Music Office

The Music Office promotes knowledge and appreciation of music in the community, especially amongst young people, with a view to creating a new generation with an interest in music. The Office provides instrumental and ensemble training and organises a variety of music activities. The services and activities provided in 2008-09 included an instrumental music training scheme for 4 600 trainees; 18 youth orchestras, bands and choirs with 1 450 members; short-term music interest courses for 2 000 participants; and about 400 different music activities in which 160 000 people took part. The latter included a music camp, youth music interflows and a variety of education-oriented programmes for students and the community.

More than 900 young musicians trained by the Music Office performed during the 2008 Music Office Annual Gala concert to celebrate the Office's 30th anniversary.

Music Office trainees demonstrate their love of and care for music to the members of a rehabilitation centre.

The Music Office also arranged several cultural exchanges during the year. The Hong Kong Youth Symphonic Band undertook a performance tour to Kagoshima, Japan at the invitation of the Kagoshima Prefectural Government in October 2008, and the Office also arranged exchange activities for youth music groups from the United States and Singapore during their visits to Hong Kong.