Opus 158

Hong Kong Baptist College was founded in 1956 by the Baptist Convention of Hong Kong as a post-secondary college committed to the provision of whole-person education. It gained university status in 1994. Today, Hong Kong Baptist University encompasses seven Faculties/Schools offering a wide range of undergraduate programs, as well as post-graduate programs leading to the award of master and doctoral degrees. It is one of Asia’s finest institutions of higher education.

The newly-built Jockey Club Campus of Creativity (JC3) is a cutting-edge facility and home to C. B. Fisk Opus 158. The building includes a multi-purpose Activity Room to serve as a gathering place for students, a recital venue for small ensembles, and an organ teaching, practice, and recital studio.

Opus 158 is a three-manual, 33-stop instrument whose tonal design is at once historically informed and broadly eclectic. Students have at their disposal authentic sounds from 18th-century Germany as well as 18th- and 19th-century France. These tonal resources are accessed via a responsive and reliable carbon-fiber-based tracker key action. The stop action is a dual mechanical and electric solenoid arrangement; a combination action, including sequencer, was provided by Solid State Organ Systems. In addition, the organ features a wind-driven Cymbelstern and a Rossignol. Manual wind pressure is 2¼” water column, Pedal pressure, 3″. The temperament is Fisk II.

Opus 159, installed in a ground floor studio, is a companion practice organ whose console and stop list were conceived to simulate that of the larger instrument, providing a valuable resource for students and faculty.

Case ornamentation for Opus 158 was conceived by Hong Kong native Eric Lau. His innovative metal pipe shade design complements the quartersawn white oak case and echoes the undulating walls of the room. Lau also designed a geometric pattern based on the HKBU logo; it is engraved onto the console surround as well as the tall black panels flanking the case.

HKBU’s procurement of this organ represents more than an enhancement of the university’s musical resources; it signifies a broader commitment to cultivating a vibrant pipe organ culture in Hong Kong. We hope the opportunities for teaching and performance that Opus 158 offers will both elevate the standard of musical education at HKBU and enrich the cultural fabric of Hong Kong.