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WEDNESDAY, JULY 27, 1983
FOR SCHOOLS WHICH COULD NOT OFFER MUSIC AT THE CERTIFICATE OF EDUCATION AND ABOVE, A CENTRALISED SCHEME OF MUSIC TEACHING HAD BEEN STARTED AND POLICY APPROVAL SECURED TO EXPAND IT TO TAKE PUPILS THROUGH FORM SIX MUSIC COURSES. A PROPOSAL HAD ALSO BEEN MADE TO THE HONG KONG EXAMINATIONS AUTHORITY FOR A LOCAL ADVANCED LEVEL EXAMINATION OF MUSIC, AND IF APPROVED IT WAS HOPED THAT THE PRESENT CENTRALISED SCHEME WOULD BE EXPANDED FURTHER TO PREPARE STUDENTS FOR THE EXAMINATION.
IF ACADEMIC STUDY OF MUSIC IN SCHOOLS AND POST-SECONDARY INSTITUTIONS WAS LIMITED BY SMALL NUMBERS, THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR MUSIC EDUCATION OUTSIDE THE FORMAL SYSTEM WERE ENORMOUS, MR HAYE SAID.
THE ROYAL SCHOOLS OF MUSIC EXAMINATIONS THIS YEAR HAD ATTRACTED NEARLY 26 000 ENTRIES, OF WHICH NEARLY 2 000 WERE AT SENIOR LEVELS.
THE HONG KONG SCHOOLS' MUSIC FESTIVAL HAD ATTRACTED 57 000 COMPETITORS IN 70 CATEGORIES MAKING IT THE BIGGEST THING OF ITS KIND IN THE WORLD.
AND MR HAYE DESCRIBED AS +PHENOMENAL+ THE SUCCESS OF THE GOVERNMENT MUSIC OFFICE IN PROMOTING INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC AND DISTRICT YOUTH ORCHESTRAS. THE JING YING YOUTH ORCHESTRA SELECTED BY OPEN COMPETITION HAD JUST TAKEN THIRD PLACE IN A PRESTIGIOUS INTERNATIONAL MUSIC FESTIVAL IN WALES.
+BOTH THE SCHOOLS' MUSIC FESTIVAL AND THE MUSIC OFFICE WERE INITIATIVES OF THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT,+ MR HAYE SAID, ADDING HE AND HIS OFFICERS WERE PLAYING AN ACTIVE ROLE IN THE PLANNING OF THE ACADEMY FOR PERFORMING ARTS.
HE ALSO SAID THAT IT WAS IMPORTANT TO PRESERVE BALANCE AND PERSPECTIVE IN LOOKING AT MUSIC EDUCATION, WHICH WAS MORE THAN PREPARATION FOR EXAMINATIONS IN CLASSROOMS.
+THERE IS A GREAT DEAL OF HEALTHY AND ENJOYABLE MUSIC EDUCATION GOING ON OUTSIDE THE CLASSROOM, WHERE THE EMPHASIS ON PERFORMANCE DOES NOT PRECLUDE MUSIC LITERACY.
+THE ENTHUSIASM AND SUCCESS OF OUR TENS OF THOUSANDS OF YOUNG PERFORMERS IS SOMETHING WE SHOULD BE PROUD OF AND NEVER FORGET IN ANY MUSIC DEBATE, MR HAYE CONCLUDED.
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