Hong Kong-born composer, pianist and conductor, Tam Chun Sum Kevin is currently pursuing a Master of Music (MMus) degree in Composition at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire (RBC), under the tutelage of Howard Skempton and Ed Bennett. As an active young composer, Tam is a member of the Composers and Authors Society of Hong Kong (CASH) and the Hong Kong Composers’ Guild (HKCG).  His music is characterised by having a strong emphasis on musical narrative and exploring post-tonal vocabulary with a slight touch of contemporary approaches. Tam writes in various genres, ranging from contemporary classical to pop music. 

As a multifaceted musician, Tam has won numerous awards both as a composer and pianist. With his piece “Take all my loves, my love, yea, take them all”, written for Tenor and Piano, Tam was the joint winner of the Shakespeare in Song Composition Competition and the Fischer Fund Prize recipient in 2025, organised by the Royal Shakespeare Company and the London Song Festival. The piece is set to be premiered on Shakespeare's birthday in Stratford-upon-Avon in April 2026. ‘Nostalgia,’ written for viola and piano accompaniment, was judged by The Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music (ABRSM), awarded the winning prize of the 2025 Tertis/Aronowitz Birmingham Viola Day Composition Competition at RBC, in collaboration with the British Viola Society. Tam received third prizes in the 66th and 68th Hong Kong Schools Music Festival Solo Piano categories, as well as being a champion of the 2013 and 2016 TomLee Music Piano Competitions.

Tam graduated from The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Music (First Class Honours), specialising in piano performance under the guidance of renowned pianist and Steinway artist Dr. Mary Wu Mei-loc. During his undergraduate studies at CUHK, Tam studied composition with Prof. Chan Kai-young and Prof. Lee Wan-ki Wendy; he also took lessons with prominent Hong Kong composers, including Dr. Lo Hau-man, Dr. Chan Ka-hei Lesley, Dr. Ng Wah-hei, and Dr. Lee Kar-tai. Tam actively participated in various call-for-score events at CUHK, including the CUHK Bauhinia Concert and the Ensemble-in-Residence programme. With experience in both choral and orchestral conducting under the tutelage of Hong Kong Sinfonietta associate conductor Ms. Ip Wing-wun Vivan, Tam often conducts his own works in concerts; he was the conductor of the CUHK Student Orchestra in 2025, conducting Prokofiev's Classical Symphony and Mendelssohn's Violin Concerto in the annual concert.

Tam received his early musical training and learnt music theory from Dr Serina Tse. He was a recipient of the Tom Lee Music Foundation Scholarship in 2015, and his compositions have been actively self-performed in the Yamaha Junior Original Concerts and the Yamaha Junior Original Highlight Concerts (Hong Kong) from 2010 to 2016. Apart from composition, Tam is an experienced piano accompanist. As a Wah Yan College, Kowloon (WYK) graduate, Tam was a member of the piano accompaniment group and has numerous experiences accompanying voices and choirs. In 2017, he was awarded the Fr. Deignan, S.J. Award for outstanding performance in music. Tam has worked closely with the Pro-Musica Society of Hong Kong as a piano accompanist since 2022. In May 2025, Tam gave his debut performance in Shanghai, celebrating the 28th anniversary of Hong Kong’s return to Chinese sovereignty. 

Short bio:

Tam Chun Sum Kevin, Hong Kong-born composer and pianist, is currently pursuing a Master of Music degree in Composition at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, under the tutelage of Howard Skempton and Ed Bennett. Tam is a member of the Composers and Authors Society of Hong Kong and the Hong Kong Composers’ Guild. His music often emphasises musical narrative and explores the fusion of post-tonal music with contemporary approaches. He was the winner of the 2025 Tertis/Aronowitz Birmingham Viola Day Composition Competition, joint winner of the Shakespeare in Song Composition Competition and the Fischer Fund Prize recipient in 2025.

Tam holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Music with first-class honours from The Chinese University of Hong Kong, majoring in piano performance under the guidance of renowned Steinway artist Dr. Mary Wu. He also studied composition with Prof. Chan Kai-young and Prof. Lee Wan-ki Wendy.