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A capacity crowd of 800 today (April 6, Montreal time) attended a concert by a 50-member orchestra, featuring Chinese classical music and Hong Kong's popular television themes, in Montreal to celebrate the friendship between Montreal and Hong Kong, as well as to raise funds for the McGill University Health Centre's (MUHC) Women's Health Mission.
The Friendship Across the Ocean concert, held at Monument National's Salle Ludger-Duvernay, was presented by the Hong Kong Economic & Trade Office (HKETO) in Canada, and organised by the Montreal Section of the Hong Kong-Canada Business Association.
The HKETO Director, Ms Maureen Siu, hosted a pre-concert reception for some 200 distinguished guests, including First Vice-President of the Quebec National Assembly Madame Fatima Houda-Pˆmpin, Mayor Gˆmrald Tremblay of Montreal, Mayor Jean Pelletier of Brossard, and Minister Counsellor Huikang Huang of the Embassy of the People's Republic of China, as well as business and community leaders from Montreal and some neighbouring cities.
Speaking at the pre-concert reception, Ms Siu said she believed that "trade and business between Hong Kong and Canada, and between Hong Kong and Montreal, will flourish with the strengthening of mutual understanding of each other's culture."
The HKETO Director said over the years, Canada and Hong Kong have had a lot of human ties and cultural exchanges. "There are over a quarter of a million Canadians living in Hong Kong, many of whom are Montreallers and they have contributed tremendously to Hong Kong's development," she said. She cited the the founder of Lan Kwai Fong, Allen Zeman, who is also the Chairman of Hong Kong's Ocean Park, as an example.
Ms Siu added that the "Friendship Across the Ocean" concert is especially meaningful because it serves as a fundraiser for MUHC, which is a comprehensive academic health institution with an international reputation for excellence in clinical programmes, research and teaching.
"The redevelopment of MUHC is a priority for the Montreal community," she said. "We are pleased to participate in this meaningful cause to help raise funds for the health centre that is one of the busiest and most vibrant in Canada."
This evening's concert was performed by an orchestra comprising members from the Toronto Chinese Orchestra and the Chinese Instrumental Ensemble of the Overseas Chinese Music Society (Ontario).
The 50-member group was under the baton of its music director Karl Pang. The concert also featured performances by three of the best known Chinese music masters in Canada: yangqin master Ms Anna Guo, erhu master Mr George Gao and pipa master Miss Wendy Zhao, as well as guest performer Miss Ting Hong.
The concert's repertoire included television theme music by Hong Kong's well-known composer Joseph Koo; traditional pieces such as Drums in Celebration of a Bumper Harvest and Ambush from All Sides; folk music such as The Dragon Boat; a modern interpretation of Flying Apsaras; and The Fishermen's Triumphant Song featuring eastern Zhejiang gongs and drums.
Ends/Monday, April 7, 2008
Issued at HKT 15:44
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