Summary
George Tsz-Kwan Lam is a teaching assistant professor of music theory and the Music Theory Coordinator at the University of Nevada, Reno.
As a composer, Lam’s recent works focus on the idea of musical placemaking—creating, situating and performing music in the context of a place and its communities. His current project, Passage, comprises a new oral history archive and a geolocation-enabled musical work highlighting voices from Hong Kong’s ethnic minority communities. Passage was awarded a 2022–23 General Research Fund grant from the Research Grants Council of the University Grants Committee of Hong Kong. Previous musical placemaking projects include The Emigrants (2018), commissioned by the percussion-cello duo New Morse Code, featuring stories from emigrant musicians living and working in Queens, New York City; and Family Association (2022), commissioned by Music At The Anthology and University Settlement, which showcased stories from Chinese American communities within the context of an interactive soundwalk in Manhattan’s Chinatown. Family Association was featured in a national broadcast on National Public Radio’s Morning Edition.
George Tsz-Kwan Lam has also created works for the stage. Lam’s 2014 operatic adaptation of Ross McElwee’s film Sherman’s March is featured as part of McElwee’s 2026 film Remake. In 2018, Lam served as composer-in-residence for the Chautauqua Opera Company, which premiered three works composed for the company and commissioned by American Opera Projects. His operatic and vocal works have been performed by Atlanta Opera, Marble City Opera, White Snake Projects, and American Opera Projects. In 2024, Lam composed an original score for Jovani Lugo’s production of Night of the Living Dead™ Live at Good Luck Macbeth Theatre Company.
In addition to his work as a composer, George Tsz-Kwan Lam also has leadership experience in arts-focused nonprofit organizations. Lam serves on the board of directors of the nonprofit organization Live Music Project and is a founding member of the new opera ensemble Rhymes With Opera. Lam previously served as assistant director of Nevada Humanities, and he represented Nevada in Creative West’s 2024–25 National Leaders of Color Fellowship Program.
Prior to joining the faculty at the University of Nevada, Reno School of Music in 2026, George Tsz-Kwan Lam was associate professor of music at Hong Kong Baptist University and assistant professor of music at York College, The City University of New York.
Areas of specialization
- Music theory
- Music theory pedagogy
- Composition
Courses taught
- Music Theory
- Aural Skills
- Graduate Music Theory Seminar
Education
- Ph.D., Music Composition, Duke University, 2011
- M.Mus, Music Theory Pedagogy and Music Composition, Peabody Conservatory of Music, 2005
- B.Mus, Music Education and Music Composition, Boston University, 2003