The Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in New York (HKETONY) will be hosting more than 20 events to celebrate the 20th Anniversary of the establishment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, starting with a concert featuring works by all young Hong Kong composers.

     Speaking at a press conference today (April 7, New York time), the Director of HKETONY, Mr Steve Barclay said 20 years since the return to the Motherland, Hong Kong remains a dynamic business centre with a rich and thriving arts and cultural scene. "We hope to bring more Hong Kong success stories to the US, showcasing our talent and reaching out to American audiences under the theme 'Together · Progress · Opportunity', " he said.

     The HKETONY's celebratory program includes music concerts, film awards, sports exchanges and fashion shows. Most of them will be held for the first time. Earlier this year, the office worked with international fashion designer Vivienne Tam who unveiled her Hong Kong-inspired Fall/Winter 2017 Collection at New York Fashion Week.

     A concert series comprising five concerts will start with "New Music from Hong Kong" on April 8. The concert at the DiMenna Centre for Classical Music in mid-town Manhattan features the world and US premieres of pieces by seven Hong Kong composers. They are Galison Lau, So Ka-wai, Austin Yip, Leung Chi-hin, Cynthia Wong, Wendy Lee and Donald Yu. The musicians are Rachel Brandwein (Harp), Linda Chatterton (Flute) and Aristo Sham (Piano), the latter from Hong Kong. The response has been very encouraging as the tickets have been over-subscribed.

     A group of acclaimed musicians from Hong Kong will perform in two concerts in Carnegie Hall to celebrate the 20th Anniversary in June and July.

     Legendary Hong Kong filmmaker and singer Teddy Robin Kwan will attend and receive a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Asian Pop-Up Cinema Film Festival in Chicago in May.  There will be at least two film events in the upcoming New York Asian Film Festival which will feature award-winning actors and directors from Hong Kong in July. 

     On sports exchanges, two teams (male and female) of under-23 rugby players from Hong Kong will be in New York to take part in the Hell Gate Sevens tournament in July for the first time.

     The Asian Youth Orchestra from Hong Kong will be performing in North Carolina and New York as part of a US tour in August. A roving, large-scale design exhibition "Confluenceýÿ20+ Creative Ecologies of Hong Kong" presented by the Hong Kong Design Centre and Create Hong Kong will be held in Chicago in October.  

     There will also be special 20th Anniversary trophy races or giveaways in the various dragon boat festivals in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, New York and Philadelphia from June to September.

     The list of 20A events can be found on http://www.hketony.gov.hk/ny/20activities.htm.

Ends/Saturday, April 8, 2017
Issued at HKT 10:08

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