The Trip

Treasure Chest Theatre

Treasure Chest Theatre was started by Davina Cooke. 

Davina trained as an actor with The Young Pleasance and toured to Edinburgh Fringe Festival (winning Fringe First), Devon Palace Theatre The Pleasance, London. Later working with Terry Pratchett on an adaptation of one of his novels Carpe Jugular and touring to Riverside Studios, Glastonbury Town Hall and Andover Festival. Also with Rown Atkinson at Theatre Royal, Drury Lane. 

Taking a break from acting Davina went to University of the Arts London to study Sound Art and Design, wrote two albums and toured UK and Europe. Her music was inducted into the The British Library Sound Archives and was played on radio and television. 

Taking her acting training further by studying the Meisner Technique in America and at The Lee Strasberg School she then went on to live in Greece, Mexico and China, Davina eventually moved to Hong Kong. 

Davina started her theatre company Treasure Chest Theatre with the aim of bridging a gap in English-speaking theatre. Devising works based on grief, addiction, refugees and suicide. She turned to puppetry and mindfulness and found success by performing at Hong Kong biggest music festival; Clockenflap, New York, UK and Japan. They now enjoy going to schools with different shows that she has written. 

Earlier this year she was invited to take part in Funfest at West Kowloon. Living on a structure created by two US architectural artists. It was an incredible experience. 

Hong Kong New Music Ensemble

Founded in 2008 by William Lane, the Hong Kong New Music Ensemble (HKNME) is one of Asia's leading new music groups, dedicated to presenting contemporary music to the highest possible standard. Renowned for its exciting performances, the HKNME’s productions extend beyond the concert stage to educational outreach events, interdisciplinary collaborations and research projects with a global network of artistic associates.

The Ensemble has led numerous world and regional premieres of important contemporary works — a number of which commissioned by the HKNME — at prestigious music festivals and venues around the world, including the Hong Kong Arts Festival, New Vision Arts Festival (HK), Tongyeong International Music Festival / ISCM (South Korea), ECHOFLUXX Festival of New Media (Czech Republic), CYCLE Music and Art Festival (Iceland), Shanghai New Music Week (CN), Beijing Music Festival (CN), Hong Kong Week (TW), MONA FOMA (Australia), Hong Kong Music Series (London), Angel Orensanz Center (New York City) and Wilsey Center for Opera (San Francisco).

The Ensemble has collaborated with renowned organisations such as Zuni Icosahedron, the Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra, Guangdong Modern Dance Company, soundpocket, Studio Acht and Alice Theatre Laboratory. The HKNME has also been invited to organise events in partnership with the Hong Kong Arts Centre, West Kowloon Cultural District Authority, Spring Workshop, Asia Society Hong Kong Center, Osage Gallery and the Goethe-Institut Hongkong. The HKNME is also a regular collaborator with music departments of many tertiary institutions in Hong Kong, including the Chinese University of Hong Kong (Ensemble-in-Residence, 2023-24) and the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts (Resident Company, 2015-16).

The HKNME has been annually funded by the Hong Kong Arts Development Council since 2012.

Austin Leung

Leung is the first composer from Hong Kong to win the Royal Philharmonic Society Composition Prize since its inception in 1948. His award-winning achievement was selected as one of the "Top Ten Music News Items of 2017" by RTHK Radio 4.

Leung’s compositions have been performed by prestigious ensembles worldwide, including the Philharmonia Orchestra (UK), Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra (Canada), Avanti! Chamber Orchestra (Finland), Ostrava New Orchestra (Czech Republic), Hong Kong Sinfonietta, Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra, and musicians from the Hong Kong Philharmonic, New York Philharmonic, and the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra (USA).

Leung holds a degree from the Department of Biomedical Engineering at the University of Hong Kong and an Advanced Diploma from the Department of Composition and Electronic Music at the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts. He completed his Master of Music at the Royal Academy of Music in London, sponsored by the Hong Kong Jockey Club Music and Dance Fund. Recently, he completed his PhD at the University of Hong Kong, where his research focused on the influence of string resonance on musical texture.

Leung is the founder of Our Music Wonderland, an organization that specifies in early childhood music education. He is a recipient of the Secretary for Home Affairs' Commendation, recognized for his outstanding achievements in international arts and cultural activities.

Chor Kai Hei

Chor Kai Hei is one of the most active Hong Kong cellists. Graduated from the Royal College of Music, Guildhall School of Music and Drama and The Chinese University of Hong Kong, he is a laureate of different prizes including Schoenfeld International String Competition; and has worked with renowned musicians and orchestras including London Symphony Orchestra, Hong Kong Sinfonietta, Sir Simon Rattle, Bernard Haitink etc. 

He has been a member of Hong Kong New Music Ensemble since 2019; and remains active not only in classical music, but also theatre production, multi-disciplinary production, film and pop music recording etc. Kai Hei is regularly invited to curate performance and cultural events, including several diplomatic performances in the Middle East and Europe for the Chief Executive Office.

Equally devoted to education, Kai Hei teaches in universities and schools. He is a Fellow of Higher Education Academy UK (FHEA); and recently re-appointed as the youngest member on the board of LCSD Music Office Expert Advisors for the Hong Kong Government.

Beside music, Kai Hei is a food and history enthusiast; and a huge fan of Liverpool football club.

Ben Pelletier

Ben Pelletier is a trombonist with a career spanning classical and commercial music. Raised in Alaska, he received the Most Outstanding Musician Award at the McDonald’s All-American Band and joined the Yamaha Young Performing Artist programme. He earned a Bachelor of Music with Distinction and Performer’s Certificate from the Eastman School of Music and a Master’s from Rice University. His performances have taken him to major venues and festivals across the US, Europe, and Asia, including Carnegie Hall and the Hong Kong Arts Festival. Based in Hong Kong, Pelletier is the trombonist of the Hong Kong New Music Ensemble and the City Chamber Orchestra of Hong Kong. Beyond classical work, he has toured and recorded with artists including the Temptations, Jacky Cheung, and Jessie J. An active educator, he teaches at local universities and hosts RTHK’s arts and culture programme The Works.

Karina Yau Mei Ying

Karina Yau Mei Ying is a dynamic percussionist and musician dedicated to exploring the vibrant and colorful world of percussion. She has been a percussionist with the Hong Kong New Music Ensemble since 2016, performing extensively across the globe.

Karina’s passion for percussion led her to the United States, where she completed her Master of Music in Percussion Performance at New York University on scholarship. During her time at NYU, she studied under renowned professors Jonathan Hass, Simon Boyar, and Eriko Daimo, and was an active member of various groups, including the Marimba, African, Steel Drum, and Contemporary Music Ensembles. 

She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Percussion Performance and Pedagogy from Hong Kong Baptist University, where she studied with Dr. Lung Heung Wing and James Boznos. A founding member of the HKBU Percussion Ensemble, she also earned a Licentiate Performance Diploma (LTCL) with distinction from Trinity College London.

Karina is particularly passionate about chamber music. In 2016, her duo "Gemini Percussion" won third prize at the International Hong Kong Percussion Convention. She currently serves as the Chairperson of Rhythmaker, a percussion group selected for Premiere Performances’ Chamber Music in Schools Programme since 2022, performing over 20 school tours annually. She is also the Chairperson of Music Pi, a group dedicated to promoting local composers through Cantonese music storytelling.

Beyond her performance career, Karina is the Director of Initial-P Percussion Studio, where she teaches and curates major percussion events in Hong Kong. As an educator, she is committed to sharing her expertise and inspiring her students to explore the boundless possibilities of music.

Marco Leung

Hong Kong-born flautist Leung Chun Yin Marco is an active performer of his generation. He has collaborated regularly with the Hong Kong New Music Ensemble as guest player in recent years. As a versatile performer, he has also curated different highly acclaimed chamber performances for various local festivals as well as performed as concerto soloist with different orchestras. Marco is currently the Music Director of Chung Chi Wind Orchestra, CUHK as well as being a dedicated music educator as conductor and chamber coach in various institutions. 

William Lane

William Lane is an Australian musician, curator, and arts administrator with a focus on Asia. In 2008, he established the Hong Kong New Music Ensemble, where he continues to serve as CEO and violist. His career spans curating major festivals and arts projects across the region, as well as performing, teaching, and advising on arts initiatives. Prior to settling in Hong Kong, he performed with Ensemble Modern and Ensemble Resonanz in Germany, as well as professional orchestras in Australia, and spent two years as a full-time member of the Hong Kong Philharmonic.

Trained at the University of Tasmania (Australia), Accademia Stauffer (Italy), and the Internationale Ensemble Modern Akademie (Germany), William is currently furthering his education with an MBA from Adelaide University (Australia). His diverse roles reflect his deep commitment to both the artistic and administrative sides of the music world.