Li Ka Wai completes his Master of Music Majoring in Marimba Performance with Professor Ludwig Albert at the Royal Conservatoire Antwerp.
Li studied percussion since aged 11. In 2009, he enrolled Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU), major in percussion with Ms. Sophia Woo and Mr. Lap Tak Choy. After graduating with First Honor in 2013, he was awarded the Special Talent Award from the HKSAR Government.
In 2016, he obtained a number of awards from various music competitions, included, the Champion of Malaga international Marimba Competition in Spain, Filadelfia Marimba Competition and Festival in Italy and International Hong Kong Marimba Competition respectively. He is also the 1st runner-up of the Percussion Open Class – Young Musician of the Year 2010 in Hong Kong.
Li was principal percussionist of the HKBU Symphony Orchestra and Pro Arte Orchestra of Hong Kong. He was one of the founders of BUPES – the Baptist University Percussion Ensemble, which set up in 2009. As a freelancer, he also participated in several professional and amateur orchestras and ensembles including the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra, the Pan Asia Symphony Orchestra the Hong Kong Bach Choir and several percussion ensembles.
Li was also very active in percussion ensemble and solo performances; he had solo performances in Belgium, Spain, Italy and Hong Kong. Apart from solo performances, Li was also actively in chamber music with local outstanding musicians. In order to promote and share Marimba culture in Hong Kong, he formed duo group with violinist and pianist respectively and received very positive responses from the audience. The groups (Marimba X Violin; Marimba X Piano) were the first performance ever conducted in Hong Kong and the activities were held by Li.
In 2013, He formed the Hong Kong and Taiwan Marimba Duo with Amber CHEN Tzu-Chun and the Duo has been invited to perform in the Antwerp Chamber Music Festival in 2014 and 2015. It drew media attention as well. In 2016, he and YAU Mei Ying, a local percussionist grouped “Gemini Percussion” and won the 3rd place in the International Hong Kong Chamber Music Competition.
Li is very enthusiastic in promoting music education in Hong Kong as well. He has taught percussion in the primary, secondary schools and even students with special education needs. Besides, Li became those schools Chief Conductor in orchestra and percussion ensemble recently. Among those schools, quite a number of them are traditional prestigious schools in Hong Kong. Li promoted and motivated those schools to put more resources into the field of percussion. He nurtured his students to be young percussionist elites and led them to achieved Golden award in Joint School Music Competition recently.
Li is not only put efforts on solo performances and chamber music but also enhance performance skills through numerous international masterclasses. He was born and grew up in Hong Kong. The purposes of the above mentioned performances are to blend Marimba culture and arts into community, enhance public appreciation of Marimba, in particular, encourage young people to participate in percussion.