XN000022-1985-08-06 — Page 15

TUESDAY, AUGUST 6, 1985

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YOUTH ORCHESTRA, ENSEMBLE TO TOUR CHINA

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SIXTY TALENTED YOUNG MUSICIANS WILL HAVE THE CHANCE TO ENHANCE THE IR STANDARD OF PERFORMANCE AND WIDEN THEIR MUSICAL HORIZON WHEN THEY PERFORM IN CHINA FOR THE FIRST TIME NEXT WEEK.

LED BY MUSIC ADMINISTRATOR AND TOUR DIRECTOR, MRS DORIS HO, THE DELEGATION WILL COMPRISE 10 OFFICIALS FROM THE MUNICIPAL SERVICES BRANCH'S MUSIC OFFICE, 49 MEMBERS OF THE HONG KONG YOUTH SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA AND 11 HONG KONG YOUTH CHINESE MUSIC ENSEMBLE MEMBERS.

ANNOUNCING DETAILS OF THE TOUR TODAY (TUESDAY), MRS HO SAID ORCHESTRAL MEMBERS, AGED BETWEEN 13 AND 26, WERE SELECTED THROUGH OPEN AUDITION AND HAVE JUST COMPLETED TWO WEEKS OF INTENSIVE TRAINING BY OVERSEAS CONDUCTORS AND INSTRUCTORS AT THE RECENT 1985 HONG KONG YOUTH MUSIC CAMP.

MRS HO SAID THE HONG KONG YOUTH SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA AND THE HONG KONG YOUTH CHINESE MUSIC ENSEMBLE WILL BE GIVING TWO PUBLIC PERFORMANCES AT THE SHANGHAI CONCERT HALL ON AUGUST 11 AND AT THE NATIONALITIES PALACE IN BEIJING ON AUGUST 14.

+THEY WILL ALSO BE PARTICIPATING IN PERFORMANCES WITH CHINESE CULTURAL GROUPS AND VISIT CULTURAL ORGANISATIONS IN SHANGHAI AND BEIJING DURING THE 10-DAY TOUR+, SHE SAID.

EXPLAINING THE VALUE AND PURPOSE OF OVERSEAS TOURS, MRS HO SAID IT WAS PART OF THE MUSIC OFFICE'S INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC TRAINING SCHEME AND WAS ONE OF ITS IMPORTANT ANNUAL EVENTS.

APART FROM EXCHANGING MUSICAL IDEAS, OVERSEAS TOURS PROVIDED YOUNG MUSICIANS WITH THE OPPORTUNITY TO PERFORM AS WELL AS RECEIVE HIGH INTERNATIONAL TUITION, SHE POINTED OUT.

SINCE 1978-80, THE MUSIC OFFICE HAD CONDUCTED TOURS TO FRANCE, ISRAEL, CYPRUS, JAPAN, AUSTRALIA AND THE UNITED KINGDOM. +HONG KONG CAN DEMONSTRATE THE MUSICAL ACHIEVEMENT OF ITS YOUNG PEOPLE TO AN INTERNATIONAL AUDIENCE, MRS HO SAID.

THE PROGRAMME SELECTED FOR THE CHINA TOUR, COMPRISING 25 PIECES (WESTERN AND CHINESE), WILL INCLUDE THE COMPOSITIONS OF HONG KONG COMPOSERS, MR DOMING LAM AND MR LAW WING-FAI, WHO WROTE A SPECIALLY COMMISSIONED PIECE CALLED 'DRUNKEN TAI BAI', WHICH WILL HAVE ITS PREMIERE IN SHANGHAI.

THE GROUP WILL RETURN ON AUGUST 19.

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