Chee Man Tang, Michael

Chee Man Tang, Michael

Department of Theology and Religion
Doctoral researcher

Contact details

PhD title: Searching for God in popular music: the hidden divine spirit in the Icelandic post rock band - Sigur Rós
Supervisor: Professor David Cheetham
Home country: Hong Kong
PhD Theology and Religion

Qualifications

  • Master of Theological Studies, The Chinese University of Hong Kong (2012)
  • Master of Christian Studies, The Chinese University of Hong Kong  (2009)
  • Bachelor of Art in Cultural Studies, Macquarie University (2007)
  • Macquarie Christian Studies Institute (2007)

Biography

I have always been interested in the arts and very keen in participating in, sharing and communicating the contemporary music culture. My music career started as a music festival curator in a mountain of the 2012 Shan Zhai Music Festival (山寨音樂). After establishing an excellent reputation among local bands, I decided to become a music editor and columnist. In 2015, I joined a cultural magazine where I was responsible for writing music news, artist interviews and feature stories about the future development of Hong Kong Music. In 2016, I curated four sets of rooftop music festivals by sourcing a crowdfunding campaign. Long a staple of my music journey, it triggers my desire and interest to produce new sounds without losing Avant-grade ethos. After quitting my job in Warner Music Hong Kong, I published my book about Rock music, theology and my spiritual journey 《道成搖滾》 in the Hong Kong Book Fair 2019. It should be a pioneer project to bombard the whole Asia region theological circle. And I release my EP named “3 steps to Cyber Heaven“ and was featured by the world’s biggest electronic music magazine – “Mixmag.asia”.  I aim to become the first Christian theologian by producing experimental electronica. My unusual soundscapes, heavy dark beats and aggressive negative emotions come from the dark side of my faith. I believe that the experiential and ambient sound design is the key to experience heaven itself.

Research

Music is everywhere and its architectural creation enhances human sense of sensibility. Its omnipresence is itself a reminder of the presence of God in the real world and precisely provides the significance resonance for the human sense of sensibility, primarily reflecting socio-cultural identity in all geographic regions. The genuine meaning of music reshapes time, space and motion as a creational theology in theological discourse. Sometimes, music presents the meaning of life to human nature beyond all institutional religions as a mysterious truth. Because musical listening creates an affective space, and the breakthrough of musical resonance develops a bridge between the divine and human. In this light, the presence of God potentially reveals itself as a general revelation in music, and the resonance of music becomes an indescribable vehicle between the divine and human.

Other activities

  • Member of Hong Kong music critics
  • Music columnist in City magazine (號外)

Publications