Work category in the International Fringe Festival 2019, as well as Third Prize in Oboe: Virtuoso Category in the Medici International Music Competition in 2020. Emma currently works as a member of staff in the Academic Registry of the RNCM, while seeking work as a freelance musician.