Dr Kenneth Kwan graduated from the State University of New York at Buffalo majoring in classical guitar, conducting and music theory.
The Buffalo Evening News commented on his “sensitive” performance, Legato recorded “the audience’s enthusiastic applause reflects their delights”. As for Kwan’s conducting, the Buffalo Evening News said “the success of the performance surely owes something to Kwan’s sure-looking and persuasion with the orchestra and the music”. Kwan’s work in music theory sees him becoming an expert in the music of the internationally known Chinese American composer, what some call one of the 3 treasures of overseas Chinese, Prof Chou Wen-chung.
Kwan has taught at the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts and Chinese University of Hong Kong. He was Guest Professor and Director of International Exchange Center of the Kunming Academy of Arts. Since 2006 he has been teaching at the Guangzhou Xinghai Conservatory of Music, establishing the classical guitar department at the Orchestral Studies Department, the Middle School Attached to Xinghai Conservatory, and the Xinghai Graduate School.
He has lectured, and given masterclasses in Beijing (Central Conservatory), Shanghai (Shanghai Spring/Shanghai Conservatory of Music), Taipei (CANTAI Arts Festival), Hong Kong (Chinese Music Festival, International Guitar Forum), Suzhou (Suzhou University), Kunming (Kunming Arts Academy), Macau (Macau Academy for Performing Arts), Changsha (Changsha International Guitar Festival), Shenyang (Shenyang International Guitar Festival), Xian (Qinling International Guitar Festival), Urumqi, Hangzhou, Wuxi, Zhenjiang, Guangzhou, as well as N America (GFA Convention and Conference, Music Theory Midwest, etc).
His articles have appeared in local and overseas academic publications which include the Journal of the Central Conservatory, Chinese Music, Guitar and Lute Magazine, Soundboard Magazine, as well as writing for the Hong Kong Guitar Information Alliance’s online magazine GIA News.
He wrote and edited for the 16 volumes primary school music teaching manuals Contemporary Music Exploration, which was published by the Chinese University of Hong Kong Press. He has also contributed a chapter to Polycultural Synthesis in the Music of Chou Wen-chung, the first comprehensive survey of music by Chou Wen-chung published by Routledge.
Dr Kwan was appointed a member of the Executive Committee of the Chou Wen-chung Music Research Center at Xinghai Conservatory in November of 2018, and he was voted a new member of the Board of Trustee of the Guitar Foundation of America (GFA) in February 2019.