ENG-1993 — Page 411

SEE

RECREATION, SPORTS AND THE ARTS

For the smaller civic centres, an 800-seat auditorium and ancillary function rooms are provided.

Music Office

The Music Office, a part of the Recreation and Culture Branch, plays an active role in providing instrumental music instruction and promoting interest in music among young people.

The Instrumental Music Training Scheme is open to young people between six and 23 years of age. Over 600 training classes in both Western and Chinese instruments were conducted for about 3 000 trainees in five music centres. To help young people take up musical training, the Music Office hires out musical instruments to its trainees at a modest charge. Trainees are provided with aural and theory instruction as well as orchestral and band training. Masterclasses and seminars are conducted by local and overseas visiting musicians. For talented young musicians, special training is provided.

The Music Office presently manages one symphony orchestra, four string orchestras, five Chinese orchestras, five symphonic bands and two choirs.

To promote interest in music, the office also organises an annual music gala and various music festivals. A major activity is the Music for the Millions concerts. Over 160 such concerts were presented in schools, community and welfare facilities throughout Hong Kong for a total audience of 73 000. The office also encourages the handicapped to enjoy music by holding concerts and training sessions at special schools.

The office organises international music exchanges to foster mutual understanding among young musicians and to broaden their horizons. In August, the Hong Kong Youth Symphonic Band made a concert tour of Brisbane, Armidale and Sydney in Australia. The office also hosted visits by various youth music groups from Canada and Australia.

Hong Kong Jockey Club Music Fund

The Hong Kong Jockey Club Music Fund was set up in December 1979 with a donation of $10 million from the Royal Hong Kong Jockey Club for the promotion and development of music, dance and other related activities. It is a non-statutory trust fund, administered by a board of trustees. In 1993, the fund awarded 132 grants and nine scholarships totalling $2,685,000 enabling young people to study music and dance abroad, and assisting local schools and organisations to acquire or repair musical instruments and dance equipment.

Museums

Hong Kong Museum of Art

The Hong Kong Museum of Art has received popular support since its opening in 1991 in new premises in Tsim Sha Tsui. In 1993, the museum entertained 361 296 visitors and 889 school parties with 32 858 students.

The museum's permanent galleries on contemporary Hong Kong art, historical pictures, Chinese antiquities and Chinese fine art continued to display selected items from the museum collection on a rotation basis. The special exhibition gallery was devoted to the staging of local and overseas exhibitions on both Chinese and Western art.

The Art of Cheung Yee, The Urban Council Fine Art Award Winners and The Hong Kong Artists exhibitions were organised to promote local art and artists. The Kagoshima Art

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