A wonderful concert performed by the City University of Hong Kong (CityU) Choir, CityU Concert Singers, CityU Philharmonic Orchestra and external musicians and musical groups kicked off the CityU Arts Festival 2017 on 16 October.

This was the third CityU Arts Festival, and it was held for the first time off campus at Sha Tin Town Hall in front of an audience of around 1,000 fans of the arts and culture.

 

Professor Way Kuo, CityU President, said in his welcoming address that while CityU’s academic achievements had received international acclaim in recent years, we attached just as much importance to the development of the arts. He thanked the musicians and the audience for their support, noting that the festival was getting bigger every year.

Guests attending the opening ceremony included Professor Horace Ip Ho-shing, Vice-President (Student Affairs); Dr Ron Kwok Chi-wai, Dean of Students; and Dr Tim Wong Chi-tim, Director of Student Development Services.

The opening concert started with Yellow River Cantata, featuring narration by renowned voice actor Mr Zhang Miaoyang who introduced the exciting performance by the CityU Choir, CityU Concert Singers and the Pro-Musica Society of Hong Kong.

In between the group singing were solo performances by soprano Dr Winsor Chan and tenor Mr Cirillo Cheng Sze-chiu, who articulated the determination to safeguard the motherland and its people.

The concert also featured Italian violinist Mr Paolo Morena who joined the Festival for the second time, playing together with violinist Mr John Henry Kruer, violist Mr Born Lau, cellist Mr Tan Cong, bassoonist Mr Tim Leung and the CityU Philharmonic Orchestra in a rendition of Jean Sibelius’s Violin Concerto in D minor. Their musicianship was a huge hit with the audience.

The CityU Arts Festival, organised by the Cultural and Sports Committee, will present the following programmes from 16 October to 10 November:

• Opening Concert (16 October)
• Vocal Concert “From Russia with Song” (18 October)
• Melodic Fusion of Harmonica and Jazz (19 October)
• Musical Grease (24 and 25 October)
• CityU Chinese Orchestra Concert (4 November)
• “Heartfelt Songs” Concert (6 November)
• Closing Concert (10 November)

For more details, please visit http://www.ncm2.xyz/ctspc/events#af17 .