XN000022-1983-06-09 — Page 8

THURSDAY, JUNE 9, 1983

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PARENTAL ENCOURAGEMENT OF MUSICAL INTEREST URGED

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PARENTS SHOULD GIVE ENCOURAGEMENT AND SUPPORT TO THEIR CHILDREN WHO HAVE INED THE INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC TRAINING SCHEME

THE COMMISSIONER FOR RECREATION AND CULTURE, D TODAY (THURSDAY).

OF THE MUSIC OFFICE MR BARRIE WIGGHAM S

MR WIGGHAM, WHO WAS ADDRESSING THE ZONTA CLUB OF KOWLOON, SAID THAT WITHOUT THIS WORTHWHILE SCHEME MANY OF HONG KONG'S TALENTED YOUNG ARTISTS WOULD NOT BE DISCOVERED.

THE COMMISSIONER SAID HE HAD SEEN A NUMBER OF STUDENTS RELUCTANTLY WITHDRAW FROM TRAINING CLASSES.

+ALTHOUGH EXCUSES ARE PROVIDED, I BELIEVE IN MANY INSTANCES PARENTAL ATTITUDES ARE INVOLVED, HE SAID.

MR WIGGHAM SAID THAT A NEGATIVE PARENTAL ATTITUDE AN INSISTENCE ON THE GREATER IMPORTANCE OF OTHER ACTIVITIES RATHER THAN +IT'S ONLY MUSIC+ - COULD DETER ANY YOUNG MUSICIAN.

A POSITIVE ATTITUDE - THE PARENT WHO RECOGNISES THE IMPORTANCE OF AN EXTRA-CURRICULAR INTEREST, AND WHO IS FULLY BEHIND THE BUDDING YOUNG MUSICIAN - COULD MAKE ALL THE DIFFERENCE, HE SAID.

MR WIGGHAM ALSO DESCRIBED THE MUSIC OFFICE'S SIGNIFICANT ROLE IN INTRODUCING YOUNGSTERS TO MUSIC AND MUSIC-MAKING, AND IN BRINGING MUSIC TO THE MASSES.

HE RECALLED THAT IN 1977, THE GOVERNMENT ACCEPTED A RECOMMENDATION MADE BY A MUSIC CONSULTANT THAT INSTRUMENTAL TRAINING WAS BOTH A MEANINGFUL AND NECESSARY PROPOSITION, IF HONG KONG'S YOUNG MUSICAL TALENT WAS TO BE GIVEN PROPER DEVELOPMENT.

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THE PURPOSE OF THE INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC TRAINING SCHEME, AS THE MAIN OPERATION OF THE MUSIC OFFICE IS CALLED, IS TO GIVE INDIVIDUAL TRAINEES SOME BASIC MUSICAL SKILL AND FOR THOSE WITH GOOD MUSICAL TALENT, ORCHESTRAL TRAINING AS WELL, MR WIGGHAM SAID.

THE TARGET WAS SET AT 5 000 TRAINEES ON ALL TYPES OF WESTERN AND CHINESE ORCHESTRAL INSTRUMENTS. AND PUBLIC RESPONSE TO THE TRAINING SCHEME WAS ENCOURAGING AND POSITIVE.

+DURING THE FIVE YEARS MORE THAN 4 000 YOUNG PEOPLE HAVE RECEIVED TRAINING AT VARIOUS LEVELS, AND THE ELITE OF THIS GROUP HAVE BUILT ON THIS FOUNDATION AND HAVE FURTHERED THE IR MUSICAL EDUCATION AT THE TERTIARY LEVEL.

MR WIGGHAM SAID, MORE THAN 620 TRAINING CLASSES WERE BEING RUN ON VARIOUS TYPES OF ORCHESTRAL INSTRUMENTS, INVOLVING ALMOST 3 000 TRAINEES. THESE CLASSES, OF ONE HOUR EACH, ARE SET AT THE PRIMARY AND INTERMEDIATE LEVELS, WITH CLASS SIZES, DEPENDING ON THE MUSICAL CALIBRE OF THE STUDENTS, RANGING FROM THREE TO NINE TRAINEES.

/TALENTED TRAINEES