TUESDAY, JUNE 19, 1984
7
+THE MUSIC OFFICE IS A UNIQUE ORGANISATION -- UNIQUE IN THE SENSE THAT IT WAS, AND PERHAPS STILL IS, THE ONLY GOVERNMENT AGENCY IN THIS REGION ENTRUSTED WITH THE ACTIVE RUNNING OF A MUSIC TRAINING PROGRAMME, MR WILLIAMSON SAID.
+ IT HAS A FULL COMPLEMENT OF WELL-QUALIFIED MUSICIANS FOR BOTH WESTERN AND CHINESE MUSIC.
+CLEARLY AN ORGANISATION SUCH AS THE MUSIC OFFICE MUST HAVE WELL-DEFINED WORK PROGRAMMES AND THESE MUST ALLOW A BALANCE BETWEEN RUNNING A TRAINING SCHEME FOR THE +MASSES+ AND IN CARING FOR THE TALENTED FEW.+
AT PRESENT IT HAS 3 300 TRAINEES IN THE TWO STREAMS AND NEW CLASSES WERE BEING PLANNED TO FILL THE REMAINING PLACES FOR A WAITING LIST OF 3 000.
AS FOR THE THIRD MEMBER OF THE DEPARTMENT, THE PERFORMING ARTS DIVISION, THE ROLE OF THIS ARM WAS TO PROVIDE SECRETARIAT SUPPORT FOR THE COUNCIL FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS AND TO ADMINISTER GOVERNMENT'S SUBVENTIONS TO PERFORMING ARTS ORGANISATIONS, HE SAID.
THE THRUST WAS TOWARDS THE DEVELOPMENT OF HONG KONG'S OWN ARTISTIC GROWTH, TOWARDS STANDARDS OF EXCELLENCE AND INNOVATION
IN THE ARTS THAT REFLECT THE ASPIRATIONS, CONCERNS AND ABILITIES OF A SOCIETY THAT HAS OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS WITNESSED THE BIRTH OF A FLOURISHING, VIBRANT AND MORE CONFIDENT ARTISTIC LIFE, HE SAID.
MR WILLIAMSON SAID THE PAD IS PRIMARILY CONCERNED WITH ENCOURAGING STANDARDS OF EXCELLENCE BY FUNDING HIGH-LEVEL TRAINING IN THE ARTS, AND SUPPORTING THE DEVELOPMENTS OF HONG KONG'S ARTS MAINLY THROUGH FUNDING INDEPENDENT PERFORMING COMPANIES.
IN SUMMING UP. THE COMMISSIONER SAID HE THOUGHT THE NEED TO SPREAD THE OPPORTUNITIES WAS THE MORE IMPORTANT SHORT TER GOAL.
HE STATED THAT HONG KONG'S SPORTSMEN WERE ACHIEVING A MEASURE OF INTERNATIONAL SUCCESS AND ITS ARTISTS WOULD HAVE A BIG BOOST WITH THE OPENING OF THE ACADEMY FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS.
+ I THINK THAT OVER THE NEXT 10 YEARS, WE SHALL BE ABLE TO SEE THE FRUITS OF OUR SPREAD+ SEEN IN A CONSIDERABLE RAISING OF STANDARDS, + MR WILLIAMSON SAID.