XN000022-1982-12-25 — Page 4

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 25, 1982

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HE EXPRESSED CONFIDENCE THAT THE INCREASING NUMBER OF STUDENTS GRADUATING FROM THE MUSIC OFFICE'S TRAINING PROGRAMMES WOULD GIVE & MAJOR IMPETUS TO THE LOCAL MUSIC SCENE.

ACCORDING TO MR WANG, THERE ARE NOW MORE CAREER OPPORTUNITIES FOR MUSICIANS IN HONG KONG, THEY MAY JOIN LOCAL ORCHESTRAS AND BANDS OR TAKE UP TEACHING POSTS. ALSO. THE MUSIC OFFICE REQUIRES LARGE NUMBERS OF HIGH-STANDARD MUSICIANS TO TRAIN STUDENTS AND ORGANISE ACTIVITIES.

THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A MUSIC DEPARTMENT AT BOTH THE UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG AND THE CHINESE UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG, AS WELL AS THE HONG KONG CONSERVATORY OF MUSIC WERE ALSO GREAT STRIDES FORWARD, HE POINTED OUT.

*WITH ALL THESE DEVELOPMENTS, THE DAY WON'T BE FAR OFF WHEN HONG KONG WILL BE PRODUCING ITS OWN MUSICIANS OF INTERNATIONAL STANDING, MR WANG PREDICTED.

FOSTERING A +CONDUCIVE ENVIRONMENT IN WHICH TALENTS CAN

BLOSSOM IS EQUALLY IMPORTANT, MR WANG EXPLAINED.

TO THIS END, THE MUSIC OFFICE IS ACTIVELY PROMOTING PUBLIC INTEREST IN MUSIC.

SO FAR THIS YEAR, IT HAS PRESENTED SOME 200 +MUSIC FOR THE MILLION+ CONCERTS TO ABOUT 120 000 PEOPLE IN SCHOOLS, COMMUNITY HALLS, PARKS AND OTHER PUBLIC VENUES,

AS PART OF THE TRAINING, THE OFFICE HAS REGULARLY BEEN ORGANISING CONCERTS FOR YOUTH BANDS AND ORCHESTRAS FORMED BY ITS OWN STUDENTS DURING THE YEAR.

THE NEXT MAJOR EVENT IS THE ANNUAL GALA CONCERT TO BE HELD ON MONDAY (DECEMBER 27) IN THE ACADEMIC COMMUNITY HALL, ABOUT 350 YOUNG TRAINEES OF THE MUSIC OFFICE WILL PARTICIPATE IN THIS CONCERT WITH A PROGRAMME OF 19 ITEMS.

TEN-YEAR-OLD MAN KEI, ONE OF THE PARTICIPANTS, PERHAPS REFLECTED THE FEELING OF MANY STUDENTS WHEN SHE SAID, + LIKE TO PERFORM TO AN AUDIENCE. THE ATTENTION AND THE APPLAUSE MAKE ME SO PROUD.+

SHE HAS BEEN LEARNING TO PLAY THE VIOLA WITH THE MUSIC OFFICE FOR TWO YEARS AND WILL KEEP ON TRAINING UNTIL SHE BECOMES + A GREAT VIOLA PLAYER+, MAN KE! SAID, HER EYES SPARKLING WITH HOPE AND EXCITEMENT.

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