Yhk 10 4 A Chance to Shine

a quarterly journal from the hongkong federation of youth groups

December 2018

Youth HONG KONG

a chance to shine

Volume 10 Number 4

OVERVIEW 4 Talent on show INTERVIEW 6 Encouraging youth

Alison Friedman

West Kowloon Cultural District INSIGHT 10 A cappella: the wow factor

Gabriel Lee & Anita Leung 12 Just do it!

Busker: Judas Law 14 Face challenges, stay curious

Saxophonist and actor: Donald Chan 16 Pursuing perfection

Classical singer: Alison Lau 18 First nature

Pianist: Steve Siu 20 Good vibrations: music for community

Organist and researcher: Gigi Lam 22 Teamwork and variety

Stage manager: Frederic d’Argenlieu TALKING POINT 24 Heritage on stage

Cantonese opera: Elaine Morgan YOUTH SPEAK 26 Dancing for heart and soul 28 Rock bands without boundaries 29 Coordination and rhythm in percussion 30 Buskers daring to dream PERSPECTIVES 32 Theatre: relaxed, interactive and musical

Sarah O’Connor 33 Wellness Theatre’s Magic Voice Tree SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 34 Robots: future decision-makers

Chan Pok Fung CITY SPACE 36 No place like home

Vicky Law HKFYG 38 Innopower

Open Up 39 Organic Farm Christmas hampers

High-speed train trip to Guangzhou 40 National University of

Singapore masters’ degrees

Global Youth Entrepreneurs Forum 42 Easy Volunteering 43 Neighbourhood First 45 Youth IDEAS reports 48 YB21: Christmas offers 50 Readers’ questionnaire 51 Performing Arts Programme

YOUTH HONG KONG published quarterly

by The Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups EDITORIAL BOARD Andy Ho (Chair) Elaine Morgan (Editor) Ada Chau (Assistant Editor) Amy Fung Angela Ngai Gary Tang Lakshmi Jacotă William Chung

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Contents

December 2018 | Youth Hong Kong

Volume 10 Number 4

4-5

6-9

OVERVIEW

INTERVIEW

10-23 INSIGHT

24-25 TALKING POINT

26-31 YOUTH SPEAK

32-33

34-35

PERSPECTIVES

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

36 -37

38-51

CITY SPACE

HKFYG

VIEWS EXPRESSED are the authors’ and interviewees’, may come from official sources, and do not necessarily reflect the views of the editorial board or publisher

TRADEMARKS All brand names and product names are registered trademarks.

Youth Hong Kong is not associated with any product or vendor mentioned in articles.

REPRODUCTION OF CONTENTS without written permission from the publisher is prohibited

ARTWORK, DESIGN, LAYOUT & PRINTING

OVERVIEW Elaine Morgan & Lakshmi Jacotă

ISSN 2071-3193 (Print)

INTERVIEWS Elaine Morgan & Ada Chau

WEB youthhongkong.hkfyg.org.hk

Hon Adviser Veronica Pearson

TRANSLATION Ada Chau & Angela Ngai

CIRCULATION (unaudited) 11,000-12,000 in Hong Kong, throughout the region and overseas

PHOTOGRAPHS By editorial team, acknowledged as captioned, stock images or in public domain

DG3 ISSN 2519-1098 (Online) CORRESPONDENCE to The Editor, Youth Hong Kong, 21/F, The Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups Building, 21 Pak Fuk Road, North Point, Hong Kong TEL 3755 7084, 3755 7108 FAX 3755 7155

EMAIL youthhongkong@hkfyg.org.hk ADVERTISING ENQUIRIES Ada Chau 3755 7108 The Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups was founded in 1960 and is the city’s largest youth service organization. More than 25,000 activities are organized by over 70 units annually with attendance of nearly 6 million.

Services for Youth Counselling, Creative Education & Youth Exchange, Education, Employment Leadership Training Leisure, Cultural and Sports, M21 Multimedia, Parenting, Research and Publications, Volunteering, Youth at Risk, Youth SPOTs WEB hkfyg.org.hk m21.hk Online donations giving.hkfyg.org.hk

Editorial December 2018 | Youth Hong Kong

We all know the performing arts offer wonderful opportunities for youth development and growth. Plenty of research points to young people becoming more confident and creative, gaining better problem-solving skills and expressing feelings and values through performing. Furthermore, performing arts of all kinds build bridges and bring people together.

This issue of Youth Hong Kong looks at the talent, the challenges and the chances of young performers here. We would very much like to hear about your experiences and how you think young people can continue to be enabled and encouraged to pursue artistic dreams.

As we draw close to the end of the year, please allow us to wish all our readers, supporters and friends, a Very Merry Christmas and a Joyful New Year!

Andy Ho Wing-cheong Executive Director, HKFYG December 2018

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Overview December 2018 | Youth Hong Kong

Talent Nearly all the finalists at this year’s “Student of the Year Performing Artist” award ceremony said the same thing: the arts are not just a hobby; they are critical for dealing with everyday stress. The students also said that their goal is to change public perception of arts appreciation in the community.1 This mature understanding of what the performing arts mean is very often at loggerheads with what parents think.

There are exceptions, but the majority would say that the value of learning how to play an instrument, dance or take part in a performance lies in getting good results that will look impressive on a school or university application form.

The pure joy of performing is completely lost in such a pragmatic approach.

The alternative view, shared by the students mentioned above and all those who are convinced of the benefits to be derived from the performing arts, is very different. In a nutshell, their

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on show real value, whether expressed with voices, music, rhythm or dance, is in the sharing of a common language that brings people together and cuts across cultures and traditions. This process involves critical-thinking, problem-solving and good listening skills as well as self-discipline and self-expression.

Participating in a performance also offers an amazing opportunity to release creativity and build confidence.

Heritage and history Hong Kong has a long history of performing arts. The spectacular Tai Hang Fire Dragon Dance dates back to the 19th century whereas the Cheung Chau Bun Festival, with traditional lion dances, dragon dances and parade of children in costume accompanied by musicians beating gongs and drums, is even older. All of these street performances are on Hong Kong’s list of intangible cultural heritage and offering support to youth with a passion for the arts will also help to preserve that heritage.

China too has a long history of street performance and popular Cantonese opera troupes have always performed in bamboo and mat-shed theatres throughout southern China.2 The value of Cantonese opera has also been endorsed as intangible cultural heritage. More permanent theatres for indoor dramatic productions in Hong Kong were being sought in the mid-19th century and the Hong Kong Amateur Dramatic Club performed at the Loo Aqui Theatre in Lower Bazaar, Central, before the Victoria Theatre in Wyndham Street opened for its first performance in 1848.3 Today’s noted Hong Kong theatre groups are the Chung Ying Theatre Company, the Hong Kong Rep, Hong Kong Theatre Works and Zuni Icosahedron.

the performing arts include the Hong Kong Arts Development Council, The Hong Kong Jockey Club and the Youth Development Commission, while corporate sponsors like the MTR Corporation bring local art to the public at station concourses where emerging artists can raise their profile on stage.

Other platforms where talented youth can perform include the Fringe Club, Youth Square and Tai Kwun.5 The government’s Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) also makes a big effort to promote knowledge and appreciation of the performing arts as a lifelong pursuit at community and school levels.

Policy, platforms and resources Platforms where young people can develop their talent are essential if they are to maximize their potential. Hong Kong is fortunate to have many outlets for this today. The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts (HKAPA),4 established in 1984, provides tertiary education for budding performers in Chinese opera, dance, drama, film and television, music, and theatre and entertainment arts. Its policy reflects the cultural diversity of Hong Kong with an emphasis on Chinese and Western traditions and interdisciplinary learning. It is the most prominent of Hong Kong’s educational institutions offering training to young performers.

The West Kowloon Cultural District (WKCD) is being developed into one of the world’s largest cultural quarters.

It will include over a dozen core arts and cultural venues as well as space for arts education. Other major supporters of

Ultimately however, in spite of good intentions, a thriving, vibrant and dynamic performing culture cannot survive without a mental shift on the part of many parents, schools and young people themselves - then the real value of the performing arts will be evident to everyone. This is something that the Federation advocates and is committed to facilitating in the hope that the legitimacy of young people as performers will be appreciated for its own sake.

Read more 1. yp.scmp.com/news/special-reports/article/108682/soty-2017-performing-artist-finalists-how-artsarent-just-hobby 2. britannica.com/art/Chinese-performing-arts 3. hkjo.lib.hku.hk/archive/files/ecb03c0aaf3ebb95ec73551fa391a0a5.pd 4. hkapa.edu 5. taikwun.hk/en/

參與表演藝術的青年，一般都贊同表演藝術能夠帶來的裨益，遠 遠超過普通一項興趣。表演藝術讓他們釋放壓力、尋回自我，同 時助他們有機會跨越種族、文化界限，學習表達自己、接納別人 意見，從而提升溝通與解難能力。香港一直擁有多元和深厚的表 演藝術傳統，如舞火龍、搶包山、粵劇、敲擊等，要讓青年繼續 安心投身表演藝術，社會各界的支持，包括政策、資助、培訓、 演出機會等，缺一不可。而當中最重要的，是觀眾的接納與支持。 此外，家長、教育工作者與年輕人改變思維，肯定表演藝術的真 正價值同樣十分重要。

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Interview December 2018 | Youth Hong Kong

Encouraging youth A

lison Friedman at West Kowloon Cultural District has strong faith in learning about and investing in the performing arts. She explains how they are not only a route to selfconfidence and skilful communication but also give us greater understanding of ourselves and each other.

Support and encouragement for the performing arts should be multifaceted and omnidirectional in order to create an environment that can give a boost to talented youth. “It’s not just about good exam results,” says Alison Friedman, “it’s about raising children who can use all aspects of their brains, bodies and spirits.”

How can Hong Kong’s young people be encouraged to perform?

This is a question everyone is asking. In the US, funding for school arts programmes has been significantly cut in recent years to the point that most schools don’t offer any arts classes. It’s very scary. Performing on stage helps young people build self-confidence and the skills of cooperation and communication. These skills transfer to any industry, not just performing arts.

Encouragement must come from all angles. It’s a systemic issue for society. Schools must have programmes that facilitate opportunities, and this of course means

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funding. Parents must encourage their children to participate, and this of course means parents must see the real value of performing arts activities for children.

The performing arts not only encourage creative thinking, they also provide a way of teaching children commitment to process, not just outcome. No one knows if a work of art will be great, or if a performer will become a superstar.

You can’t do things only for the purpose of a product or outcome. You must invest in the value you get from the process. This teaches young people skills of commitment, discipline, and both creative and intellectual curiosity.

You once said that, “The performing arts show nuance and complexity, they show contradiction and they show us our shared humanity.” How do they do this?

The arts help us experience empathy which helps us get along and live peacefully. Empathy does not mean agreement. We can disagree completely, but with empathy we understand why people make choices and have values

or perspectives that differ from our own. Empathy allows us to experience what we share at our core, underneath our differing actions and world views, as in, “I disagree with you, but I feel at a gut level why you have your perspective.”

You can’t do things only for a product … You must invest in the value you get from the process.

When I was at school, our creative writing teachers used to tell us, “show, don’t tell.” It’s a little like the old saying, “A picture is worth 1000 words.” The performing arts show, they don’t tell. This is the difference between real arts and propaganda. Propaganda tells you what you’re supposed to think. The arts have the power to affect how you feel, regardless of what you think about the work being presented. It is at this emotional level that they really start to shift hearts and minds because when you see a performance, you are taken on an emotional journey.

The stories that good performances tell are complex, they express the full messiness of what it is to be human. They show us to each other, and we experience something that we would not experience just by reading a newspaper article or going on a tourist trip to visit another culture. Performances allow us mini-journeys into another mind, another world, another heart, to see the world from a perspective other than our own.

The Pulitzer prize-winning play, “Disgraced” by Ayad Akhtar, recently touring in China, is an example.

This play is quite depressing and none of the characters are heroes. However, it allows audiences to empathize with the characters, to feel for the complex human frailty and motivations behind their often ugly and destructive behaviour. We see ourselves in people totally different from us.

Do you think that the performing arts allow diverse groups to share collective experiences?

Sometimes the most urgent thing for a community is to relax and have fun, to come together and experience shared joy. Hong Kong has one of the highest suicide rates in the world, and when I moved here last year I was struck by the palpable weight of anxiety and existential identity crisis that has mounted in recent decades.

The programming at West Kowloon must allow us to come together as a community and have hard conversations about the causes of this anxiety, to explore identity and race and religion and post-colonialism and Hong Kong’s changing place in the world. But we must also give people opportunities to just chill out, to put aside anxieties for a moment and experience joy. We are building a place for that, where you can just relax and find a sense of lightness and calm.

… trust that burning creative energy…

Our monthly outdoor festival, “Freespace Happening”, brings together diverse audiences to relax on the grass with a picnic, their pets, their kids, listen to great music, participate in arts and crafts, and meet new people. If you think back to how you made your first friends in elementary school, very often it was because you played games together or had other shared experiences that were fun and allowed you to bond while having fun.

We come together as a community through civil discourse but we also come together just by having fun together. West Kowloon programming will create opportunities for this, where diverse groups of all ages and backgrounds come together and enjoy a creative

Photos courtesy of West Kowloon Cultural District

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Interview December 2018 | Youth Hong Kong

experience that is just fun, that will make you feel like a kid again and be proud of your community that helped build West Kowloon, a place that belongs to us all.

What advice would you give young people with talent who experience barriers such as lack of funds or lack of parental support?

I’ve met many people who face similar challenges and this is very hard, but I’ve also met artists who have such a burning desire to create that they find ways to overcome all the odds. As with startup companies, there are always “unicorns” who can create opportunities in the most impossibleseeming circumstances. But most people must face practical reality, get other jobs, manage the expectations of parents.

It’s unfair. So many potential talents in this world are not realized due to lack of opportunities and support.

For those young people, I would simply say, the burning desire inside you is real. If you can find even small ways – write during breaks at work like JK Rowling did when she first wrote “Harry Potter” or create your dances in your bedroom – trust that burning creative energy inside and slowly you might find the path forward to realize it.

How can young people build their self-esteem and confidence?

I would just remind them that they are not alone. Low selfesteem and low self-confidence are universal. They make us feel so isolated, as if we are the only ones who are “not good enough.” So just remind yourself you’re not alone! Become

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Performing arts show, they don’t tell. aware that those voices saying negative things are only in your head. Just becoming more aware of what contributes to low self-esteem is important for reversing the cycle.

Should talented young performers concentrate on local venues or go overseas?

Both! Travelling overseas – or even just getting out of your comfortable bubble at home to meet people from other cultures and other communities in your own city – can help create a distance so you can look back and reflect on yourself, your culture, your art, your identity from new perspectives. This can enrich your self-understanding and deepen your process of inquiry, which in time can improve your art.

How will WKCD provide opportunities for talented performers and would-be performers?

I would summarize this as, “Present, Produce, Promote.” We present our own curated programming of world-class performances, workshops, and public discussions for audiences of all ages and interest levels.

We provide hiring opportunities for arts groups from Hong Kong and the world to perform for Hong Kong audiences, ensuring both new and devoted audiences have access to these performances.

To produce and identify talent, we curate unique collaborations. We plant and nurture seeds, challenging artists to push beyond their safe boundaries and practices. We also ensure that artists have time and space to delve deeper into the process of creating higher calibre productions.

We promote the performing arts to audiences and communities through our Learning and Participation* activities, providing Hong Kong’s diverse residents and visitors with opportunities to participate in arts and culture at West Kowloon. We also promote Hong Kong’s artists, providing expanded opportunities and resources that build capacity and introduce the world to Hong Kong’s innovative dance, theatre, music and xiqu artists.

Can you tell us why you wanted to work in Hong Kong at WCKD? I’m here to change the world, a world where WKCD is currently the largest arts and culture development. This world is becoming increasingly diverse and multilateral. Yet as this happens, mistrust and xenophobia also are growing.

I have witnessed the power of the arts to change hearts and minds. We have a unique opportunity at West Kowloon to start a global movement of creative collaboration and mutual understanding that will have ripple effects worldwide.

The 21st century is Asia’s century and Hong Kong, one of Asia’s most important cities, is poised to be the next centre of global arts and culture. West Kowloon is here

to help Hong Kong achieve that. We can not only make Hong Kong a better place to live but also make our world more peaceful, humane and understanding.

Alison M Friedman is the West Kowloon Cultural District (WKCD) Artistic Director of Performing Arts. She studied at Peking University and the Beijing Dance Academy as a visiting Fulbright scholar and came to Hong Kong after working in mainland China for fifteen years in cultural exchange within the arts sector. Alison is a fluent Mandarin speaker and at WKCD she leads the dance, theatre, xiqu, music and outdoor teams.

Learn more about WKCD The Xiqu Centre [pictured opposite] WKCD’s first performing arts venue, opens in January 2019.

At Canton Road & Austin Road West junction, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon. *101 programmes introducing the arts to audiences of all ages and interest levels. No experience necessary.

Freespace Happening is a monthly free outdoor music and arts festival for families and people of all ages to relax, enjoy music and participate in activities that introduce new art forms. WE Dance offers free dance workshops by visiting guest artists for people with no experience, till March 2019. Plus monthly arts screenings.

Details at westkowloon.hk/en 西九文化區表演藝術總監方美昂女士（Alison）深信，表演藝術是 值得發展及投資的項目，特別對青少年而言，投身表演藝術，不 論是學習還是演出，均有助他們發揮潛能、建立自信及良好溝通 技巧。此外，表演藝術有助他們了解自己和別人，讓青少年將這 些技巧應用在其他生活範疇。故此，社會應該積極投放資源，發 展表演藝術。方小姐又認為，青少年學習表演藝術，不應只著眼 於成果，而是應該享受學習的過程和樂趣，懂得放鬆並建立平靜 心境。

Photos courtesy of West Kowloon Cultural District

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Insight December 2018 | Youth Hong Kong

A cappella: the wow factor T

en years ago, not too many young people in Hong Kong knew about a cappella. Since then, its popularity has exploded. Two dedicated a cappella singers explain why it has grown so fast.

Anita, a secondary school music teacher in Tin Shui Wai, says most of her students are like her. They all started singing a cappella because they just love to sing.

“It’s simple and it offers freedom because the students can do their own arrangements. They take ownership of the creative process and its end-products.”

Gabriel manages a cappella events and educational programmes. Both he and Anita started out by singing a cappella with the Federation’s Hong Kong Melody Makers (HKMM). Gabriel agrees with Anita and says that unaccompanied vocal music resonates with young people because “…it makes it easy to get started and that is a large part of its appeal. It also gives scope for huge creativity and can build confidence.”

First, the students learn basic singing techniques and solfa - the simple Do-Re-Mi scale. “They don’t all know how to read music,” says Anita, “but I teach them about chords and beatbox styles.” These involve both sounds and rhythms that mimic percussion instruments and are great fun.

Anita says her students also like the opportunity to get together, try out their vocal chords and rhythm, play around with favourite pop songs and be creative. While they sometimes lack self-confidence, most of them love to perform in public. Her school gives them that chance several times each year at concerts for parents, teachers and friends. “It’s a great source of motivation to continue and improve. They like the challenge,”

she says. “Despite their nerves they find getting up on stage fun, a way to boost their confidence.”

Gabriel points out that for the same reason, “…some young singers enter competitions because of ambition and the drive to become well known.” Although there are no exams in a cappella singing, competitions run by HKFYG offer young people the chance to try out their skills before a panel of judges. Gabriel tells us that performance criteria include tonal accuracy and vocal expressiveness, close ensemble singing, cooperation and teamwork. “Contests organized by HKFYG include all these elements and give young singers the chance to shine for a variety of reasons.

“Stage presence is another very important element,” he continues. “A cappella offers singers a fantastic flexibility to communicate with the audience – far more so than either classical singing or performing in a band.” Despite their initial shyness, this chance to interact means that a cappella has great appeal for young performers and audiences alike.

Gabriel says the fundamental reason young people have so readily adopted the style is because it makes singing together fun and accessible. “You can sing a cappella anywhere,” he says, “it has structure without being limiting and can bridge the gap between serious music and pop music. But it also has that special hard-to-define “wow factor”, the impact that comes with surprise and pleasure when something you hear strikes a chord with a listener in just exactly the right way.

Gabriel Lee, who sings bass and does music producing, has been working with the HKFYG vocal ensemble, the Hong Kong Melody Makers and associated programmes, since its founding in 2005.

Anita Leung also sang with HKMM in its earlier days. Today she is a devoted music teacher.

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uu HKFYG Hong Kong Melody Makers

HKFYG Hong Kong Melody Makers The a cappella journey of the HKFYG Hong Kong Melody Makers (HKMM) began with the classical music of well-known composers such as Bach and Rutter.

Traditional Chinese folk tunes were then added to the repertoire. Gradually, as the genre evolved, the original choir adopted the collegiate style that made it big in the US decades ago. Then, they split into several smaller ensembles. Some focused on jazz. Others improvised creatively with adaptations of pop songs. Now HKMM is composed of three vocal bands, each with their individual styles and expertise.

十年前，無伴奏合唱這種表演藝術在 香港幾乎無人注視。香港青年協會為 了讓更多青少年有機會接觸這門獨特 音樂，成立了青協香港旋律（Hong Kong Melody Makers）。 香 港 旋 律 李思陽先生（Gabriel）及梁天恩老師 （Anita）跟我們分享香港旋律近十 年的發展，以及青少年為何愛上這種 表演藝術。他們一致認為，無伴奏合 唱讓青少年有更多參與創作的機會， 使他們更具自信、表達自己。由於愈 來愈多人認識無伴奏合唱，因此他們 能參加不同規模的賽事，增進個人技 巧並取得社會大眾的認同。

What is a cappella and why do youth love it?

Several factors have contributed to the explosion in popularity of a cappella, especially pop music-based a cappella. Its raised profile has helped to develop programmes and increase resources for anyone interested in the genre.

What does a cappella mean?

● Singing without instrumental accompaniment ● Creating a soundscape with the versatile human voice ● Imitating instruments such as percussion with voices ● Using different styles: from jazz to barbershop, from doo-wop to pop

Benefits

Exciting challenges

● Singing without the safety net of a backing track or piano accompaniment ● Although pop songs often have simple solo lines, reproducing the backing and rhythm section requires extra talent

Famous overseas groups ● Pentatonix

● The Swingles ● The King’s Singers ● The Real Group ● … and in Hong Kong, The Hong Kong Melody Makers!

● Students enjoy the social aspect of singing together ● Familiar pop songs work well for a cappella groups ● Making creative sounds is appealing ● A cappella can be sung anywhere ● A cappella often uses microphones and young people like technology ● Develops leadership and confidence

pp Pentatonix

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Insight December 2018 | Youth Hong Kong

Just do it!

O

ne of Hong Kong’s most popular young buskers, 24-year-old Judas Law, started out with little confidence, no formal training and only her family’s support. Now, she hits all the right notes with a voice that touches many hearts.

A hundred thousand fans have discovered Judas Law. They adore her voice and see from her face that she means every word she sings. Her spiky black hair and her striking looks set her apart. Where did she come from and how did she get her name?

I always loved names starting with J, maybe because I like pop singer Joey Yung. I wanted an English name and Judas sounded OK. When people told me it had a religious connection I was quite surprised!

Where did you sing the first time you went busking?

Tin Shui Wai, Tuen Mun, Yuen Long: all near home. My first pitch was in the tunnel at Tin Shui Wai. I was so scared. I had no money for an amplifier so I needed the tunnel as a sound box. I sang for half hour and had just enough courage to keep going.

Did you think you would strike a chord with your listeners that day?

Nobody stopped at first. But then some started to listen.

One asked me why I didn’t have a mic and amplifier. She said it was a waste to stay hidden in a tunnel. That was so encouraging! It made me feel very happy.

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Did you sing as a child?

I’ve always loved singing and sang along with TV shows when I was in kindergarten. In Primary 5 I started to learn the piano but I didn’t like classical music very much. I was 19 before I started to learn the guitar. That was a year before I first went busking, What did you do before that?

I was a tutorial teacher for primary schoolchildren. I only had one or two days off each week and there wasn’t enough time to improve my music. When I decide to do something, I want to focus with no distractions, so I gave up work to become a full-time busker.

Do you still get nervous?

I’m quite shy, even when I talk to people, but I’ve become more confident as a result of busking even though I once used to be so nervous I got sweaty palms.

How do you practice?

Eventually, I saved enough for an iPad so I could practice with it at home and it helped a lot with lyrics as I am

not good at memorizing them. I usually spend two hours practicing every day.

Did anyone help you?

A few weeks before I bought my guitar, I met a friend who I used to sing with. She was busking and she was so natural and enjoyed performing on the street. I wanted to be like her.

What’s most important for you as a performer?

Courage and self-discipline. You have to be brave to perform in front of people and never be afraid to lose. Focus is important, and perseverance. If you want to be a busker, don’t think too much. Just go for it. Even if you don’t succeed, you will know that you tried your best, and there will be no regrets.

How do you relate to other buskers?

I think it is very important never to look down on other performers. They all have their own road to tread and put in a lot of effort. To be successful, you don’t need to hurt others. I think this is something my fans appreciate me for most, not only my songs and skills. In other words, you have to be humble.

Have there been difficult times?

Once, when I was playing in Tsim Sha Tsui near the ferry pier, a woman said, “I don’t want to listen to music. Please

stop.” I felt so shocked and so sad. I stopped and then asked myself, “Am I really so bad? Maybe she doesn’t like any music.” She got on the ferry and I started to sing again, trying not to be upset and focusing on my audience. Since then I have realized it might have been the volume she didn’t like. I’m more careful now.

What have your main hurdles been?

Income. Hong Kong is expensive and you have to earn enough to survive. As well as busking, I earn money in bars and shopping malls. I take every opportunity to get known, improve my EQ and not to blame myself or get trapped in a bad mood.

What was your best moment?

It was near the end of a performance just above the tunnel where I sang for the very first time. I started to talk to the people there and asked them to sing along with me. They joined in and that felt so good to me.

街頭表演歌手羅凱鈴小姐（Judas）跟我們分享她踏進街頭演出的 心路歷程。Judas 從小就愛唱歌，亦曾參與各類型音樂比賽。她在 街上偶然遇見昔日比賽對手在表演，那種投入和自在感覺，立即 觸動 Judas 的內心，讓她決意要在街頭跟市民分享她的音樂。得 到家人的支持，Judas 參與街頭表演短短數年，便決定全職投入歌 唱事業，現在更籌備她第一張個人專輯。

Find Judas Law at facebook.com/judas9413/ 13

Insight December 2018 | Youth Hong Kong

Face challenges and stay curious D

onald Chan has acted and played the saxophone all over the world. He talks about his inspiration and the benefits of performing.

Can you tell us about your most memorable performances?

My most difficult performance was playing the saxophone overseas in front of a crowd of crazy football fans. They were super hyper, starting to get drunk and emotional.

They even jumped on stage and started hugging me crazily and dancing with me. All I could do was try to stay calm, and follow my instincts. Although performances like that are very difficult to control and totally exhausting, the result can be crazily beautiful. My aim is always to promote curiosity and share positive energy.

The most exciting performance I ever did was in a classical theatre in Buenos Aires, Argentina. It wasn’t on the saxophone. It with a drama group in a Cantonese play about an old Hong Kong village. There was a simple set and costumes and we managed to break down the language barrier. Although we spoke only Cantonese, we also used movements, puppets and live music for self-expression as well. The audience response was so touching.

What kind of training have you done in the performing arts?

My training at the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts was based on the acting method of Stanislavski. It 14

included singing and other vocal skills, acrobatics and body movement as well as acting. When you learn to perform, it’s important to ask yourself what made you choose to do this.

It’s useful for parents to remember this as well. I don’t like seeing parents forcing their children to learn a music instrument or dance. This is just like doing homework. The performance will be dull with no colour or sparkle in it.

Do you think stage fright, or pre-performance nervousness is good or bad?

If you feel nervous, that’s a good sign. It means you care about the quality of the performance. To cope with nervousness it helps not to push yourself too hard. Take a deep breath and try to be spontaneous. Allow for the unexpected and your performance will be alive and organic.

Don’t think. Just do!

What skills must a good performer have?

At all times, a real performer’s most important skill is honesty. It is the most beautiful thing to see - truth through the performance of a skilled actor or player.

You can use your talent to create something beautiful but art is not only about beauty. It must be related to society

and echo real life. What you need most is self-discipline.

Sometimes the workload will be heavy. Sometimes you will have lots of free time. So when you have your spare time, don’t forget: use it wisely to upgrade your skills. You’ll never regret it.

Where do you look for inspiration?

I look at people on the streets. They all are interesting but everyone wears a social mask, especially in Hong Kong, this pressured, breathless, modern, fast-tempo city. You have to look beneath the masks, absorb what you see, learn from it and use it when you perform.

What hurdles have you had to overcome?

There will always be frustrations and challenges in the performing arts. Whenever you face one, go back to basics.

Be hard on yourself and practice, practice and practice.

When I get frustrated with my own performance on the

saxophone, I practice scales. I believe the power of basic work can inspire you and take you to the next level.

What made you take up this career?

I love the performing arts because I like sharing my thoughts and my point of view through a performance.

Everyone is unique. Everyone has their own talent. Believe in your ability. Believe in your power. Whatever you do, in performance or in life, don’t just follow a trend and be part of the crowd. Instead, reveal your own true character.

Learning performance arts is not for short-term goals. It has to be something you love. Remember, if you want to be a performer because you want to be famous, please quit.

Chasing fame and fortune will never make you a good performer. “Love art in yourself, and not yourself in art,” as Stanislavski said. Arrogance and vanity will never make you a success but performing can help you to face challenges and stay curious.

Donald Chan, actor and musician, graduated from Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts with a degree in drama. He has worked with the Hong Kong Arts Festival, the HKRep and Theatre Ronin.

Facebook moveondonaldwai Instagram donaldwaiwai

Donald 於香港演藝學院畢業，專長演奏色士風、鋼琴、 結他及口琴。他到世界各地旅遊兼表演，亦會跟旅遊發 展局合作，推介各地特色。他認為表演前感到緊張是正 常現象，顯示表演者對自己的演出水準有要求。而克服 緊張心情的最簡單方法，就是深呼吸後直接投入表演， 讓行動表現自己，音樂亦隨之自然流露。

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Insight December 2018 | Youth Hong Kong

Pursuing perfection S

inger, Alison Lau, has always loved communicating. In her mid-20s, and already a seasoned performer, she knows how she reacts when she’s in the wings and on stage, and has useful tips to budding performers.

What do you enjoy most about singing?

I love to communicate with people and sometimes I find it easier to express strong emotions by singing than by speaking. It feels very natural, even though you don’t get the immediate feedback you do when talking.

Can you tell us about your training?

At the APA*, they have a very good system. It is all scheduled and you have a lot of practical opportunities to perform in front of different people and on stage. It is very good for building up fundamental skills and they ask you to practice songs in different languages and styles, but the bad side is that it is a bit like spoon-feeding.

The atmosphere is quite different if you study in the US. You have to fight for opportunities to perform. They also expect you to use body language on stage and in order to get auditions you have to prepare well. Another thing that

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is really different there is that you feel free to ask questions.

The teachers appreciate it. Here, we are always afraid of looking stupid if we ask questions.

Have you found that performing builds your selfesteem or were you always a confident person?

I have been performing for about ten years and at times I have felt no confidence whatsoever. I have felt depressed and down because I thought I’d done badly. But I’ve learned how to turn this feeling into something more constructive, something you can learn from.

What have been your most difficult performances?

Once, when I had a fever, I had to summon all my energy but hardly anyone noticed the change in me. The next day, I had lost my voice totally. It is also very emotional and can be exhausting on stage, but it can be exciting too. You can feel your adrenaline levels rising.

On another occasion, I had to perform an unfamiliar contemporary piece by Benjamin Britten. All the notes seemed unpredictable and difficult to understand.

very stiff, and singing in front of a mirror or a screen helps you know how you will look when you sing on stage.

Any more tips?

What kind of music do you prefer?

I work closely with different classical music groups in Hong Kong. I once sang in Bach’s St John Passion with a local orchestra and an overseas conductor at HKU and it touched me so deeply that tears came to my eyes. I am also open to invitations to sing in other genres.

What would you say are the performer’s most important skills?

A professor once told us to treasure our “vulnerability” and “sensitivity”. If you are sensitive to people, the environment and yourself, it can be motivating, but you mustn’t be self-indulgent. You need self-discipline and must listen to other performers, practice a lot and be very careful to control your breathing because it colours your music.

Do you use any digital aids to practice your skills?

I use YouTube quite a lot and apps to record myself. I listen to music on iTunes and Spotify and I share pictures on Pinterest. It is quite common for Hong Kong students to be

To young people, I always say remember the moments just before going on stage. They are special. Take some time to breathe it all in and remember it. If you know how your body feels then, you will know what to expect before the next show.

I also sometimes advise students not to wear contact lenses or glasses if they really feel nervous. Not being able to see the reaction of people in the audience – especially if you know them – can really help. And don’t drink too much water, even if your nerves give you a dry mouth. It makes you want to go to the toilet! And one last tip: when you practice, wear the shoes you are going to perform in.

What challenges face talented young performers starting out in Hong Kong?

I think they are too passive. We are all too used to having everything arranged for us. We need to be proactive, audition a lot and get used to stage fright. It’s natural to feel nervous when you know something important is coming up but being well-prepared helps, as does establishing a routine and always expecting opportunities.

Alison Lau trained at the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts (APA) before doing a master’s programme at the New England Conservatory. On her return to Hong Kong from the US she joined Opera Hong Kong’s Young Artist Development Programme and has been signed by Universal Music Ltd. She released her first album “My Voice & I” in 2018.

More information alisonlau.com/biography/

劉卓昕小姐（Alison）一直都熱愛古典音樂。她先後於香港演藝學 院及波士頓新英格蘭音樂學院進修學士及碩士課程，回港後更成 為賽馬會香港歌劇院青年藝術家。Alison 醉心舞台藝術，為觀眾呈 獻自己悉心預備的曲目。她樂意與青少年分享其豐富表演經驗和 心得，例如表演者要了解自己身體需要並充分休息，才能減少在 表演期間犯錯。她亦鼓勵香港青年多發問及表達個人意見，積極 爭取更多學習和表演機會。

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Insight December 2018 | Youth Hong Kong

First nature S

elf-taught star pianist Steve Siu, who left Hong Kong in his teens to study and then work as a pianist, explains how he started out and how he built up a world-wide fanbase with social media tools.

Do you play piano as a job or in your time off?

I love playing the piano so much that I never need to take a day off. Every day is a day off as far as I’m concerned.

Playing the piano is like “first nature” to me. Breathing and walking came second. I tell people I’ve never worked a day in my life.

Every single dollar I have ever made has come from playing the piano. In my own mind, there is no doubt that I play the piano in a professional setting for the maximum possible time. Seven days a week, 365 days of the year. I’ve accumulated over 9,000 performances in my career and it’s the only career I’ve ever had.

Did you ever do any formal training?

Nope. 100% self-taught. I never had a lesson in my life, never had a teacher and I don’t read music fluently at all. I play everything by ear.

Have you become more self-confident as a result of playing?

Absolutely. All my self-esteem and self-confidence comes from playing the piano. Without it I am nothing.

What do you think are a performer’s most important skills?

To be able to consistently convey the emotions of a song in an authentic, uncontrived, mature, less-is-more manner.

Do you think competitions help or motivate young people to play an instrument or sing?

I don’t think so. In fact, they may even have a negative effect. They can take away the “fun.”

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What would you say that a young performer needs most in order to succeed? Is it passion for an art form, training or ambition to become famous?

Innate, natural born talent. That’s the base line. After that I’d say they need perseverance.

Do you know of any useful digital aids to good performance such as “virtual theatres” where performers can practice their skills?

Absolutely. Live streaming your creative process on any live streaming platforms like Twitch.tv or YouTube Live is exhilarating and encouraging. I highly recommend it. The interaction and feedback you get from your viewers is invaluable.

What was your most exciting performance?

Believe it or not, it is whenever I’m live streaming to the world from my studio, taking audience requests and interacting with them all over the world in real time. It is so exciting. Technology allows me to broadcast to anyone with a phone anywhere.

What main challenges would you say face talented young performers starting out in Hong Kong?

The lack of an outlet to make a full-time living as a performer.

That is also the basis for the lack of parental support.

How do you think young people here can best cope with such challenges?

With the social media tools I mentioned: Twitch, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, Snap-chat etc. It’s essential for inspired performers to learn to use these platforms and create content on each of them. These tools didn’t exist 15 years

ago. But now, unlike in the past, it is possible to broadcast your talent to the world and get noticed.

What tips would you give young performers who suffer from stage fright?

To not give a damn about what other people think about you.

What was your most difficult moment during a performance and how did you cope?

Once I performed on a rented grand piano with a sustain pedal that wasn’t working. Instead of freaking out and complaining, I realized that the show must go on. So I just did the best I could with a piano that was paralyzed. In the end, no one seemed to notice anything. Another time, I had such bad haemorrhoids I could barely walk on the stage and sit down on the bench. I’m an atheist, but it was so painful that I saw God! But still the show went on.

What types of people make good performers?

They are people who enjoy and cherish the whole process of performance - the practice and the preparation - as much as the end game, whether it is a show or a record. One trait that does not work well is being a perfectionist. I believe perfection is the enemy of productivity and the catalyst for nervousness before performing on stage.

What message would you like to send to young people who want to be performers?

To document their creative process on live streaming platforms and to create lots of content for their craft on social media. The first will help them to improve their skills. The second will help them to get known.

Most importantly, they shouldn’t let other people’s opinions - especially their parents’ - get in the way of success. If I had listened to people who said I could never make money playing the piano I wouldn’t be doing what I’m doing now.

Probably I’d just be working in a miserable corporate job like most people.

If you are immensely talented and passionate, with the tools we have now, you can get known and make a living as a performer. I truly believe that. You don’t need to be world famous like Lang Lang to be considered a success. There is nothing wrong with being a working performer who is wellknown in their field and gets consistent work, making a living doing what they love.

What are the greatest personal pluses for you as a performer?

Confucius said, “If you love what you do you’ll never have to work a day in your life.” I am very fortunate to be living proof of that.

Steve Siu lives in Irvine California and plays the piano extensively around the greater Los Angeles area. His favourite venue is the Montage Resort and Spa in Laguna Beach.

Web SteveSiu.com Facebook/Youtube/Instagram/Twitter/ Twitch/Iinkedin all @SteveSiuPiano Steve 從來沒有受過任何音樂訓練，但他的鋼琴 彈奏，渾然天成。Steve 現居於美國，並參加酒 店舉行的演出。在他眼中，他每天只在做自己 最擅長和最喜歡的事情，並不算是「工作」。 Steve 亦會使用社交媒體，跟世界各地支持者溝 通，為他們即席表演。他認為科技能協助表演者 拓展事業，且增強與支持者的溝通。Steve 寄語 有志投身表演事業的青少年，要相信自己的才 華、能力及選擇，勇往直前，展現自己真實的一 面。

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Insight December 2018 | Youth Hong Kong

Good vibrations music for community

P

eople participating in music as part of their everyday lives is an expression of cultural democracy, writes Gigi Lam. Her research in the UK has convinced her that community music is at home in Hong Kong.

People who are engaged in music-making every day, whether they are teachers in classrooms, musicians sharing songs with seniors, buskers on the street or church choirs practicing: all of them are making community music. In the UK, where community music developed broadly from the 1960s, the emphasis is on inclusive participation as an expression of cultural democracy. In other words, everyone has the right and the ability to make, create, and enjoy their own music.

To take one example, a UK charity called Good Vibrations helps prisoners, patients in secure hospitals and other vulnerable people in the community to develop crucial life and work skills. It uses intensive Gamelan workshops for this, with Indonesian bronze percussion facilitating a very accessible music-making experience. The emphasis is on listening and contributing ideas for musical compositions. The music-making provides people with a new group identity and self-identity. It helps them redefine

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themselves as musicians and change their self-perception thereby serving as a starting point for empowerment.

Respecting culture Reflecting on the situation in Hong Kong, the term community music is not rooted in our cultural history but musicians whose work focuses on inclusion can be found here. Community music is fluid and dynamic, a concept that embraces different practices for a variety of flexible purposes. Examples here include outreach workshops organized by groups and organizations that send musicians to work in communities, particularly in school settings, to provide support to formal music education.

Let’s take Cantonese opera as an example. Because it contains elements of strong Chinese cultural and philosophical ideology, teaching it in schools is

Peter Moser, a one-man-band, entertaining children and parents at an interactive concert. Photo courtesy of Music Children Foundation

considered effective for nurturing Chinese culture, although Hong Kong students tend not to be very highly motivated to learn about it. Perhaps this is due to a conflict between their social identity and the traditional image of this somewhat old-fashioned genre.

West Kowloon Cultural District has hosted many activities to promote Chinese opera including open theatre and community workshops that aim to build new audiences.

The workshops are usually facilitated by young actors and actresses, many of whom are graduates from the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts. They have to be competent in singing, reciting, acting, movement and martial arts. To complete their degree, they also need workshop facilitation skills. One of them, Hilvinn Wong, comments on her experience of school workshops in Cantonese opera.

“I treasure these opportunities … even if pupils do not become members of our audiences, at least I can make sure Cantonese opera leaves a good impression. It belongs to our community and once they have understood what it is all about they will no longer find it old-fashioned.”

Hilvinn has co-designed Cantonese opera workshops for toddlers and parents, adapting the plot and changing the lines in order to break the stereotype by blending in imaginative elements. “It’s very important to develop an appropriate attitude and value system toward different art forms and reflect on transmitting local culture through parenting.” Although certain artistic and creative aspects of Cantonese opera might be lost in the adaption process, it reflects a negotiation between traditional and modern culture whereby a regional music genre is being reframed into contemporary culture through community music practice.

Empowering the community Another local example is the work of the Music Children Foundation (MCF), which provides free instrumental tuition and active music-making performance opportunities for underprivileged children. MCF runs regular lessons and outreach projects. They empower children not only through music-making but also through connecting them with the community. Monique Pong, MCF’s co-founder and artistic director says, “My students love being here and building a new mutual identity together. We are a local initiative. Not only do we empower underprivileged children by teaching them music, we also try to address the local situation and hope that through the musical activities, parentchild relationships are enhanced, community cohesiveness is strengthened and an amicable society is built.”

Community music practice is indeed alive and well in Hong Kong and the involvement of local practitioners such as Monique and Hilvinn is crucial. They help to map out a unique local scene and construct our own special notion of community music.

Gigi Lam is a music facilitator currently doing a PhD at the Royal College of Music in London. Her research focuses on the Hong Kong community music scene. She plays the pipe organ and is a past participant in HKFYG’S Hong Kong 200.

Web gigicylam.com Gigi 為活躍於倫敦與香港的社區音樂工作者，畢業於香港教育大 學，完成音樂教育文學碩士及中學（音樂）教育榮譽學士課程， 現於英國倫敦皇家音樂學院修讀哲學博士課程，主力研究社區音 樂與香港學校音樂教育的發展。透過研究 , 她期望重新定位社區音 樂，為本地音樂教育帶來更多發展空間。

Courtesy of Kids Arts Republic 21

Insight December 2018 | Youth Hong Kong

Teamwork and variety T

alking of his experience as a street performer and stage manager, Frederic d’Argenlieu says improvisation goes hand in hand with variety and fun, but for him the main focus of a performance is creativity, shared skills and teamwork.

What was your first performance?

It was a circus in my grandmother’s garden when I was twelve. The whole family was involved: siblings, cousins, parents, at least 20 of us. We made the garden into a stage, with a marquee, scenery, lighting in the trees, a clown, an acrobat with trapeze and make-believe circus animals.

What mattered most: scenery, props, getting your lines right?

For me, the best thing was being able to improvise.

Learning my lines was always hard. I also think that improvisation and using your imagination can bring out creativity and surprises.

Is that why you became a street performer?

In my teens I took part in festivals in France with street parades and acrobatics. It was always challenging fun and made people laugh.

Were there ever any problems?

Occasionally, interaction with the audience can be difficult if your performance is not really good enough, if you are not very convincing.

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The reaction of your audience is very important.

How did you become interested in stage management?

When I first went to the theatre, the famous Comedie Française in Paris, I was amazed by the theatre itself – how the sets were created, the colours, the lighting and sound, how the stage hands changed the scenery so fast. It seemed like magic.

Can you tell us about some of your performances in Hong Kong?

A friend of mine runs a performing arts company. As well as doing Chinese New Year street parades with music, juggling and acrobatics, we performed with a stage set and lighting at the opening of the Heritage Museum in Sha Tin, then in Discovery Bay and Gold Coast where I was the stilt walker.

Do you prefer indoor or outdoor performances?

Outdoors, it is harder to gain attention and can be easier to lose it. However, the most exciting shows for me have always been out of doors and the most difficult times were when teamwork broke down, when the audience didn’t respond.

How does that happen?

A good performance can dissolve the invisible barrier that separates the audience from the imaginary world on stage. It gets difficult when this fails.

Do you ever get nervous before a show?

Usually, despite difficulties, performing gives me confidence.

Even when I’m nervous I realize that’s actually a good feeling. It means that the performance matters a lot and I will do my best. You should never ignore that feeling of stage fright. It’s important, as long as it doesn’t stop you focusing.

What would you say are a performer’s most vital skills?

Teamwork and focus, and the most important attitude is one of self-discipline, even when you improvise.

Frederic 曾在法國及香港的街頭表演，十分享受演出的每分每秒。 他認為東、西方文化各有不同；透過街頭公開演出，他能直接跟 觀眾接觸。這跟在舞台表演截然不同。而即興表演最特別之處， 是可以讓表演者充分發揮其臨場反應及創意，價值不比精心排練 的表演遜色。

Why is performing such a positive experience for you?

I really value sharing and exchanging skills: with dancers and actors, stage crew and producers. We make up a team and everyone has a part to play. But also, people like being entertained and I like to make them smile.

Frederic d’Argenlieu is an international school technician who has performed with Zani Show, a performing arts company in Hong Kong, and with Compagnie les Journaliers in France.

More details of Zani at zanishow.hk/productions

Laughter does you good Laughter not only relaxes you and eases stress, it helps you cope with difficult situations, creates bonds and reduces pain by releasing endorphins - the body's natural painkiller. Professional clown doctors work with children in hospitals in Hong Kong and many countries around the world using magic and other clowning skills to treat them with a good dose of fun that helps them forget for a while all about their illness.

More about clown doctors in Hong Kong hk.theodora.org/en/clown-doctors

China has a long history of variety art ( 雜技藝術 ) as a form of mass entertainment which includes clowns and jesters, acrobatic and balancing acts. Sometimes called the “hundred entertainments” ( 百戲 ), they also include juggling, tightrope-walking, tumbling, swordswallowing and fire-eating as well as dancing girls wearing dresses with long, fluttering silk sleeves that later became the extra-long silk, so-called “water sleeves” in Chinese opera.

Read more • britannica.com/art/Chinese-performing-arts • theculturetrip.com/asia/hong-kong/articles/a-history-of-traditional-cantonese-opera/ • Chunfang Fei, (ed). Chinese Theories of Theater and Performance from Confucius to the Present. University of Michigan Press, 2002. pp 24–25.

• factsanddetails.com/china/cat7/sub41/entry-2776.html

by Craig Nagy creative commons

Variety theatre

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Talking point December 2018 | Youth Hong Kong

Heritage on stage A

few years ago, Cantonese opera was fighting extinction. Although it is part of Hong Kong’s cultural landscape, audiences were mostly elderly, reports Elaine Morgan. Not any more.

Traditional bamboo sheds covered with mats and tin roofs still appear in some neighbourhoods around Hong Kong.

They herald the arrival of a gaudy Cantonese opera troupe, as at the Hungry Ghost Festival in Tai Hang each August.

Cantonese opera is a visual feast of bright costumes, dramatic make-up, acrobatics and martial arts. Critics say it lacks melodies and the singing – usually in falsetto, punctuated by gongs – is an acquired taste. They point out that its rather old-fashioned plots and lyrics need a makeover, but purists resisted change and it was added to the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage list in 2009. The government is now promoting the art form too, creating new venues and sponsoring performances.

The fan-base for Cantonese opera has blossomed before.

While it was banned in mainland China from the late Mao era until after the Cultural Revolution, massive waves of immigrants fleeing to Hong Kong meant that it entered a golden age here but from the 1970s until fairly recently, it went into decline. According to Dr Dorothy 24

Ng Fung-ping of HKU’s Faculty of Education, Cantonese opera performances in bamboo shed theatres in Hong Kong have dwindled from 158 in 1970 to 34 in 2010.

Now, that’s changed. The government advocates teaching Cantonese opera in the school music curriculum to promote Chinese culture education. There is plenty going on to preserve this ancient form of musical theatre and bring it up to date and some students have taken it up with gusto. Some say they love the lively action, the extravagant stage sets, outfits and make-up. Lam Chunkin of Lok Sin Tong Wong Chung Ming Secondary School says, “It is not old and rigid. It is actually fun.”

An innovative 3D system for learning and experiencing Cantonese opera through VR was launched earlier this year at Hong Kong’s Education University making it more accessible. Its aim is to modernise and systemise the learning and teaching of the art form with technology developed at the National Taichung University of Education in Taiwan. Six classical movements of Cantonese opera are displayed on screen and learners of all ages can practise with them. By recording, replaying and evaluating learners’ movements, the system encourages them to improve and perfect their performance by comparing their movements with those of an expert, according to Leung Bo-wah, head of the university’s department of cultural and creative arts.

Other local enthusiasts include Ma Man-har, founder of the Cha Duk Chang Cantonese Opera Association. She promotes the art by “repackaging” it into scripts and video games especially for children. “It isn’t just an art form,”

Cantonese opera venues Ko Shan Theatre Kwai Tsing Theatre Sunbeam Theatre in North Point

she says, “… it can also teach children important life lessons.” On the other hand, the Sing Fai Cantonese Opera Promotion Association coaches child performers who were invited by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism to perform alongside about 100 troupes from around mainland China.

Young devotees at St Paul’s Convent School, an English medium secondary school, can opt for a BTEC* diploma course in Performing Arts (Music Theatre) that focuses on Cantonese opera in Secondary 3. One of them, Meko Cheung, says she wants to pay tribute to her Hong Kong roots. “Cantonese opera is performed in our own language. It is our own culture, our own heritage.”

As she says, there is another important reason for keeping Cantonese opera alive apart from its educational and performance value: language. Language embodies culture and preserving an art form that embodies the culture of southern China preserves the Cantonese language itself. That’s important when more and more primary schools in Hong Kong are using Mandarin to teach the Chinese language, even when spoken Cantonese, according to scholars, is much like ancient Chinese, as it was spoken thousands of years ago. 筆者認為粵劇是本地最值得自豪的文化遺產之一。數年前，文化 界人士還擔心粵劇即將消失。但透過各方努力，例如將粵劇引入 學校課外活動之一，讓新一代了解並親身體驗粵劇文化，建立他 們的興趣；粵劇現已愈來愈受青少年歡迎。粵劇文化博大精深， 由戲服設計、造型、歌唱技巧，以至舞台建構均有莫大學問。隨 著西九龍文化區戲曲中心即將落成，相信本港市民及旅客將有更 多機會欣賞各類精彩的粵劇表演。

* The BTEC is an alternative secondary school diploma.

pp Sunbeam Theatre

Yau Ma Tei Theatre and the new Xiqu Centre in West Kowloon Yueju [ 粵劇 ] means Cantonese opera.

Xiqu [ 戲曲 ] means Chinese opera.

pp Xiqu Centre

Read more • wikipedia.org/wiki/Cantonese_opera • scmp.com/news/hong-kong/community/ article/2145905/learn-cantonese-operahong-kong-master-3d-software-sensing • ied.edu.hk/ccaproject/ yueju/eng/news.php • lcsd.gov.hk/CE/CulturalService/ ab/en/spaps1718_10.php • scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/ article/2169412/cantonese-opera-scriptbased-video-game-hong-kong-charity • scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/ article/2123357/cantonese-operainspires-next-generation-art-form 25

Youth speak December 2018 | Youth Hong Kong

Dancing for body and soul Y

ou can learn all kinds of dance styles in Hong Kong. From ballroom to ballet and from Latin to lion dance, but for teenagers Yuki, Nina and Kelly, urban dance, jazz funk and hip hop hit the spot, for a lot more than keeping fit.

Human beings probably danced even before there was a word for it. Moving to musical rhythm is instinctive. It connects people, even if unconsciously. These young dancers also dance for physical fitness, mental clarity and self-expression.

Why do you like dancing?

Who encourages you most?

Nina Dancing has made me a more determined person but if you want to improve, you have to work hard. You can take nothing for granted.

Yuki Tutors and crew mates.

Yuki It is a great stress-reliever but also keeps me fit.

Kelly My family give me full support. Whenever I perform they will be there in the audience. I have to practice for a long time before a show and cannot spend much time with them, but they never grumble.

Kelly It has helped me in different ways. I once suffered from acute anxiety. Dancing helps me relax, become more confident and sociable. My social circle has expanded greatly since I started dancing.

What effects does dancing have?

Kelly There are times when I find life difficult and then, sometimes, dancing can lift my mood. It’s a great way to forget hardships and relieve stress.

Yuki For me, it’s just fun and relaxing to chill with the music and the beat.

26

pp Chasers, the troupe that Kelly, Nina and Yuki dance with

Nina The same for me.

What kind of dancing do you like best and why?

Yuki Urban dance is for me. It lets me express my inner self but it’s also pure fun and enjoyment, especially with friends.

Nina Any kind, as long as I’m with my friends and crewmates. I can be true to myself and my feelings when I’m dancing. No one bothers me.

Kelly I love jazz, jazz funk, hip hop, urban dance most, especially when I get to dance with likeminded people. It helps us all feel connected.

Hong Hong Kong Kong Youth Youth Dance Dance The HKFYG Cultural Services Unit supports young dancers like the three in the story opposite. It runs annual dance contests for them, like the Joint Schools Dance Competition, and other events such as Uth Live Saturdays. The Federation’s own contemporary dance troupe, Hong Kong Youth Dance, performs regularly, tutored by Andy Wong.

• More details csu.hkfyg.org.hk/ 香港起舞 / • Enquiries Michelle Ho or Maria Wong 2395 5753

Street with heritage Streetdance dance with heritage Two very different kind of energetic dances that belong closely to Hong Kong’s cultural scene are the lion dance and the fire dragon dance. Southern China lion dancing has elements of acrobatics, puppet show and mime. While a golden lion leaps from pole to pole, shaking its bright yellow mane and mimicking the mannerisms of a real lion, the clash of drums and cymbals deafens onlookers.

Hong Kong is home to more than 100 lion dance troupes. They are seen as part of local cultural tradition and teenage performers demonstrate their agility and coordination with somersaults and mid-air backflips.

Street Street dance dance with attitude Urban dance combines various elements of dance and, like hip hop and jazz funk, involves a lot of flexibility. Also known as LA Style, it focuses on control, physical strength and effects. In Hong Kong, hip hop can be traced back to the 1990s and has strong links with LMF, the first rock rap group here to be signed by Warner Music. Break dance is very energetic and improvisational making it popular with young people as an art form, a competitive activity or just for physical exercise. Some UK secondary schools are beginning to introduce street dance as a form of physical education, and the dancers below are part of a HKFYG programme.

Kelly, Nina and Yuki are 15-18 yearold crewmates in the all-girl dance troupe, Chasers. They took part in the HKFYG Joint Schools Dance Competition 2018 and Uth Live Saturdays. Their tutors are Cherry and Ashley Lee of 2Live Dance Studio.

Watch them at youtu.be/Lr2XIrnuY7Y 27

Youth speak December 2018 | Youth Hong Kong

Bands without boundaries A

year ago, Danny Yau and Hugo Wai, both in their early 20s, formed a rock band called VIRT with three others. Already their fan base on Facebook and Instagram is in the hundreds but they play just for the love of it.

The ultimate benefit of playing music must be positive audience response. But musicians also say that they play for release, to escape from stress and to share their art with like-minded people.

Have you had any problem finding venues?

What does playing in a band mean to you?

What would help you most?

Danny It gives me satisfaction, helps me find meaning in life and helps me find myself.

Hugo Playing in a famous place with a big audience would help to increase our fan base and show we’re really competent.

Hugo Performing in front of other people is very satisfying and we only play music that we like.

Who has helped you?

Hugo We keep pushing and supporting each other. It was also very encouraging to win the Federation’s band competition last year.

What kind of music do you play?

Danny Alternative or fusion with a wide range of genres.

Hugo Luckily, we have had the chance to play in shopping malls and “live houses.” Soon, when we’re better known, we hope to play at music festivals.

Which instrument do you like and why?

Danny I’ve been playing guitar for ten years. Sometimes I mess around with other instruments like bass, drum or piano.

I once played the flute. It seemed cool, but the coordination between tonguing and fingering is too complicated.

Hugo For me, the piano. Its wide range helps make both bass and guitar sound better. I can play the melody and chords at the same time and polish delicate skills. Gaining recognition and pushing my own limits is my goal.

Alternative styles All, non-mainstream music was labelled “underground” when Hong Kong’s alternative music scene took off in the 1980s. In the 1990s, AMK was considered Hong Kong's first truly indie (independent) Cantopop group. By the 2000s the indie scene featured bands like My Little Airport and The Pancakes while rap rock bands like LMF combined creative elements while highlighting social alienation. Today, alternative rock fusion and indie bands vary greatly in terms of sound, social context and roots.

Read more Jockey Club Street Music Series. hkstreetmusic.com/educator-toolkit/indie-music-hong-kong

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Coordination and rhythm T

he world of drumming, with all its dynamic diversity, is the multicoloured musical world of Karen and Fish.

Whether it’s with eco-friendly instruments made from everyday objects, cymbals, Chinese drums, African bongos or South American xylophones, percussionists create an exciting, informal atmosphere for their audiences.

Which percussion instrument do you like best?

Karen We’ll play everything from bin lids to paint cans but what I love best is the marimba.

Fish Give me an African drum any time! Its tone plus the rhythm just boost my spirits.

Where do you like to perform?

Fish The location doesn’t matter. Wherever I play, I want to reach the highest possible standard and play well with a team.

Karen I would love to play at home for friends but I think it would be too noisy!

Struck, shaken, or scraped The most common percussion instruments are piano, timpani, xylophone, cymbals, triangle, snare drum, bass drum, tambourine, maracas, gongs, chimes, and celesta. It's not easy to be a percussionist because it takes a lot of practice to hit an instrument with the right amount of strength, in the right place and at the right time.

What’s the hardest thing about playing drums?

Karen Keeping to the beat. Counting is my weak point.

Fish Controlling my hands.

What’s the best thing about percussion-playing for you?

Karen It takes me out of myself. It’s like travelling to wherever the music comes from.

Fish I find “life” in this music and can feel its “pulse.”

HKFYG Hong Kong Youth Percussion showcases young players in many genres at performances around Hong Kong and runs an annual competition for schools.

More details csu.hkfyg.org.hk/ 香港敲擊 / Facebook facebook.com/pages/category/Musician-Band/ 香 港敲擊 -Hong-Kong-Youth-Percussion-120714595277693/ Enquiries Michelle Ho or Maria Wong 2395 5753 HKFYG Hong Kong Youth Band supports rock bands like VIRT (photo on opposite page) and organizes the annual Hong Kong Asia Pacific Youth Band Sound Competition which VIRT won last year. The Federation’s Shine On Stage Band Marathon took place this month at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre Piazza with local and overseas performers.

More details Hong Kong Youth Band csu.hkfyg.org.hk/ 香港樂隊 / Enquiries Michelle Ho or Charles Chan 2395 5753

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Youth speak December 2018 | Youth Hong Kong

Buskers daring to dream W

hy do young people like to perform out on the street when anyone can upload a music video on YouTube? Performing live is different, say young buskers. It’s unpredictable, fun and you get direct feedback.

Most Hong Kong buskers start when they are in their teens and numbers are on the rise. The majority play solo guitar or sing cover versions of pop songs. They tend to have little technical knowledge according to HKFYG’s Jeffrey Mok, who plays in a rock band and sometimes busks for charity.

He thinks the main problem buskers face is complaints about noise pollution so they should stop by 11pm. Places such as the Central piers walkways make good pitches in Hong Kong.

“Busking is an upfront experience with the closest proximity to the audience and the highest level of unpredictability of all the performing arts,” says Jeffrey, “but that means it’s a great way to build confidence. Most buskers don’t want to earn money, they just want to perform in public. Even if the audience has pre-conceived ideas or prejudices, if you have the right attitude you can brush off negativity and learn from constructive feedback.”

“Music is an effective way of connecting young people,” says Vicky Kwong who is in charge of the HKFYG Jockey 30

Club Hung Hom Youth SPOT and is closely involved with the busking scene. “Well-known buskers always exchange ideas so newcomers can learn from each other as they get started and encounter ups and downs.” One of her busking contacts, Leung Chun-ho, says he has been inspired by the help he had from Cityecho. “They make arrangements for performers at popular places like Times Square in Causeway Bay.” The setup for busking is simple, unstructured and unscheduled, and several HKFYG Youth SPOTs have buskers performing at their uCafes. “Less is more,” comments Vicky. “Programmes on social media, Youth SPOT and buskers’ Facebook fan pages, IG or word of mouth are the main meet-up platforms. Sometimes we have buskers for added value at sponsored mega events like youth markets. What they need most is a platform and opportunities to perform. Encouraging them to gain experience is the goal, from small to big and from few to many.”

What do the buskers say?

Pluses …

“The greatest reward has been compliments from people who are strangers to me.”

“The best audience I ever had was in the Tsim Sha Tsui station subway near the Cultural Centre.”

“My parents are very supportive.”

“The whole experience is more immediate if you play on the street.”

Minuses …

“There is too much competition for the best pitches. We need more approved places.

“I was once laughed at right in my face.”

“Some other buskers are really not very good.”

•

Try out some new places in Hong Kong, such as Cheung Chau, Stanley or Lamma.

•

If you have an unusual instrument, like a zheng or a didgeridoo, you’ll stand out more.

•

Up-beat, happy pop songs, is what people want most of the time.

•

Having a wall behind you amplifies your sound and improves acoustics.

•

Give your contact details to your audience.

•

Don’t be disheartened if no one is listening. Just keep on playing.

Practice makes perfect.

by wyliepoon flic.kr/p/dW2qrN

Tips for buskers

pp Zheng ( 箏 ) or guzheng, also known as the Chinese zither

Permission to play Busking is legal in Hong Kong but there is no licensing system for street performers and no official data about their numbers. About 300 buskers are thought to be performing in areas such as Tsim Sha Tsui, Mongkok, Causeway Bay and the Central piers. The Open Stage Scheme and West Kowloon Street Performance Scheme are the closest the city has to official venues. Applicants have to audition for Open Stage but of the original three government building piazza venues only the Sha Tin one remains and it has few passers-by. The West Kowloon Street Performance Scheme, launched in 2015, allows those who pass auditions to play, but in an area that is only busy now and then.

Read more • lcsd.gov.hk/en/stth/programmes/openstage.html varsity.com. cuhk.edu.hk/index.php/2017/05/buskers-licensed-regulated/ • nac.gov.sg/dam/jcr:3aed2e47-f31c-480b-ae99-7adf2f2773c2 • international.thenewslens.com/article/70810 31

Perspectives December 2018 | Youth Hong Kong

Theatre: relaxed, interactive and musical I

nteractive theatre has taken off in Hong Kong. Theatre rules are relaxed and the boundaries between performers and audiences break down says Sarah O’Connor.

Interaction is also the focus at the latest HKFYG touring theatre production for schools.

On the Yellow Brick Road

Someone must have told Dorothy that this was going to be special because from the outset she cared about how her friends (the audience) were feeling. She even asked us what we thought about the lighting in the auditorium. We told her it could be a little darker and she turned down the lights a bit! All four cast members were perfect for the job. The performance was fun, upbeat and fast-paced and the players invited us to join them in the songs and after the show.

In the story, the Lion, the Tin Man and the Scarecrow all think they are lacking, but they have strengths to offer Dorothy. I think this might be seen as a metaphor for inclusion which is not just a concept any more. It has become a personal commitment 32

and a shared social responsibility that resonates with us all. This was an opportunity to see inclusion in practice, a shared and valuable experience.

by Liran Jazz O'Connor, aged 8

“Every child should go to the theatre because it is so magical. It opens up the imagination and teaches you how to handle problems,” says the theatre’s artistic director, Dr Vicki Ooi.

by WW Denslow

There was a buzz in the air. We were on our way to see the wizard, the wonderful Wizard of Oz. Staged by the Absolutely Fabulous Theatre Connection, this was no regular production.

First, we were warmly welcomed and there was a little play area where we could wait.

We were also told that we could leave and return to our seats at any time during the show if we wanted.

But once Dorothy, the main character, came on stage, she was so friendly and engaging the audience was immediately smitten.

The Absolutely Fabulous Theatre Connection production was in both Cantonese and English. It was designed for special needs students and is described as a social inclusion theatre catering for individuals with Autistic Spectrum Disorders and other learning or communication challenges. The company’s productions continue all year round.

More on the Absolutely Fabulous Theatre Connection at aftec.hk/en/ Sarah O’Connor is a special needs teacher and educational consultant with Acorn Care: acorncare.com.hk

The Magic Voice Tree I

nteractive theatre is also used in a play now touring in Hong Kong’s upper primary schools, telling the story of two boys with very different personalities.

A roving, interactive theatre production, The Magic Voice Tree began its run this autumn with fun and engagement for all. The plot follows the lives of children who tell each other and the audience how they feel. By acting out their feelings they show that getting over shyness and embarrassment starts with talking about them.

• Wellness Mind Centre Project STEP initiative • Sponsor HSBC 150th Anniversary Charity Programme • Production partner iStage • More details wmc.hkfyg.org.hk

Coming soon Family interactive Theatre 19 January 2019

• Enquiries Fion Chau 2788 3433

A teacher comments, “The young actors gave a lively and vivid performance and everyone in the audience learned more about stress and could give suggestions to cope with it.”

A parent says, “The storyline is easy to understand and it fits for primary students.”

Musicals and carnivals

Interaction and participation Interactive theatre is growing in Hong Kong. It allows the audience to communicate with and even join the performers on stage. They may be asked to hold props, offer suggestions as in improvisational theatre or become characters in the performance. Its aim is often to illustrate real life issues, social, moral or emotional, as in The Magic Voice Tree.

A musical with a story set in an old Hong Kong squatter area was put on by HKFYG’s Neighbourhood First communitybuilding programme. With a young cast and a production team in their 20s, the musical was called Neighbourhood!

Stand by You! Supported

by RTHK, it was popular enough for a re-run, as was Our Time, Our Hong Kong, a partnership production with the Hang Seng Theatre set in Sham Shui Po and all about Lion Rock spirit.

Other organizers of youth musicals and carnivals include: • Hong Kong 3 Arts Musical Institute • Hong Kong Children’s Musical Theatre • Yip's Children's Musical Theater • The Hong Kong Youth Arts Foundation (YAF), organizer of a wide variety of shows including the annual Arts in the Park Mardi Gras, pictured opposite.

33

Science & technology December 2018 | Youth Hong Kong

Robots: future decision-makers D

ecision-making by artificial intelligence is a top concern when robotics appears in everything from war to medicine. Who or what will decide what is right and what is wrong?

by Chan Pok Fung

What do you look forward to most in the future? When I was small, most if not all of my friends dreamed of having a companion like Doraemon, the robotlike cat. We wanted a Doraemon that could take care of us, just like he took care of Nobi in the story.

However, what if Nobi refused to do his homework one day. Is it right for Doraemon to decide to do it for him?

Or should he explain to Nobi why he should finish it himself? We probably won’t have a robot with Doraemon’s superpowers for at least 100 years, but we probably can soon develop robots that can accomplish many tasks.

Before they start making decisions for us, it is of paramount importance that they know what is right and what is wrong.

Ethical considerations like these are one of the most difficult topics in the development of modern artificial intelligence (AI) - even more so than the technology involved. The possibility of spontaneous “wrong” acts committed by AI evokes many fears. One of the most frequently discussed is the self-driving car with two options: crushing a man in the centre of the road or swerving into a wall and killing two passengers. Such a dilemma will only become more frequent as AI develops. Even if the safety record of selfdriving cars far exceeds that of human drivers, the question of responsibility will still remain. Who, or what, decides?

I remember one of my classes about machine learning last year where the professor described a similar case and said, “This wouldn’t be a problem if the driver was human. No matter what decision he made, he would be accountable. Society requires that someone is to blame when accidents happen.”

In the past, we had a complete understanding of robots’ programmed codes but the results were unsatisfactory and 34

a new approach to machine learning became a rising star in AI development.

Machine learning allows AI to “learn” from a sea of data and to self-modify in order to achieve the optimized outcome. But as the performance of AI becomes better and better, the underlying principle becomes more and more opaque. In other words, humans can no longer predict how AI “learns” nor what it may consider the “right” outcome.

The active involvement of AI in society will also pose a challenge to our understanding of accountability.

Currently, humans are responsible and accountable for final decisions made before almost any action is taken.

In the foreseeable future, AI will probably increasingly take over decision-making. The reliability of such decisions will definitely be the top concern, especially as the use of AI in war, medicine and legal proceedings will grow, as well as in self-driving cars.

Recent news reports have tended to emphasize the aggressive behavior of AI in experiments.

For example, last year, Google designed a simple game to observe the relationship between AI behaviour and computational power. In the experiment, computers competed in a game where they collected as many “fruits” as possible on a “map.” They could also

use lasers to knock out other competitors. Researchers found that greater computing power correlated with more aggressive and more frequent use of the knock-out lasers.

However, in another experiment, AI acted as wolves that preyed on sheep and in this case the computers quickly learned the advantages of cooperation. The crux is in the definition of outcomes and the rules of the game but although outcomes may be easy to measure it is usually very difficult to make clear-cut rules or guidelines.

Not only practical but also philosophical concerns are involved in deciding whether a person or AI should be accountable for mistakes and accidents. Much thought has been devoted to this in both philosophy and computer science. Isaac Asimov was creating science fiction in the 1940s that revolved around the issue.

Today, a famous project is MIT’s Moral Machine. It involves crowdsourcing to collect data and invites the public to judge how a self-driving car should react in various situations, including the one mentioned above.

Institutions such as GoodAI, founded by Marek Rosa, a successful video-game designer, are dedicated to the effort of educating AI. GoodAI focuses on training to apply knowledge in previously unencountered situations.

Others introduce guilt or regret as a useful learning tool.

Only one thing is sure, without defining ethical behaviour and collecting a vast quantity of data related to it, it will be a daunting task to teach AI the difference between right and wrong. Entrepreneur, Elon Musk, has claimed that AI is the greatest existential threat to humankind.

Perhaps it is too early to worry about robots betraying humans, as in science fiction, but it is never too early to educate the next generation. AI now belongs to it.

Chan Pok Fung is in the final year of a degree in physics at the Chinese University of Hong Kong.

35

City space December 2018 | Youth Hong Kong

No place like home H

ousing challenges face young people in many cities, but Hong Kong probably has the least affordable housing in the world, some of the lowest space standards and the widest income inequalities. These factors make family life more difficult. Even so, the desire for a home of one’s own persists.

by Vicky Law One of a human being’s most natural inclinations is to own their home. It’s the place with which one identifies most closely over time. Professor Antonio Argandoña, at the University of Navarra, once said that the home is not just a physical place where one goes to rest and relax. Rather, it is a cultural and psychological space where you can have the privacy to develop and preserve one’s identity.1 A Hong Kong example of this in practice might be former migrants returning to Hong Kong some years after the handover. After obtaining new passports, what they wanted was to be reunited with their families and their central sense of identity.

by redpolkadot flic.kr/p/e5sdQ

Lack of space, high property prices, the needs of the elderly and low-income citizens: all these seem to take precedence over finding housing solutions for Hong Kong’s younger generation. Yet, if they are truly the future, a sincere commitment to resolve their housing problems is needed. While striving for intergenerational solidarity, not only within the family, but for society as a whole, it is also essential to find ways for young people to have, eventually if not immediately, adequate independent living space, especially when they are about to get married.

36

pp Ho Pui Reservoir, adjacent to HKFYG's Organic Farm

To paraphrase Spanish anthropologist, Ricardo Stork Yepes, home is also a space where we “meet ourselves.”

We keep in it a part of ourselves, our memories - in short, everything familiar to us, and so the place where we feel most at ease. It is also the place where we recover direction in our lives.2 At the same time, the home is a community of persons, a family group who share a vital space. It is the place where intimacy becomes common and shared, where each one of us reveals who we really are.

A survey in 2015 by City University of Hong Kong researchers asked 18-35 year-olds about their current housing and how they saw the future. Almost 80% were living with their parents or other relatives. About 5% were living in households that included a partner as well as parents or other relatives. Very few lived alone.

The same survey asked young people about their perspective of home, their future and whether they lived with their parents. Almost 80% lived with parents or relatives. 96% said they were happy about it even though over two-thirds said they couldn't afford to live anywhere else and about half would move out if housing were cheaper. However, 87% said they liked living at home because they could take care of their parents. A similar proportion thought that “Chinese people should preserve close family ties.”

Study hard, work hard and save hard. Then buy your own home. It is dream that is drummed into many youngsters from an early age. But many of Hong Kong’s so-called post-80s generation have woken up from that dream and think it is impossible to realize.

The 2018 Chief Executive’s policy address included a controversial mega project of reclamation around Lantau Island intended to make up for the scarcity of land and, potentially, provide homes for 1.1 million people in the next 20 to 30 years.3 However, it is important to remember that the goal of the government’s plans for society is to protect the needs and interest of the individual. Even if in the future more homes become available and the problems of the housing ladder are solved, family stability and its enrichment are central.

The growth and well-being of a person demands more than just housing. What we all need is a place to call home.

Vicky Law works for the East Asian Educational Association, a Hong Kongbased NGO in family education and personal development. A University of Navarra graduate, she worked in the diplomatic corps before doing postgraduate work at the International University of Catalunya, Barcelona.

Sources 1. Argandoña, A. Persona, Familia, Hogar. Economia, Etica y Rse Blognetwork (blog.iese.edu/antonioargandona/2017/10/27/personas-familia-hogar/ 2. Yepes, Ricardo Stork. (1997) “El hogar como primera propriedad.” Fundamentos de Antropologia. Un ideal de la excelencia humana, pages 110-113 3. policyaddress.gov.hk/2018/eng/policy.html

37

HKFYG December 2018 | Youth Hong Kong

InnoPower@JC

A

s an InnoPower Fellow, Christa Cheung of HKFYG’s Wellness Mind Centre was selected to explore new directions in social work with an innovative project.

Teachers and social workers play an important role in our community and need innovative mindsets to respond effectively to complex educational and social challenges. Christa Cheung was selected for the InnoPower@JC programme, initiated by The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust, for this reason.

The four-year programme aims to nurture and empower innovative talent to enhance long-term development and capacity-building of social workers and teachers. It offers resources, learning opportunities locally and overseas, plus cross-sector exposure within a supportive community.

A local and overseas sabbatical involves studying, for example, social innovation, social entrepreneurship, leadership, and social impact measurement.

Visits in London included MyBnk, a social enterprise supporting financial literacy for youth, Unseen Tours, a walking tour company created for and operated by the homeless, and The Big Issue, a newspaper self-help

venture for the poor and homeless. In Copenhagen, visits and meetings included Cycling without Age which helps seniors find recreational mobility, Hatch and Bloom, a design consultancy, Ørestad Gymnasium (high school), a school without walls, and CPH Villages and Urban Rigger co-living spaces.

Christa’s reflections “This experience has brought about a change in my mindset. I have stronger motivation and a renewed passion for my role as a social worker with a new perspective on social problems and greater belief in myself as an agent of change.”

InnoPower@JC is supported by partners including Ednovators, the University of Oxford Saïd Business School, The DO School in Berlin and the Hong Kong Social Workers Association.

More details at jcinnopower.hk/index/

Open up: round-the-clock counselling A first for Hong Kong, Open up works exclusively on the internet and mobile phones. It makes it easy for young people who prefer text messaging to phone calls or face-to-face conversations to have a chat with counsellors.

This new service aims to fill gaps left by current suicide prevention hotlines.

In the first month, over 2,100 contacts were made by counsellors.

Available 24/7

Anywhere

Any time

In Chinese and English ● On the web at openup.hk ● On SMS at 9101 2012 ● On Instagram, WeChat and Facebook Messenger at hkopenup

38

Christmas Hampers fresh from the HKFYG Organic Farm On sale now @ HK$588 ●

Includes Four catties of seasonal organic vegetables Cactus Soup Package Organic Apple Cider Vinegar

● Produce certified by USDA Online orders Telephone orders and enquiries Email Deliveries More details

organicfarm.hk 2838 4808 organicfarm@hkfyg.org.hk Hong Kong Island, Kowloon, New Territories: Mondays/Thursdays 10.30am – 5pm organicfarm.hk/products/christmas-hamper

Discovering technological advancements in the Greater Bay Area Dates Participants Joint Organizers With Fully supported by Telephone enquiries Email More details

Saturday-Sunday 5-6 January 2019

creative commons by N509FZ

Youth High Speed Rail

Five hundred young people The Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups and The Dragon Foundation The HKFYG Leadership Institute MTR Corporation Joanne Lam 3586 8448 ye@hkfyg.org.hk ye.hkfyg.org.hk

39

HKFYG December 2018 | Youth Hong Kong

National University of Singapore & The HKFYG Leadership Institute

Lee Kuan Yew School Scholarship for Friends of HKFYG

The HKFYG Leadership Institute and the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy at the National University of Singapore share a common mission: to nurture Asia’s next generation of public service leaders. This strategic partnership will prepare youth as morally principled, responsible, civic-minded leaders who contribute positively and innovatively to the building of an inclusive community while gaining wider vision and international exposure to tackle future challenges. Developing its core service of leadership training, the Federation began a new chapter this year when the HKFYG Leadership Institute opened at the historic former Fanling Magistracy.

Full-time master’s programmes with up to two full scholarships for successful candidates.

1

2

Master of Public Policy

Master of Public Administration

● Duration: 2 years

● Duration: 1 year

● Target: Young professionals with up to five years’ working experience or fresh graduates

● Target: Mid-level professionals with at least 5 years of work experience

● Scholarship value: S$97,000 plus

● Scholarship value: S$56,000 plus

More details

bit.ly/Scholarship_FriendsOfHKFYG

Enquiries

Eva Wong or Sharyn Ng Tel 2169 0255

Email

spe@leadershipinstitute.hk

Global Youth Entrepreneurs Forum 10-11 December 2018 This event took participants to meet other young entrepreneurs, industry experts, investors and corporate stakeholders in Hong Kong, Qianhai, Shenzhen and Chengdu.

Embracing unique opportunities to engage with the tech community

Exploring emerging trends and the mainland China market

Expanding business networks and enabling new startups

Event highlights sic.hkfyg.org.hk/en/globalforum2018/ 40

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HKFYG December 2018 | Youth Hong Kong

Volunteer season I

t’s easy to get swept up in Christmas festivities and forget how privileged we are. For those who are less fortunate than ourselves, HKFYG’s Easy Volunteer has a few programmes in mind. They may help bring a little joy into everyone’s lives, especially those in need.

What’s new Easyvolunteer.hk is HKFYG’s online searching and matching system. Launched this autumn, convenient new features bridge the gap between volunteers and voluntary work providers. Records of student volunteers can be managed by school administrators, patterns in volunteering can be analysed and strategic voluntary services can be initiated. Students can find their volunteer service records, mark them as Other Learning Experiences and retrieve details for volunteer award applications.

All users can choose projects to volunteer for, sign up, manage details of past community work and recruit.

Christmas call for volunteers

So far HKFYG has 40,000 volunteers and 350 voluntary work providers. With over 3,200 useful projects to date, they offer services as diverse as delivering rice to the needy, giving tutorials to ethnic minority students and organizing first-time visits to iconic Hong Kong locations for deprived children. Our aim is to connect young people and empower them for even greater social impact.

pp Outstanding HKFYG Volunteers

Party for underprivileged children

Carol Singing Festival

With Entertainment, surprise gifts and an educational element

With Over 10,000 members of the public joining hands and singing carols in every corner of the territory to raise awareness and funds for underprivileged children. Volunteers also needed to coordinate and liaise with choir teams, assist at ceremonies and performances.

Organizer Inter-school social service team from HKFYG’s V-Studio Volunteer Training Course 2018 Supported by HKFYG Hong Kong Jockey Club Community Project Grant: Youth Volunteer Network Date 21 December 2018 Time 4-7pm Deadline for sign-up 7pm 20 December Venue Youth service centre in Tin Shui Wai district

Organizer Child Development Initiative Alliance

Invitation Youth volunteers aged 14-25 are welcome

Dates 9 - 24 December 2018

Supported by HKFYG EasyVolunteer Time 10am-8pm Deadline for sign-up at last venue 7pm 23 December 2018 Venues Include major shopping malls, theme parks, special buses, local landmarks & MTR stations Invitation Everyone aged 18 and over is welcome

Act now! Fuel this Christmas season with love!

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Read more

easyvolunteer.hk/

Enquiries

Eunice Cheung 3755 7030

facebook.com/VNET.HKFYG/

Community spirit T

he festive season is the perfect time to remember your neighbours and those less priveleged than yourself. Cooking up a storm, dropping in with a gift and developing apps to improve community services are all ways to show you care.

Neighbourhood First Hackathon: building apps for neighbourhoods Dare to DREAM is the theme of the Neighbourhood First App-building Hackathon, currently under way. It is a collaborative and developmental competition for teams of students aged 11-21.

Participants have a mission to fulfill: solving a real-life problem or improving quality of life by means of innovation and technology. Hackathon workshop tutors guide them to uncover suitable community issues or inconveniences so that they have a specific target within their respective neighbourhoods. They are then given the resources and guidance needed to build a workable solution with a mobile app prototype. Usable, functioning software or hardware is the outcome, resulting from innovative design thinking. Coding workshops in December 2018 precede presentation of apps at a pitching workshop and pitching day in February 2019.

The Award Ceremony is on 16 February and the completed work of all participating teams will be on display. 主辦機構 Organised by

贊助機構 Sponsored by

Venues HKFYG Hung Shui Kiu, Jockey Club Tseung Kwan O and Jockey Club Farm Road Youth SPOTs Awards • Cash coupon prizes for Champion, First and Second Runners-up • Five honorable mentions • Chance to join a reward scheme to make prototypes into actual products Sponsor K&K Charity Contact Claire Liu 2448 7474 學習尖端科技，裝備未來技能， 敢作敢為，挑戰追尋編程夢。

More details neighbourhoodfirst.hkfyg.org.hk/

透過鄰舍考察發掘社區問題，構思創科方案幫助特定服務社群提高生活素質。 一系列專業編程課程將助你開發屬於自己的應用程式，將科技融入助鄰。 特訓賽優勝隊伍更能於獎勵計劃將創科意念實體化， 讓開發的產品服務真正惠及社群，建構智慧社區。 主辦單位｜洪水橋青年空間｜賽馬會農圃道青年空間｜賽馬會將軍澳青年空間 查詢｜

(852) 2448 7474｜

hsk@hkfyg.org.hk｜

hsk.hkfyg.org.hk

支持機構 Supported by

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HKFYG December 2018 | Youth Hong Kong

Loving Soup

Rice Giving 10th anniversary

Loving Soup is an annual event that celebrates HKFYG’s year-long community-building work. This year it will be held on 15 December at the Federation’s Jockey Club Tin Yiu Youth SPOT in Tin Shui Wai, bringing people together and building a strong sense of community.

For the past decade, this compassionate community project has taken many youngsters to see a face of Hong Kong that is usually hidden. With the steadfast support of the Au Bak Ling Charity Trust, the HKFYG rice-giving project, engages young volunteers in the delivery of large bags of rice to needy households.

Over 250 youth volunteers from the HKFYG Hung Shui Kiu Youth SPOT help to cook vats of delicious soup and then serve cups of it to over 4,000 people from booths on the street. They also deliver the soup to homes in the community. The recipes include many health-giving ingredients such as apples, carrots, corn, pears, mushrooms and pork.

Find out more about the recipes issuu.com/kayanty/docs/e-recipes Come and join us!

Many hundreds of thousands of kilos of rice have been delivered since the scheme began in 2010. Thousands of volunteers have been involved so far and hundreds more join in every year. “The rice-giving programme helps our students learn to show they care about their neighbours and to treasure what they have,” said a principal at one of the supporting schools.

Sponsor Au Bak Ling Charity Trust Enquiries Neighbourhood First Secretariat 3755 7072

Enquiries Gigi Wong 2448 4868

2019 Reunion Lunch This yearly event sees casseroles full of tasty pun choi ( 盆菜 ) being prepared by large teams of HKFYG youth volunteers for the enjoyment of the community. On Saturday 26 January, the last weekend before the 2019 Chinese New Year holidays, at Muk Lun Street Playground in Wong Tai Sin, Kowloon and in all Hong Kong’s 18 districts, the elderly, the disabled and underprivileged families will be invited to join us. About 12,000 guests at 1,070 tables are expected all together, including government officials, district councillors, school principals and social welfare professionals.

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Special Guest

Enquiries Monica Mok 3755 7076

Matthew Cheung Kin-chung, GBM, GBS, JP, Chief Secretary for Administration

More information about Neighbourhood First neighbourhoodfirst.hkfyg.org.hk

Nurturing Talent for Governance

T

he development of a talent pool for good governance requires identifying, training and offering experience to potentially suitable youth. How can they be found?

Good governance requires a high level of performance by those in leadership positions. They need to prepare effective policy and put it into practice in order for society to prosper and keep moving forward. With the political landscape and the principle of “one country, two systems” in Hong Kong, increasing levels of talent are needed.

However, as expectations of government officials rise, so deep-rooted social divides, polarization and other factors present the city with problems. This places increasing pressure on those who are public servants and may deter potentially suitable candidates.

This survey looks at how the younger generation perceives people holding public office in the city and asks them if they would consider entering the field of governance.

Key points from respondents ● 77.1% recognize the need for greater talent for good governance. ● 68.5% feel that lack of talent in the HKSAR government is currently a major hindrance to effective governance. ● 37.9% consider that commitment to Hong Kong is the most important characteristic of a person who can offer talented governance in the community. ● 30.2% show interest in entering the field of governance as a career, mainly because they want to make improvements for the good of Hong Kong.

● 27.5% say Hong Kong’s international connections are its greatest advantage for the purpose of nurturing the needed talent but that the biggest disadvantage is limited training opportunities.

The survey revealed that balancing the interests of different sectors of society is considered the most important skill for good governance, while public support is thought to be the most important factor. Reluctance to get involved in governance was marked in members of a focus group, some of whom worry about a career path in Hong Kong. Others say they are unenthusiastic because of harsh criticism of those in public office.

Comments from Youth I.D.E.A.S. think tank members Ray Poon, convener “There is a pressing need for Hong Kong to enrich its pool of available talent by identifying people with potential, offering suitable training and opportunities to practice skills, making channels available for rotation among departments and agencies, and maximizing the acquisition of experience. We recommend that government officials visit secondary schools and tell students about their work so that they understand more about public service. This is also good for life planning. The earlier a talent pool is built, the better.”

Ansel Lam, deputy convener “We recommend a one-year placement programme for university students in government departments and public bodies in order to enrich the practice of good governance. Training should be structured and systematic so that students learn in depth during the placement. Drawing inspiration from overseas practice, we also recommend that the government uses all means available to retain the experience of the former senior officials as a reference for their successors.”

Report No. 33 HKFYG Youth I.D.E.A.S. Governance & Constitutional Development group Published title Nurturing Talent for Governance Respondents 520 18-34 year-olds plus five focus groups with 22 young people and five scholars or experts More details [in Chinese] yrc.hkfyg.org.hk/2018/08/26/yi033/ Enquiries Sharon Cheung 3755 7039

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Living with Innovative Technologies

“I

nnovative technology” (IT) and “smart city” have become buzzwords in Hong Kong.

This survey asks young people how well they understand the concepts. A large number of strategies and measures to aid Hong Kong’s development as a smart city were included in the government’s “Hong Kong Smart City Blueprint.” How widely are they being applied in daily life?

Key points from respondents

Comments from Youth I.D.E.A.S. think tank members

• 87.7% say getting citizens' full cooperation is essential for Hong Kong to become a smart city.

Mac Chan, deputy convener “Education is the key to improving young people’s understanding and willingness to adopt IT, especially STEM education which should be available not only in schools. The government could also support NGOs that organize cross-border IT events such as STEM study tours and internship programmes. These can stimulate creativity and enable an innovative atmosphere to flourish.”

• 72.9% have not heard of the “Hong Kong Smart City Blueprint”.

• 53.7% know nothing about multi-functional smart lampposts.

• 30.2% say they don’t need IT. • 22.9% say it’s too costly.

• 16.9% worry about personal data privacy.

Among those who do use IT: » 92.3% use it for convenience. » 86.5% think smart city development could improve quality of life. » 72.1% believe smart city features would increase competitiveness. » 70.0% say adoption of smart city features means wide application of IT in daily life.

Alison Chan & Gigi Au-yeung, group members “Our fellow-citizens’ full support of government strategies is the foundation of success for Hong Kong as a smart city. We recommend a regular government survey which explores technological needs and expectations to motivate people to adopt IT as part of a collective effort.”

Key points from individual interviews ● Young people’s understanding of IT is unclear. Some believe the term means “R&D” or “high-tech.” Others think it means technologies not yet adopted 100% in Hong Kong. ● Limited understanding of the smart city concept is evident. One interviewee said she thought it meant a research project at Hong Kong Science Park, implying that it had no direct relevance to her own life. ● The major challenges for IT adoption according to experts and scholars are lack of proper government strategies, outdated legislation and slow progress in collecting government data.

Read more

www.smartcity.gov.hk/ info.gov.hk/gia/general/201804/25/P2018042500334.htm iotworldtoday.com/2016/04/22/why-iot-coming-street-lights/

Eight multi-functional smart lampposts were installed in Hong Kong Science Park in early 2018 as part of a pilot scheme due to be rolled out in Kowloon East before mid-2019. The lampposts have LED lights that reduce power consumption, charging for electric vehicles and software with surveillance cameras to collect real-time data about the weather, pollution, traffic and pedestrians and security. They are already used in mainland China and elsewhere with facial recognition software for law enforcement.

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Report No. 34 HKFYG Youth I.D.E.A.S. Education and Innovation group Published title Living with innovative technologies and building a smart city Respondents 520 15-34 year-olds via an onsite poll survey plus in-depth interviews with 20 youth and five scholars or experts More details [in Chinese] yrc.hkfyg.org.hk/2018/09/26/yi034/ Enquiries Angus Choi 3755 7038

Women’s employment

E

nabling more women to go to work is one solution for reversing Hong Kong’s shrinking labour force. Women are less likely to be employed because of their responsibility for childcare, according to widespread belief. Indeed, the labour force participation rate among women who are or have been married is 21% lower than for women who have never married. This indicates strong potential among this group for joining or rejoining the workforce.

Key points from respondents ● 83.1% of the respondents support improvements in women’s employment conditions. ● Over 75% think that the childcare services in Hong Kong are insufficient. ● 57.1% think that adoption of the “home office” concept would be “very helpful” if the number of women in the workforce is to grow. ● 50.4% think adoption of “flexi-time” would also have the above result.

75.1% think that the government should offer greater support for women at work and rate the HKSARG’s efforts in this respect at only 4.11 on a 0-10 scale, on average. Interviews with women find that many of them experience tension as a result of the dual responsibilities of a career and family life. Employers’ representatives said they welcome women who return to the workplace but have reservations about implementing family-friendly employment practices such as flexi-time, flexi-workplace and job sharing.

Comments from Youth I.D.E.A.S. think tank members Keith Leung, group deputy convener “Childcare services in Hong Kong are insufficient to an extreme and many women who are interested in employment cannot find jobs. To cope with the problem, we recommend the introduction of an After School Care Programme for all primary schools. It should be a tripartite cooperation model whereby the schools provide the venue, NGOs offer the services and the government offers a subsidy. The government could also offer a Family-Friendly Practices Grant that provides incentives for companies that implement womenfriendly practices in order to build the female workforce.”

Manson Chow, group member “The government, education, public, NGO and business sectors should join hands to implement family-friendly employment practices such as working from home.

The government could split some full-time civil service support posts into part-time work for personnel such as translators and technical officers. Universities could provide home office arrangements for staff in computer programming and research. The experience gained could then be used to motivate the commercial sector to extend such benefits to all women who want to work.”

Report No.35 HKFYG Youth I.D.E.A.S. Employment and Economic Development group Published title Improving Incentives for Women’s Employment Participants/respondents 520 Hong Kong residents aged 18 or above surveyed; 20 women with young children aged 25-54 interviewed; 6 experts and scholars interviewed More details [in Chinese] yrc.hkfyg.org.hk/2018/10/30/yi035/ Enquiries Amy Yuen 3755 7037

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HKFYG December 2018 | Youth Hong Kong

Unique Gifts at YB21

your local startup experience store

S

ome shoppers dash for online ordering but others want the hands-on touch. They like to see for themselves and touch before buying. That’s where HKFYG’s new retail outlet comes in for your Christmas gift shopping this year.

Gifts, gifts gifts for the special people in your life VELove bags: made with love from natural and recycled materials • Special sources for innovative purses and bags • Created from natural Filipino pineapple leaves • Raw matrials sent from Spain to Hong Kong for inclusive workshops • Plus: Recycling technology for attractive, water-based PU textile leather-look accessories • Enquire for individual item prices

Audiopark ear buds: made to protect your ears with revolutionary A8 Technology • Stylish Audiowrap earbud-bracelets in braided rainbow colours to match your outfit • A8 earbuds to please parents and audiophiles with clean, healthy, well-balanced sound • Volume-reduction for hearing protection • Choose for yourself or wrap up as a present

Midoti irresistible knotted filigree jewellery

SmartTeam: clever lights and gadgets for home, car and camp

• Delicately woven threads in beautiful designs from Sharon Cheung

• Incorporating airsterilizing Ti02 technology and patented designs

• “Next 100 Creator” at Tokyo Design Week • Finalist in Taiwan Cultural & Creative Awards 2017 • Made from twisted threads of soft German steel • Enquire for individual item prices

• Plug-in USBC ionic air purifier for negative ion generation in cars and taxis • Motion sensoractivated night lights with articulated USB rechargeable batteries • Energy-saving LED camping lantern with built-in FM radio and multi-speed fan • Enquire for individual item prices

Audiopark Bracelet Earphone 20% off Special Christmas price for HK$559 48

Christmas Offers 100% Handmade in Hong Kong Scarlett Co Earrings: 20% off

Awarding Winning GüTS Watch Sold exclusively by YB21: 20% off The watch with the lucky 吉 name and the moving dial: a high quality timepiece with clean lines and simple curves, from GŰTS.

Innovative designs with a light fusion touch: elegant, auspicious and stylish.

Original price HK$335

German Design Award Winner Original price HK$960

Special Christmas price

Special Christmas price

HK$768

HK$271 Warm Travel Set from Handycosy, ALPS and SmartTeam

Warm Christmas Set from InLab Design and SmartTeam

Travel Pillow by Handycosy Original price HK$358

Super-soft woollen easy care scarf with adjustable heat by InLab Design Original price HK$1280

+ Travel Bag by ALPS Original price HK$250 + Hand Warmer and PowerBank by SmartTeam Original price HK$370

+ Hand Warmer and Powerbank by SmartTeam Original price HK$370

Christmas pick price

Combo price

HK$979

HK$677

PlumpPlanet Stationery Pack

Santa Claus Set

Tote Bag plus: • 3 Files • 4 Pens • 6 Notebooks

Stationery Pack by PlumpPlanet Original price HK$200 + TangramTimeOut by CheeseLion Lab Original price HK$299

Original price HK$200

+ Bow-tie with Suspender by Novios Original price HK$99

See for yourself!

Address YB21 G/F, 62B, Staunton Street, Central, HK Opening hours in December Tuesday to Sunday 12 noon to 8pm Open Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve Cash & credit cards accepted

Special package price

Special package price

HK$120

HK$459

More details facebook.com/hkfygyb21 instagram.com/hkfygyb21 Manager Alan Yam 6356 1790

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Readers’ questionnaire

The first readers to answer will receive a special Christmas bag as a thank you! Hurry, while stocks last!

Please help us to improve our quality. Scan the QR code and complete this survey online.

Where do you receive the magazine? o Home o School o Office o HKFYG units, eg Youth SPOTs o Book store o Online, eg YHK website or mobile site o Other________________________

Gender o Male o Female

OR Tick all that apply, then copy the completed page and send it by email to: youthhongkong@hkfyg.org.hk or by fax to +852 3755 7155.

How long have you been reading this magazine? o This issue only o This year o Regular reader What do you like reading in Youth Hong Kong? (you can choose more than one answer) o Overview o Interviews o Youth speak section o Features o HKFYG section Why do you read Youth Hong Kong? (you can choose more than one answer) o Teaching / classroom purposes o Specific topics / themes (please specify) _________________ o Learning something new o Fun or to pass the time Please rate the following aspects of the magazine as (excellent, good, average, poor, very poor) o Range of content covered _______________________________ o Quality of writing _______________________________ o Design and layout _______________________________ o Distribution methods _______________________________ 50

How would you rate the publication overall? o Excellent o Good o Average o Poor o Very poor What subjects would you most like us to include in future? (you can choose more than one answer) o Current affairs o Education o Jobs and careers o Health and environment o Leisure and recreation o Arts & culture What changes would you like to see in future? (you can choose more than one answer) o Shorter text o Simpler English o More interviews o More general feature articles o More fun articles Before reading the magazine, had you heard of The Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups (HKFYG)? o Yes o No Does the magazine inform you about services offered by HKFYG? o Yes o No

Age o Below 20 o 31 – 40

o o

21 – 30 Over 40

Education level o Secondary o Tertiary o Post-graduate degree Family status o Single

o

Married

Parental status o No children o Child / children aged:___________ Living location o Hong Kong o Overseas (please specify country)_______________________ Occupation o Student o Teacher: primary o Teacher: secondary o Teacher: tertiary o NGO o Government o Business sector o Other (please specify):_______________________

Coming Up Winter 2018 and Spring 2019 Performing Arts with HKFYG

Every Saturday in December 2018

Hong Kong MTR Station

Uth Live Saturdays

5 January 2019

Hong Kong Cultural Centre Piazza

Dance Upon a Time

17 March 2019

Hong Kong Cultural Centre Piazza

4th Hong Kong Percussion Competition

Queen Elizabeth Stadium

2019 International a cappella Extravaganza

30 March 2019

Enquiries Michelle Ho or Gabriel Lee 2395 5753

Web csu.hkfyg.org.hk/ 單位介紹 / 51

Publisher : The Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups

香港青年協會

hkfyg.org.hk．m21.hk

Youth Hong Kong: 21/F, The Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups Building, 21 Pak Fuk Road, North Point, Hong Kong Tel : 3755 7084．3755 7108．Fax : 3755 7155．Email : youthhongkong@hkfyg.org.hk．Website : youthhongkong.hkfyg.org.hk The title of this journal in Chinese is Xiang Gang Qing Nian 香 港 青 年

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