Applications open for 2015 Hong Kong Youth Music Camp
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     The 2015 Hong Kong Youth Music Camp is accepting applications from qualified local, overseas and Mainland young musicians aged 10 to 25. The Music Camp, organised by the Music Office of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department, will be held in July at the Sai Kung Outdoor Recreation Centre.

     For local campers, the camp duration will be from July 12 to 18 (Camp A) and from July 19 to 25 (Camp B). For overseas and Mainland campers, the camp duration will be from July 12 to 19 (Camp A) and from July 19 to 26 (Camp B). The music groups are Symphony Orchestra, Symphonic Band and Junior Chinese Orchestra for Camp A, and Chinese Orchestra, Youth Choir and Junior String Orchestra for Camp B.

     The fee is $1,250 for local campers and $1,800 for overseas and Mainland campers. To encourage international music exchanges, Parsons Music, the event sponsor, will offer scholarships for non-local musicians with excellent musical standards to join the camps.

     The annual summer event Hong Kong Youth Music Camp brings together renowned musicians from Europe, America and Asia. They will guide campers to conduct exchanges with other young musicians from overseas and the Mainland and explore the wonderful musical world in a green environment.

     Renowned musicians participating in this year's Music Camp will include the Music Director of the Missouri Symphony Orchestra and the Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra, Kirk Trevor; trombonist Professor Chang Jun-hwa from the College of Music at Yonsei University in Korea; the Conductor of the Taipei Chanson Chamber Orchestra, Yu Hsin-yi; the Music Director and Conductor of the Hsinchu City Youth Chinese Orchestra, Liu Chiang-pin; Professor Romans Vanags, who is a professor of choir conducting at the Latvian Academy of Music; and Principal Cellist of the Eastern Symphony Orchestra and Cello Instructor at Eastern Illinois University and Indiana Wesleyan University Dr Yu Ka-wai.

     In addition to workshops and sharing sessions, new masterclasses conducted by internationally known musicians will be arranged for campers to hone their musical skills by learning instruments and singing. After the training, campers and choir members will participate in two public concerts to be held in July to showcase their achievements.

     Musician tutors for the masterclasses will include American violist Dr Felix Ungar; local cellist Eric Yip; the Vice President of the International Saxophone Committee, Professor Kenneth Tse; the Geneva Brass Quintet, comprising Swiss musicians; percussionist Lin Wei-chen; the President of the Hong Kong Erhu Arts Centre and Visiting Professor of the Central Conservatory of Music, Professor Wang Guotong; and Assistant Conductor of the University of Latvia Female Choir "Minjona" Evija Vanaga. Noted local jazz group maRK will also host two sharing sessions.

     Apart from learning music, campers will also be able to enjoy themselves in various recreational activities at the campsite such as swimming, ball games, archery, sports climbing and table tennis.

     A day camp, Wandering in Music Day Tour, will also be held every Monday to Friday from July 13 to 24 at a fee of $65 per person per day. A concessionary rate of $48 will apply to children, full-time students, senior citizens aged 60 and above and people with disabilities. Organisations, families and other groups of individuals are welcome to visit rehearsals, attend mini-concerts and take part in music games. Day camp participants will also be able to use various recreational facilities at the camp.

     Application forms for the residential camps and day camps are available at all Music Office Music Centres and downloadable from the Music Office's website at www.lcsd.gov.hk/en/mo/activities/upcoming/2015_hkymc2.html and www.lcsd.gov.hk/en/mo/activities/upcoming/2015_hkymc.html. The deadlines for application are April 1 for the residential camps and May 22 for the day camps.

     For enquiries about the Music Camp, please call 2582 5334.

Ends/Tuesday, March 3, 2015
Issued at HKT 16:00

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