What hooks a six-year-old on the trombone? For Chan Sheung-yin Samson, now Bass Trombonist with the Hong Kong Sinfonietta, it all started with one thing: the slide.
“I was attracted by the trombone by the shape of it – the slide – because it’s quite different compared to the other brass instruments,” he explains with a smile during an interview on The Works, a cultural programme produced by Radio Television Hong Kong (RTHK). “The trumpet has got valves, but the trombone has this unique slide. That’s what attracted me the most.”
And it’s safe to say that early fascination has taken him a long way.
Finding a Voice Through Brass
Samson began learning the trombone in primary school, diving straight into music competitions and annual school concerts like many other beginner brass players. By secondary school, his passion had solidified into purpose.
“I was doing lots of different music-related activities all the way through high school,” he says. “I was really fortunate to be selected to participate in the Asian Youth Orchestra when I was 17.”
Touring across Asia, the United States, and Europe with the orchestra introduced Samson to a wider world of musicianship – a world filled with young talents, inspirational conductors, and world-class teachers.
“That experience really opened my eyes and confirmed that I wanted to pursue this professionally,” he reflects.
Samson’s academic path took him from Hong Kong to the UK, where he studied at the Royal Northern College of Music under Robert Holliday and Helen Vollam, before moving on to the Royal Academy of Music (RAM) in London. There, he completed a Master of Arts in Performance with distinction, while also earning a Licentiate Diploma in Teaching – all under the guidance of a star-studded faculty including Dudley Bright, Matthew Gee, Peter Moore, and Mark Templeton.
His time in the UK helped shape him not just as a performer, but also as a versatile musical communicator – comfortable in orchestras, chamber ensembles, and solo performance alike.
Back to Hong Kong – and Into the Spotlight
After his studies, Samson returned to Hong Kong, joining the prestigious Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts as a visiting student under Zachary Bond. It was there that he won the concerto competition and made his concerto debut with the Academy Symphony Orchestra.
Fast forward to the 2023/24 season, and Samson is now Bass Trombonist with the Hong Kong Sinfonietta – but his musical ambitions continue to grow.
This summer, he’s making his solo recital debut in Hong Kong, supported by the New Hong Kong Philharmonia.
“I’ve always wanted to do a recital after coming back from the UK,” he says. “I was really fortunate to be offered this opportunity.”
The programme includes romantic works by Belgian and French composers, as well as inventive transcriptions – including a movement from the Rachmaninoff Cello Sonata and a Bach Cello Suite.
And it wouldn’t be a true Samson recital without collaboration: expect trombone quartets, chamber ensembles, and even his own students joining him on stage.
“I’ll be playing some quite light-hearted and fun ensemble stuff with my friends and colleagues, and also a trombone quartet with my students,” he says. “There’s a lot of variety.”
The start of the Trombone Journey
In the orchestral world, Samson is known for his command of the bass trombone – the largest and lowest of the trombone family.
“In a standard symphony orchestra, we have three trombones: two tenor trombones and one bass trombone,” he explains. “But there are other types as well – the alto trombone, which is smaller and used in some classical works by Beethoven or Schumann, and even the contrabass trombone, which is larger still.”
There’s also the serpent, a centuries-old instrument sometimes used in sacred or early music.
“We usually use it in the church to give a more religious or sacred feeling,” he says. “It’s quite rare, but very interesting.”
Though best known for his classical playing, Samson is quick to emphasise how versatile the trombone is as an instrument.
“We usually see the trombone in symphony orchestras, but it’s also used in wind bands, brass ensembles, brass quintets, and even jazz bands,” he says. “It’s a very flexible instrument that fits into all kinds of settings.”
He’s also keen on pushing boundaries – something that was evident in his recent performance on The Works, where he performed Fanfare for Trombone by John Kenny.
Written by Scottish composer and trombonist John Kenny, Fanfare for Trombone draws inspiration from the bell sounds of St. Mary’s Cathedral in Edinburgh. It’s a solo piece designed to resonate – and in this performance, Samson did just that.
“The composer prefers it to be performed in a resonant space,” says Samson. “So for this performance, I played the trombone directly into the strings of the grand piano, with the sustain pedal held down.”
That technique – often called “sympathetic resonance” – causes the piano strings to vibrate in response to the trombone’s sound, creating a rich, cathedral-like echo.
“It’s like mimicking the resonance created by a trombone in a church. The sound kind of dances and resonates through the strings,” he explains.
The result is both haunting and uplifting – a brilliant showcase of both the instrument’s sonic possibilities and Samson’s imagination as a performer.
With orchestral work, solo recitals, and teaching all in full swing, Samson shows no signs of slowing down. He’s part of a generation of brass players helping to expand what young musicians think is possible on an instrument like the trombone.
Whether you're considering a beginner trombone like pBone or pBone mini, or you're looking to progress your brass journey further, trailblazers like Samson will be there to champion brass on the international stage.
Watch the full interview and performance
on RTHK’s The Works.
Play the fanfare for yourself with sheet music published by Warwick Music.
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