XN000022-1979-08-18 — Page 2

SATURDAY, AUGUST 18, 1979

YOUTH ORCHESTRAS CONTINUE TO DRAW CROWD IN U.K.

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THE HONG KONG YOUTH SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA AND THE HONG KONG YOUTH CHINESE ORCHESTRA CONTINUE TO DRAW ENTHUSIASTIC RESPONSES FROM AUDIENCES DURING THEIR CURRENT TOUR OF THE UNITED KINGDOM.

FOLLOWING THEIR SUCCESSES IN BRISTOL AND ABERDEEN THE YOUTH CHINESE ORCHESTRA TOOK PART IN THE ORIENTAL MUSIC FESTIVAL ORGANISED BY THE UNIVERSITY OF DURHAM ON WEDNESDAY (AUGUST 15).

THE ORCHESTRA PLAYED CLASSICAL ITEMS FROM ITS REPERTOIRE DURING THE FIRST HALF OF THE CONCERT TO AN AUDIENCE THAT INCLUDED REPRESENTATIVES FROM JAPAN, KOREA, SINGAPORE, CHINA, INDONESIA AND VIETNAM. THEIR PROGRAMME INCLUDED SOLO AND ENSEMBLE PIECES FOR A VARIETY OF ANCIENT CHINESE INSTRUMENTS.

IN THE SECOND HALF OF THE PERFORMANCE THE ORCHESTRA PLAYED 20TH CENTURY COMPOSITIONS TO SHOW THE CONTRAST AND DEVELOPMENT OF CHINESE INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC.

THE ORGANISERS OF THE FESTIVAL IN DURHAM LABELLED THE HONG KONG CONTRIBUTION AS ONE OF THE MOST INTERESTING SO FAR+, AND THE ORCHESTRA HAD TO RETURN ON STAGE TWICE IN RESPONSE TO ENCORES FROM THE AUDIENCE.

AT A RECEPTION AFTER THE CONCERT, THE HONG KONG GROUP PRESENTED SOUVENIRS TO REPRESENTATIVES OF EACH OF THE COUNTRIES PRESENT, TO THE UNIVERSITY OF DURHAM AND TO THE ORGANISERS OF THE FESTIVAL.

EARLIER IN THE DAY MEMBERS OF THE ORCHESTRA PAID A COURTESY CALL ON THE MAYOR OF DURHAM.

THEY WERE SHOWN ROUND THE CHAMBERS OF THE GUILDHALL AND GIVEN, AS SOUVENIRS, FIRST DAY COVERS COMMEMORATING THE 800TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE GRANTING OF THE CHARTER FOR THE CITY. THE HONG KONG MUSIC ADMINSTRATOR, MR. GORDON SIU PRESENTED THE MAYOR WITH SOUVENIRS ON BEHALF OF THE ORCHESTRA.

LION DANCING WHICH THRILLED THE AUDIENCE, OPENED THE TWO ORCHESTRA PERFORMANCES IN EDINBURGH ON AUGUST 10-15. THE LIONS SALUTED THE LORD PROVOST OF EDINBURGH WHO ATTENDED THE PERFORMANCE WITH OTHER CIVIC LEADERS FROM THE CITY,

THE CHINESE ORCHESTRA PERFORMED A SELECTION OF ANCIENT AND MODERN CHINESE MUSIC, AND THE YOUTH SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA, UNDER THE BATON OF DAVID STONE, MUSIC CONSULTANT, ENDED THE CONCERT WITH A ROUSING INTERPRETATION OF WALTON'S HENRY V SUITE.

THE 165 MUSICIANS ATTENDED A RECEPTION GIVEN BY THE LORD PROVOST OF EDINBURGH ON AUGUST 15. ON BEHALF OF THE ORCHESTRA, THE MUSIC ADMINISTRATOR PRESENTED A SOUVENIR TO THE LOPD PROVOST, AND PASSED ON THE GREETINGS OF THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG.

MEANWHILE,