2024 Hong Kong Youth Strings Vienna Tour
4-11 July
As the Music Office’s youth music outbound exchange programme of the year, 43 members of the Hong Kong Youth Strings (HKYS), led by Senior Music Officer of the String Music Section of the Music Office and conductor Dr Joseph Kam, will be visiting Vienna, the capital of Austria, between 4 and 11 July for the Summer Cum Laude International Youth Music Festival in which young musicians from around the world will gather.
Besides contesting the string orchestra category in the world-renowned Musikverein Wein on 7 July, the HKYS will give two exchange performances respectively in the House of Strauss on 6 July and in the ORF RadioKulturhaus on 8 July. The repertoire includes Jasmine Flower scented with Chinese culture overtones, captivating excerpts from Shostakovich’s classic Sinfonia, Puccini’s Crisantemi, and“Canthoven” Rhapsody written by Hong Kong aspiring composer Luk Wai-chun under the commission of the Music Office.
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Established in October 1977 by the Government, the Music Office promotes knowledge and appreciation of music in the community, especially among young people, through the provision of instrumental and ensemble training and the organisation of various music activities with a view to building a new generation of concert audiences. It has come under the management of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region since January 2000.
The Music Office runs three major training programmes: Instrumental Music Training Scheme, Ensemble Training, and Outreach Music Interest Courses. In addition, it organises the Hong Kong Youth Music Camp, the Hong Kong Youth Music Interflows and a variety of music promotional activities with target groups range from primary and secondary school students to members of the public from all walks of life.
In addition to the above activities, the Music Office organises music exchange concerts and community performances for visiting youth music groups from around the world, and sends its advanced level orchestras, bands, or choirs on concert tours abroad to foster youth music 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, Australia, the USA, Canada, Italy, France, the UK, Israel, Austria, Czech, Russia, and cities in the Mainland. In recent years, youth music groups from Japan, the USA, the UK, Germany, Canada, Singapore, and the Mainland have visited Hong Kong and participated in the cultural exchange programmes organized by the Music Office.
Established in 1985, Music Office String Orchestra attained the formal title of Hong Kong Youth Strings (HKYS) in 1989. It provides advanced string ensemble training for local young musicians whom have been trained under Music Office’s district string orchestras.
The HKYS performed actively for the community with great music, including the Hong Kong Youth Music Interflows, Music Office Annual Gala and other community concerts. As a prestige youth orchestra, the HKYS has collaborated with renowned professional artists, such as Yip Wing-sie, Wong Sze-hang and Kumi Sugiyama, etc.
The HKYS performed with several overseas visiting groups for music exchanges, including Cincinnati Junior Strings in 1992, Shenzhen Music Lovers’ Chamber Orchestra in 1996, Lincoln Youth Orchestra in 1998, Beijing City 101 High School Orchestra in 2000, and Youth Orchestra from Chinese Youth Corps of New York in 2007.
The HKYS has been serving as youth music ambassador of Hong Kong by organising overseas performing tours. It left footprints on the USA, Singapore, Malaysia, Japan, Macau, Austria, Czech Republic and Slovakia. The orchestra was recognised with high musical standard by receiving awards internationally. In 2017, it was awarded with the Gold Band (Winner of the Category) in string orchestras up to 21 years old, and the Grand Prix for Orchestras (the Best Orchestra) from the 8th International Youth Music Festival in Bratislava.
With members under the age of 25, the HKYS is currently trained and managed by Dr Joseph Kam, Cheung Ching-ting, Maxine Cheung and Wong Lok-hang. Recruitment is held annually through open audition.
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4 July (Thursday) |
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5 July (Friday)
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6 July (Saturday)
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7 July (Sunday)
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8 July (Monday)
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9 July (Tuesday) |
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10 July (Wednesday) |
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11 July (Thursday) |
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6 July (Saturday) House of Strauss
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Serenade in G "Eine kleine Nachtmusik", K. 525 No. 13 |
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart |
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Allegro |
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II |
Romanze: Andante |
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III |
Menuetto: Allegretto |
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IV |
Rondo: Allegro |
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Jasmine Flower |
Bao Yuan Kai |
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Conductor: Cheung Ching-ting |
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Sinfonia for String Orchestra |
Dmitri Shostakovich/ arr. Drew |
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II |
Allegro Molto |
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III |
Allegretto |
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Crisantemi, SC 65 |
Giacomo Puccini / arr. Drew |
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“Canthoven” Rhapsody (Music Office Commissioned Work) |
Luk Wai Chun |
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Waltz, from Divertimento |
Leonard Bernstein |
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Conductor: Dr Joseph Kam |
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7 July (Sunday) String Orchestra Contest of the Summer Cum Laude at Musikverein Wien
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Sinfonia for String Orchestra |
Dmitri Shostakovich/ arr. Drew |
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II |
Allegro Molto |
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III |
Allegretto |
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Crisantemi, SC 65 |
Giacomo Puccini / arr. Drew |
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“Canthoven” Rhapsody (Music Office Commissioned Work) |
Luk Wai Chun |
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Waltz, from Divertimento |
Leonard Bernstein |
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Conductor: Dr Joseph Kam |
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8 July (Monday) ORF RadioKulturhaus
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Serenade for Strings in G major |
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart |
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Allegro |
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II |
Romanze: Andante |
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III |
Menuetto: Allegretto |
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IV |
Rondo: Allegro |
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Conductor: Cheung Ching-ting |
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Serenade for Strings in C Major, Op. 48 |
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky |
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II |
Walzer: Moderato — Tempo di valse |
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Conductor: Dr Joseph Kam |
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Simply Symphony |
Benjamin Britten |
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I |
Boisterous Bourrée- Allegro ritmico |
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Playful Pizzicato- Presto possible pizzicato sempre |
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III |
Sentimental Sarabande- Poco lento e pesante |
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IV |
Frolicsome Finale- Prestissimo con fuoco |
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Ave Verum Copus |
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart |
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Conductor: Maxine Cheung |
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New Year’s Eve |
Liu Tianhua |
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Jasmine Flower |
Bao Yuan Kai |
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Conductor: Cheung Ching-ting |
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Dr Joseph Kam
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Dr Joseph Kam, a violist, violinist and orchestral conductor, graduated from the University of Michigan, where he obtained his Master of Music and Doctor of Musical Arts degrees. He received several awards and scholarships from the University, including Graduate Merit Award, Humanities Award, and Rackham Block Fellowship, etc. He was also appointed as a viola faculty in the Interlochen Music Festival (Michigan, the USA).
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Cheung Ching-ting
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Cheung Ching-ting, a cellist, pianist and conductor, obtained her Bachelor of Arts in Music from the Chinese University of Hong Kong and further studied Jazz at the Musicians Institute in Los Angeles, the USA. She later obtained a postgraduate diploma in music therapy at HKU SPACE. During her study, she often participated in string ensembles, and performed with the New Philharmonia Orchestra of Hong Kong and the SAR Philharmonic. As a conductor and music educator, Cheung has instructed with the Hong Kong Youth Strings, the New Territories Youth Strings, and the Island Youth Strings for over 10 years. She has participated in conducting workshops in Seattle, the USA, and the Czech Republic and received under guidance from several well-known conductors, such as Anna Edwards, Dianna Wittry, Kirk Trevor, and Tomáš Netopil.
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Maxine Cheung
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Maxine Cheung graduated from the Chinese University of Hong Kong, majoring in cello performance. She then furthered her studies at the University of Bristol for her Master’s Degree. Cheung proactively participates in classical and contemporary chamber music performances, and she attended conducting workshops in the Czech Republic and Chicago in the USA with guidances from renowned conductors such as Kirk Trevor, Markan Thankar, Thomas Netopil and Donald Schleicher and Larry Rachleff.
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1st Violin |
2nd Violin |
Viola |
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Wong Yu Ching＊ |
Ng Pak Lam＃ |
Mak Ho Pong＃ |
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Zhu Anyi |
Ho Hiu Ki |
Szeto Wang Kit |
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Yu Yuet Anastasia |
Lee Sam In Kirsty |
Leung Pak Yui |
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Ng Yi Ho |
Wang Cheuk Tong |
Wan Pui Ka |
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Chow Lok Hei |
Tsang Tsz Ki |
Fung Hei Pui |
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Cheung Ka Ling Angelina |
Tang Shing Hei |
Liu Hau Chi Rosella |
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Wong Yui |
Tam Cho Yiu |
Lau Chi Yeung |
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Yeung Colin |
Tam Cho Kiu |
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Lau Long Sze |
So Pak Kiu |
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Pan Yan Pei |
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Kong Ho Ming |
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Kwan Adelie |
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Cello |
Double Bass |
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Lau Yee Ka＃ |
Li Yee Ching＃ |
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Ho Wan Sing |
To Man Ip |
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Ng Clement |
Chao Man Hei |
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Ng Ka Hei Miki |
Wong Tsz Wai Daniel |
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Lee Ngan Yee Daphne |
Yun Bernice Lok Kwan |
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Ma Hiu Laam |
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Chan Yin Fung |
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Chan Pak Hei Matthew |
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Tsang Tsz Chung |
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Wong Tsz Lam |
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＊ Concertmaster |
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# Principal |
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Tour Director/ Conductor |
Dr Joseph Kam |
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Tour Manager |
Leaper Li |
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Orchestra Manager/ Conductor |
Maxine Cheung |
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Conductor |
Cheung Ching-ting |
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Instructor |
Wong Lok-hang |