Difficulty: Challenger (Level 2)
Amanda Leung Tsz-kiu is a 17-year-old student at Diocesan Girls’ School, but she is also a world champion.
Last year, Amanda did something amazing. She travelled all the way to Germany for the World Harmonica Festival and won the top prize in the Solo Adult category.
This festival is a huge deal. People call it the “Olympics” of the harmonica world because it only happens every four years. Hundreds of the best musicians from all over the world travel to the German town of Trossingen to compete.
In 2025, Hong Kong sent its biggest delegation ever, with more than 150 players. But Amanda stood out. She made history by becoming the first female player from Hong Kong – and the youngest ever – to win the solo title in the adult division.
Staying cool under pressure
You might think Amanda was super nervous, but she stayed very calm.
“I just kept reminding myself that when I went up to accept the award, I had to remember to smile,” she recalled.
Amanda didn’t just play alone. She also teamed up with her teacher, Kelvin Leung Shing-hei, to compete in the Duet Adult category. Together, they won third place.
Leung said they made a great team because they were very different. He plays with a lot of emotion, while Amanda is very calm and precise.
Why is Amanda so good at staying calm? Amanda said she used logic to help her understand music.
Her teacher said this helped Amanda focus on playing the notes perfectly without getting distracted by the crowd.
It wasn’t always easy, though. Amanda used to struggle to make her music loud enough. To fix this, she travelled to Japan to train with a famous harmonica master. The hard work paid off just in time for the competition.
A message for young musicians
Amanda’s teacher has an important message for all students. Leung warned that you shouldn’t learn an instrument just to get good grades or to get into a good university.
He said he had seen children cry over small mistakes because they were too worried about winning. If you only care about winning, you will be sad when you lose, he said.
“But if your goal is to move the audience with your music, that will push you to improve,” Leung shared.
The Hong Kong Harmonica Association is holding a concert at Hong Kong City Hall on February 8.
