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The Music Office Youth Choir of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department has been awarded two Gold Diplomas, a Category Winner Award and a Special Jury Award in the "4th International Choral Festival - A Voyage of Songs" in Penang, Malaysia.
It was the first time the choir had participated in an international music festival.
As part of the Music Office's International Youth Music Exchange Programme, the 70-member Music Office Youth Choir, led by Conductor and Senior Music Officer Dr Angelina Au, participated in various activities at the choral festival and took part in music exchange activities with local music groups in Penang earlier this month (July).
Demonstrating its skills in a variety of musical styles, the choir was awarded a Gold Diploma and the Category Winner Award in the Mixed Choir Open Category Competition. Its programme included "And Then Shall Your Light Break Forth" from Mendelssohn's oratorio "Elijah"; "Locus Iste", a sacred work of Bruckner, and "Beyond the Horizon", a local pop song written by Wong Ka-kui and arranged by former Music Office trainee Ng King-pan.
With a programme comprising Kodaly's "Evening Song"; Turner's upbeat piece "Tequila Samba" and local composer and former Music Office trainee Ng Cheuk-yin's "I am Singing the Sounds of the World", the 24 choir members who had joined the Chamber Choir Category Competition were awarded a Gold Diploma. The choir was also awarded the Special Jury Award at the Grand Finals Competition for its outstanding artistic achievements.
Members of the Youth Choir, upon their return from the tour, said they believed their participation in the festival not only strengthened their team spirit, but also gained them recognition in the competition. It also gave them an opportunity to share their love of music with peers from around the world, broaden their horizons, learn more about different cultures and enrich their musical experience.
"The International Choral Festival - A Voyage of Songs", a biennial event, has been held since 2003 to promote a greater appreciation of choral music, especially in the Asia-Pacific region.
Activities of the festival included a large-scale choral competition divided into seven categories, a friendship concert and conductor's forum. This year, 47 choirs from 10 countries and regions, including United Kingdom, Australia, Singapore, Malaysia and China, participated in the festival.
In addition to instrumental and ensemble training and various music activities, the Music Office organises music exchange concerts and community performances by visiting youth music groups from around the world and sends its advanced-level orchestras, bands and choirs on concert tours abroad to foster international cultural exchange and to widen the horizons of local young musicians.
Since 1978, young musicians trained by the Music Office have toured Singapore, Malaysia, Japan, Korea, USA, Canada, Australia, Italy, France, England, Israel and cities on the Mainland, while youth musicians groups from Japan, USA, UK, Germany, Canada, Singapore and the Mainland have visited Hong Kong and participated in cultural exchange programmes organised by the Music Office.
Ends/Monday, July 20, 2009
Issued at HKT 16:06
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