ANNUAL GALA CONCERT HKBU, HONG KONG
Live Music ReIMAGINEd
Humanoid robot Sophia made her classical music debut in Hong Kong, performing alongside the Hong Kong Baptist Symphony Orchestra in an AI-themed concert blending technology and traditional art.
Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU) Symphony Orchestra presented its Annual Gala Concert at the East Kowloon Cultural Centre on 29 April 2026. Themed “Live Music ReIMAGINEd”, the event stood out as one of the most innovative cultural highlights in the city this year.
Sophia sang three original songs, as well as the classical theme from the WuKong game, and received strong applause from the audience. Musical director at Hanson Robotics, Jovanka v. Wilsdorf, said adapting Sophia to a classical style required extensive refinement and opened new opportunities for the creative collaboration between humans and AI driven robots.
Developed by Hanson Robotics in 2016, Sophia is known for her lifelike expressions, but this marked her first performance with a live orchestra. Under the baton of Professor Johnny M. Poon, Associate Vice-President (Interdisciplinary Research), Dean of the School of Creative Arts, this year’s concert pushed creative boundaries even further. The concert also featured AI-generated visuals and hybrid performances, highlighting the growing intersection of human creativity and artificial intelligence.