Harry Lee is the Founder and Artistic Director of Hong Kong Choral Projects, an initiative using music and choral education to support young people from some of Hong Kong’s most underprivileged communities. Founded in 2014 with just 19 students in Tin Shui Wai, the programme has grown to 185 students in 2026, with further expansion into Kwun Tong.
Lee’s relationship with music stretches back to his teenage years and has remained a defining part of his life. After beginning his professional career in hospitality, he pursued classical singing and studied with influential teachers including Uta Graf and Virginia Zeani. He also maintained a decades-long association with the Metropolitan Opera, serving on its board in different capacities for 31 years. These experiences shaped his belief that artists should serve their medium and ultimately inspired his desire to pass what he had learned on to a younger generation.
Through Hong Kong Choral Projects, Lee sees music not simply as an artistic pursuit, but as a tool for developing confidence, concentration, discipline and a sense of belonging. Working alongside experienced music educators, the programme combines regular choral training with major annual performances, while encouraging greater involvement from students’ families and creating a community that extends beyond the choir itself. For Lee, its longer-term purpose is to help young people recognise their own value and grow into confident, contributing members of society.
On the Pearl Lam Podcast, Harry Lee joins Pearl Lam for a personal conversation about his lifelong relationship with music, the teachers and experiences that shaped his outlook, and why he returned to Hong Kong determined to give something back. Their conversation explores his work with young people in Tin Shui Wai, the importance of discipline and belonging, and his belief that music can help children develop confidence, compassion and hope for their future.
