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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
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(a) What are the actual arrangements in packing, moving and loading of instruments, and why?
(b) Are the musicians responsible for packing, moving and loading of musical instruments paid for this specific work which is outside their contract?
(c) Should this arrangement be reviewed and should the Orchestra create 2 to 3 posts responsible for packing, moving and loading of musical instruments?
MR. PAO Ping-wing, Chairman of the Culture Select Committee, replied as follows (in Cantonese):-The questions raised by Miss WONG is neither related to policy making nor a public service issue. It is an internal administrative matter of the orchestra. The answers to the four questions are as follows:
(a) The arrangement for the transportation of musical instruments to be done by the players of the Orchestra can be dated back since the formation of the Orchestra in 1977. At present a total of 16 players are responsible for transportation of musical instruments. The arrangement has been well thought out in the past and there are some merits to such an arrangement. They are firstly, the procedures of packing instruments in cases are quite complex and the Orchestra cannot afford to see wrong procedures in the process, otherwise damage would be done easily in the course of transportation. It is relatively safer for the musicians to take up this responsibility because they are experienced in the handling of instruments. Secondly, certain instruments such as Sheng, Zheng, Gehu are delicate, prone to damage or rarely available in Hong Kong (such as Bass Sheng, Bass Suona, Bass Guan, etc), careful handling of the instruments is a must. On this basis, it is a professional job that should be handled by musicians, Thirdly, unlike other western orchestras, the percussion instruments used in a Chinese Orchestra are diverse, and may vary with each and every performance. If the packing of musical instrument is handled by people other than players of the Orchestra, there is a greater chance of wrong packing of instrument, resulting in rehearsals and performance being adversely affected.
(b) It is stipulated in the Employment Contract of Players that those players who take up the responsibility of musical instrument transportation assignment are entitled to Additional Responsibility Allowance. In the Orchestra, two contract musicians are assigned to act as co-ordinator for the transportation of musical instruments. Such musicians who are co-ordinators and also help in the packing of instruments, they are invited to join or take part on a voluntary basis. They are invited to take part by notice and each time they will elect their own co-ordinator to oversee the whole transportation process.
(c) As mentioned above, the duty of transportation of musical instruments by the players of the Orchestra is stipulated in their Employment Contracts. Therefore, in carrying out this kind of duty, players are entitled to employees' compensation if they sustain injuries.
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