XN000022-1982-05-25 — Page 7

TUESDAY, MAY 25, 1982

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BIG EXPANSION OF MUSIC ACTIVITIES SEEN

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CONSIDERABLE EXPANSION OF MUSIC ACTIVITIES IN ALL DISTRICTS IS EXPECTED IN THE 1980'S, THE MUSIC ADMINISTRATOR, MR CLIVE OXLEY SAID TODAY (TUESDAY).

MR OXLEY WAS SPEAKING AT A DINNER MEETING OF THE LIONS CLUB OF THE NEW TERRITORIES.

MR OXLEY EXPLAINED THE OBJECTIVES OF THE MUSIC OFFICE AND THE WAY HE SAW THE HONG KONG MUSIC SCENE CHANGING DURING THE 1980'S FROM THE STANDPOINT OF THE MUSIC OFFICE.

THE OBJECTIVES OF THE MUSIC OFFICE WERE THREEFOLD :

FIRSTLY TO RUN AN INSTRUMENTAL TRAINING PROGRAMME,

SECONDLY TO PROMOTE AN INTEREST IN MUSIC ESPECIALLY AMONG THE YOUNG, AND

THIRDLY TO ENCOURAGE AND ASSIST IN ORGANISING MUSIC ACTIVITIES IN ALL DISTRICTS.

HE SAID THAT THE FORMATION OF DISTRICT BOARDS THROUGHOUT THE TERRITORY WOULD GIVE CONSIDERABLE IMPETUS TO THE STAGING OF DISTRICT CULTURAL EVENTS FEATURING DISTRICT GROUPS.

THE ROLE OF THE MUSIC OFFICE, MR OXLEY STRESSED, WAS TO ADVISE AND ASSIST, NOT TO CREATE AND MAINTAIN, WHILE THE DISTRICT BOARDS WERE EXPECTED TO FIND THE FUNDS AND PROVIDE THE PROFESSIONAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE PERSONNEL THEMSELVES TO SUPPORT THE CULTURAL ACTIVITIES IN THEIR DISTRICTS.

MR OXLEY CITED THE NEED FOR TRAINED STAFF IN CHORAL ACTIVITY AND SAID HE HAD BEEN PURSUING WITH THE GOVERNMENT'S CHORAL ADVISER, SIR DAVID WILLCOCKS, THE PROPOSAL TO ESTABLISH A COURSE FOR THE TRAINING OF CHOIR TRAINERS.

THE CHORAL TRAINING COURSE WILL INCLUDE A SECTION FOR POTENTIAL ACCOMPANISTS, HE ADDED.

HE SAID THE MUSIC OFFICE SHOULD EXPAND FROM THE PRESENT FOUR OFFICES TO PROVIDE A PRESENCE IN ALL 18 OF THE CITY AND NEW TERRITORIES DISTRICTS.

MR OXLEY SUGGESTED THAT CONSIDERATION BE GIVEN TO HOSTING

AN INTERNATIONAL MUSIC COMPETITION.

+THERE ARE ALREADY MANY SUCH COMPETITIONS WHICH ATTRACT WORLD-WIDE INTEREST, AND PERHAPS THE TIME HAS COME FOR HONG KONG TO ENTER THE SCENE,+ HE SAID,

/THE ANNUAL

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