TUESDAY, MARCH 19, 1985
ORCHESTRA GAINS WORLDWIDE RECOGNITION
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THE HONG KONG PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA HAS GAINED WORLDWIDE RECOGNITION AS A PROFESSIONAL ORCHESTRA AND HAS SUCCEEDED IN BRINGING THE SOUND OF MUSIC TO VIRTUALLY EVERY CORNER OF THE TERRITORY, THE VICE-CHAIRMAN OF THE URBAN COUCNIL MR GERALD FORSGATE SAID THIS (TUESDAY) EVENING.
SPEAKING AT AN URBAN COUNCIL RECEPTION TO MARK THE 10TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE ORCHESTRA, MR FORSGATE SAID THAT WITH THE INTRODUCTION OF ITS POP AND COMMUNITY CONCERTS, THE PHILHARMONIC IS NOW PLAYING FOR LARGER AND MORE APPRECIATIVE AND ENTHUSIASTIC AUDIENCES.
+THE 1983-84 SEASON SAW AN INCREASE OF ALMOST 300 PER CENT IN THE PHILHARMONIC'S AUDIENCE OVER THE PREVIOUS SEASON, + HE NOTED, ADDING THAT SOME 231 000 PEOPLE ATTENDED LAST SEASON'S CONCERTS AND THAT INCOME FROM TICKET SALES ALSO DOUBLED THAT OF THE PREVIOUS SEASON.
NOTING THAT THE URBAN COUNCIL HAS REMAINED THE PHILHARMONIC'S CHIEF SPONSOR SINCE ITS DEBUT AS HONG KONG'S FIRST PROFESSIONAL ORCHESTRA, MR FORSGATE HOPED THAT THE COUNCIL AND THE ORCHESTRA WILL CONTINUE TO SHARE CLOSER AND STRONGER RELATIONS AND WILL JOIN HANDS IN BRINGING PRIDE AND JOY TO THE LOCAL POPULATION.
HE IS CONFIDENT THE ORCHESTRA WILL BRING MUSIC TO AN EVER-GROWING CIRCLE OF ENTHUSIASTS AS PLANS ARE UNDERWAY TO EXP AND THE COMMUNITY CONCERT PROGRAMME.
+ SPECIAL ATTENTION WILL BE PAID TO STUDENTS, HE SAID. +IT IS PLEASING TO NOTE THAT SOME 17 000 STUDENTS ATTENDED THE FREE PHILHARMONIC SCHOOL CONCERTS DURING THE LAST SEASON.
MR FORSGATE ALSO PRAISED MEMBERS OF THE ORCHESTRA FOR +TAKING ON THE NOBLE CAUSE OF PASSING ON THEIR MUSICAL SKILLS AND TALENTS TO OUR YOUNG BUDDING MUSICI ANS+.
+THEY HAVE GENEROUSLY DEVOTED THEIR LEISURE TIME TO TEACHING AT THE MUSIC OFFICE. THE HONG KONG CONSERVATORY OF MUSIC AND THE ACADEMY FOR PERFORMING ARTS, THUS PLAYING A VALUABLE ROLE IN THE TRAINING OF HONG KONG'S YOUNG MUSICIANS, HE SAID.
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