RECREATION AND THE ARTS
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members, chaired by the Commissioner for Recreation and Culture, administers and monitors the fund. By the end of 1984, grants and scholarships totalling $6 million had been paid from the fund: 86 scholarships have enabled young Hong Kong people to study music and dance in Hong Kong or abroad, and 680 grants have been given for related purposes such as the purchase of musical instruments and the staging of special events.
Hong Kong Chorus
The Hong Kong Chorus was established by the Urban Council in 1982 and its repertoire includes Chinese and Western choral works, operatic works, and popular show tunes. During the year, the chorus gave 13 concerts which were attended by 10 750 people. In addition, it performed Beethoven's Ninth Symphony with the visiting Amsterdam Philharmonic Orchestra.
Festival of Asian Arts
The Ninth Festival of Asian Arts, presented by the Urban Council, was held for 18 days in October and November. Ten groups and a soloist from the Asian-Pacific region were invited to perform both traditional and contemporary works and they gave 24 indoor performances and 13 free outdoor performances. The various local groups participating in the festival gave 32 indoor performances.
Three exhibitions - Hong Kong Design Exhibition 1984, Ceramics of the Qing Dynasty and Tung Lung Fort were held during the festival as well as a number of lectures and demonstrations.
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Hong Kong Arts Festival
In 12 years the Hong Kong Arts Festival has established itself as the major event of its kind in Asia and the 1984 festival was one of the most exciting and successful. More than 100 performances in the four-week programme attracted over 90 per cent capacity audiences to events featuring both international and local performers.
As usual, the Arts Festival included all the performing arts with orchestral concerts by the Pittsburgh Symphony, the Hong Kong Philharmonic and the Israel Chamber Orchestra; chamber music by the Beaux Art Trio from America, the Tokyo Quartet and Atrium Musicae de Madrid; dance was represented by the Washington Ballet and the Mario Maya's Flamenco Dance Company, while theatre featured the Actors Touring Company (London), the Hong Kong Repertory Theatre and the Chung Ying Theatre Company. Of particular interest was a symposium and exhibition on 20th Century Chinese Painting which attracted scholars from around the world and a week of Early Chinese Cinema featuring over 30 pre-1939 films.
Hong Kong Festival Fringe
The Hong Kong Festival Fringe is an open festival that features performances and art exhibitions of all kinds, and in which participation is non-selective and self-financed. It takes place every year at about the same time as the Hong Kong Arts Festival. A Fringe Club has been set up for artists to meet, rehearse and perform in an informal atmosphere.
New Territories Arts Festivals
The Sixth Tsuen Wan Arts Festival, jointly organised by the Tsuen Wan District Board, the Tsuen Wan Culture and Recreation Co-ordinating Association and the Cultural Services Department, ran for 32 days. The Fourth Yuen Long Arts Festival, jointly organised by the