RECREATION AND THE ARTS
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To celebrate the opening, the academy co-presented three major seasons in dance, drama and music. These were: the Glyndebourne Festival Opera Company performing Mozart's Don Giovanni and Britten's Midsummer Night's Dream; Beijing People's Art Theatre performing Teahouse and the Cloudgate Taipei Contemporary Dance Theatre in Legacy. All events were shown to packed houses and received excellent reviews.
About 3 000 applications for admission in September were received by the four schools of dance, drama, music and technical arts. After extensive selection procedures a total of 153 students were enrolled in the academy for 1986–7, 48 in dance, 30 in drama, 45 in music and 30 in technical arts.
Another highlight of the year was the International Festival of Dance Academies held between July 21 and 25. In an unprecedented event in dance history, representatives of eight of the world's principal dance academies, four from Asia and four from Western countries, came together to present a series of performances and to attend master classes given by directors and teachers from the different schools. More than 200 dance students benefited from this week of cultural exchange programme.
An event of far-reaching significance was the First Contemporary Chinese Composers Festival held between June 23 and 29 and jointly presented with the Institute for Promotion of Chinese Culture, in which Chinese composers from many parts of the world met for discussions and concerts. More than 30 new works by Hong Kong and overseas Chinese composers were premiered at the festival.
The academy welcomed some 5 000 visitors to see the facilities, mainly overseas guests and groups from local organisations and schools.
As part of the wide-ranging outreach programmes, extramural courses and perform- ances were given by staff and students.
Music Office
The Music Office continued to run its regular annual programme. Under the Instrumental Music Training Scheme, weekly instrumental classes for both Western and Chinese music were held for some 4 000 students, aged from six to 23, in 700 classes at the eight music centres throughout Hong Kong. From April 1, the nominal fees of $10 and $20 per month were increased to $20 and $40 per month respectively. To supplement instrumental tuition, aural and theory training classes were organised and 30 exceptionally talented trainees were given individual tuition.
In addition to instrumental training, the Music Office also provides orchestral training for its trainees who have reached an acceptable standard. In 1986, the Music Office managed one youth symphony orchestra, five youth string orchestras, five youth Chinese orchestras, six youth symphonic bands, and one children's symphonic band. The office also has two instructors' orchestras, one Chinese and one Western, and two choirs. Whenever possible, the youth orchestras, bands and choirs are given the opportunity to perform with visiting world renowned musicians and conductors as well as orchestras and bands.
The Music Office organises an international music exchange programme to foster international understanding and to widen young musicians' horizons. In August, the Hong Kong Youth Chinese Orchestra visited Singapore for seven days while the Hong Kong Youth Symphonic Band visited Japan for 12 days. The Hong Kong Youth Chinese Orchestra, which comprised 75 members and seven officials, performed at the Victoria Concert Hall as well as other locations such as schools and the university in Singapore. The Hong Kong Youth Symphonic Band, comprising 55 members and six officials, gave performances in Matsumoto, Toyama, Takayama, Nagoya, Hamamatsu, Chiba and