XN000022-1983-08-13 — Page 7

SATURDAY, AUGUST 13, 1983

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CURTAIN FALLS ON 1983 MUSIC CAMP

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GRAND FINALE CONCERT WAS HELD AT THE CITY HALL THIS EVENING, MARKING THE CLOSE OF THE FOURTH ANNUAL HONG KONG YOUTH MUSIC CAMP.

THE ACTING GOVERNOR, SIR PHILIP HADDON-CAVE, AND LADY HADDON-CAVE ATTENDED THE CONCERT WHICH WAS PERFORMED BEFORE A FULL-HOUSE AUDIENCE BY MORE THAN 500 MUSICIANS, INCLUDING SOME FROM AUSTRALIA, JAPAN, MACAU AND THE UNITED KINGDOM,

THE YOUNG MUSICIANS HAVE COMPLETED AN INTENSIVE MUSIC TRAINING PROGRAMME AT THE TWO-WEEK CAMP ORGANISED BY THE MUSIC OFFICE OF THE RECREATION AND CULTURE DEPARTMENT.

THE ACTING COMMISSIONER FOR RECREATION AND CULTURE,

MR CLIVE OXLEY, SAID THAT THE CONCERT REPRESENTED THE CULMINATION OF TWO WEEKS DEDICATED WORK BY INSTRUCTORS AND CAMPERS,

+SINCE NEARLY 600 YOUNG PEOPLE HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN THE CAMP. EITHER ON A RESIDENTIAL OR ON DAY BASIS, WE HAVE GIVEN ALL OF THEM THE OPPORTUNITY TO PERFORM IN PUBLIC, HE SAID.

COMMENTING ON THE OVERSEAS MUSICIANS, MR OXLEY SAID THAT THE COMMITMENT AND PROFESSIONALISM OF THESE GUEST CONDUCTORS AND INSTRUCTORS HAD PRODUCED A REMARKABLE CATALYTIC EFFECT ON ALL THE PARTICIPANTS BOTH CAMPERS AND STAFF OF THE MUSIC OFFICE.

HE POINTED OUT THAT THE MUSIC CAMP ACCOUNTED FOR A SIGNIFICANT OUTLAY OF PUBLIC FUNDS EARMARKED FOR SUMMER YOUTH PROGRAMME ACTIVITIES.

*WITH THE INEVITABLE IMPROVEMENT IN STANDARDS BY PARTICIPANTS IN THE CAMP, IT HAS CLEARLY BEEN MONEY WELL SPENT, MR OXLEY ADDED.

THE TWO-AND-A-HALF-HOUR CONCERT THIS EVENING INCLUDED FIVE CHINESE TUNES PLAYED BY THE MUSIC CAMP CHINESE ORCHESTRA UNDER THE BATON OF XIA FEI-YUN, GUEST CONDUCTOR FROM CHINA.

THE PROGRAMME ALSO INCLUDED PERFORMANCES BY THE MUSIC CAMP STRING ORCHESTRA, THE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA AND COMBINED YOUTH CHOIR CONDUCTED BY CHRISTOPHER MARTIN FROM AUSTRALIA,

SOPRANO ELLA KIANG, ALTO CYNTHIA YIM, TENOR WONG FANG AND BASS MALCOLM BARNETT ALSO PERFORMED IN THE CONCERT.