Amanda Leung Tsz-kiu, a Form Six student at Diocesan Girls’ School, made history last month when she was crowned champion in the Chromatic Harmonica Solo (Adult Category) at the World Harmonica Festival in Germany.
Held from October 30 to November 1, the festival is often dubbed the “Olympics” of the harmonica world. The event originated in the 1950s in the German town of Trossingen and takes place every four years, attracting hundreds of elite competitors from around the globe.
This year, the Hong Kong Harmonica Association sent its largest-ever delegation, with more than 150 representatives. Among them was the 17-year-old Amanda, who became the first female player from Hong Kong – and the youngest ever – to win the solo title in the adult division.
Despite the magnitude of the moment, the GCE A-levels candidate remained grounded when her name was announced.
“I just kept reminding myself that when I went up to accept the award, I had to remember to smile,” she recalled.
In addition to her solo victory, Amanda teamed up with her teacher, professional harmonicist Kelvin Leung Shing-hei, to compete in the Duet Adult category, where the pair secured third place.
The competition showcased the partnership between Amanda and her teacher. Leung described their duet as a mix of opposites: his expressive style complementing her calm precision.
“This combination was interesting, like seeing another version of myself,” said Leung.
Amanda attributes her onstage stability to her personality and academic interests. A student with a passion for physics, she approached music with logic and rationality rather than raw emotion alone.
Her teacher, Leung, noted that this calm demeanour allowed her to block out distractions and focus on the technical requirements of the score, even under the high pressure of an international competition.
Despite her talent, Amanda has faced physical hurdles. Her muscle development limited her volume, which restricted her choice of songs.
To address this, she travelled to Japan with her family during the summer holidays for three days of intensive training with renowned harmonica master Yasuo Watani. The training helped her improve her technique and confidence just in time for the festival.
Amanda plans to study Physics at university but intends to continue her musical journey, hoping to collaborate with different instruments in the future.
The Hong Kong Harmonica Association will hold a celebration concert on February 8, 2026, at Hong Kong City Hall.
Despite the success of the local delegates, Leung warned against the trend of using music solely as a tool for academic advancement.
He noted that because the harmonica lacks a traditional grading system like the piano, competitions are often the only metric for success. However, he described this as a “double-edged sword”.
“Some parents view the harmonica as merely an ‘entry ticket’ for university admission,” Leung said, explaining that this mindset adds unnecessary pressure on students. He recalled witnessing a primary school student crying uncontrollably after a minor mistake, terrified of the results.
“If you win once, but lose the next time, you might feel empty and give up,” Leung advised. “But if your goal is to move the audience with your music, that will push you to improve.”
