Schools (Greater China) Section

a. Kindergarten / Primary School

b. Middle / Secondary School and Tertiary Institute

Each participating team is limited to a minimum of 2 and a maximum of 50 persons.

Special School and Rehabilitation Organization Section *

Each participating team is limited to a minimum of 2 and a maximum of 50 persons.

Senior Section *

Participants must be over 60 years of age or belong to a registered organization for the elderly. 

Each participating team is limited to a minimum of 2 and a maximum of 50 persons.

Newcomers’ Section 

Participants must have no previous record in the past sessions of the Hong Kong Synergy 24 Drum Competition except the Family Section. Each participating team must be made up of not less than 4 members.

For choreography of actions, participating teams of above sections may choose any combination from Routines 1 to 24 of the two versions of Hong Kong Synergy 24 Drumming Routines, or rearrange their choreography of actions according to the Hong Kong Synergy 24 Drumming Routines. The duration must not exceed 6 minutes. (Titles of routines must be cited as reference.)

* The registration fee will be waived if the participating team comes from a special school / rehabilitation organization / senior-services-organization / charity which is registered in Hong Kong. Team members must be people with special needs / in rehabilitation (Special School and Rehabilitation Organization Section) or elderly people (Senior Section). Team members must show proof that they are students of special schools / persons in rehabilitation or elderly people by submitting copies of documents of identification together with the Registration Form. If the team consists of members other than the aforesaid, its application for participation will still be accepted but the Panel of Judges reserves the right to deduct marks or disqualify the said person(s) or team.

Family Section

Each participating team must be formed by 2 or more family members, and each family may form more than 1 family group to participate in the competition. For choreography of actions, participating teams may choose any combination from Routine 1 to Routine 8 of the original and the new versions of Hong Kong Synergy 24 Drumming Routines. The duration must not exceed 5 minutes. (Titles of routines must be cited as reference.)

Designated Repertoire Section

a. Rolling Walnuts　Wang Baocan and Hao Shixun

Each participating team should consist of no less than 4 members.

b. The Ox Fighting the Tiger　Wang Guojie　Arr. by Wang Baocan.

Each participating team should consist of no less than 2 members.

c. Flying Dragon and Leaping Tiger (Excerpts)　Li Minxiong　Arr. by Yim Hok Man and Chin Kwok Wai

Each participating team should consist of no less than 5 members.

d. A Poem on the Drum (Excerpts)　Li Zhengui and Tan Dun　Arr. by Yim Hok Man

Each participating team should consist of no less than 5 members. The performance of Designated Repertoire Section must use the drum score provided by the Organizer. Any improvisatory change may render the team disqualified.

Creative Presentation Section

Each participating team is limited to a minimum of 2 and a maximum of 50 persons. Participating teams may choose any drum score and routines or devise its own score. Routines and choreography may be freely devised, but must have drumming as focus#. Some percussion instruments may be added as accompaniment. The duration must not exceed 7 minutes.

• Participants may join different teams within the Creative Presentation Section. However, the repertoire must not be the same.
• The arranger of the awarded ‘Best Arrangement’ will sign a co-operation agreement with the Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra. The agreement also includes that the same participants / team cannot use the same arrangement work to take part in the Competition in the future. (Can use the same team name, but constituent members must be different.)

# Chinese drums, lion dance gongs-and-drums, Japanese drums, African drums etc.

Future King of Drums Tournament (This is open to all drummers who have reached professional standards)

This section is for individuals. Participants may choose any drum score and routines or devise their own, but must have Chinese drums as the main element. Some percussion instruments may be added as accompaniment. The duration should not exceed 7 minutes.

Participants are requested to send videotapes containing their individual performance to the Organizer by mail on or before 7 August, 2019 (Wednesday). The videotapes shall be in their original take, unedited and not tampered with in any way. Those chosen will be qualified to attend the Final Competition in Hong Kong.

Lion Dance Drum Section

Lion Dance Drums should include eight elements of expressions of the lion: delight, anger, happiness, suspicion, drunkenness, sleeping and waking up.

The sub-divisions of the Lion Dance Drum Section (Participants’ cut-off date for counting of age is 1 January, 2019):

a. Traditional Lion Drum Dance Section

(Designated music: Lion Dance Drum Music for Celebrations　Mui Kwong-chiu)

• Junior Team for Traditional Lion Drum Dance (under 17)
• Adult Team for Traditional Lion Drum Dance (17 and over)

Each participating team is limited to a minimum of 4 and a maximum of 6 persons. Musical instruments used should consist of a drum, a gong, two sets of cymbals, one set of Jingbo cymbals. The size of the lion dance drum is limited to 1.6 or 1.8 Chinese feet in diameter. The duration should be between 3 and 5 minutes. Participating teams must perform in accordance with the drum score provided by the Organizer, with minimal changes allowed. If there is a need, please click here to listen to the demonstration of the designated music, Lion Dance Drum Music for Celebrations.

b. Creative Lion Dance Drum Section

• Junior Team for Creative Lion Drum Dance (under 17)
• Adult Team for Creative Lion Drum Dance (17 and over)

Each participating team is limited to a minimum of 4 and a maximum of 30 persons. Participating teams may choose any drum score or devise their own score. The number of the instruments should not be more than four sets of cymbals and one gong. The number of lion dance drums can be any.  The size of the lion dance drum is limited to 1.6 or 1.8 Chinese feet in diameter. The duration should be between 3 and 5 minutes.

1. Each school / organization may have more than one team participating in the event, but constituent members in each must be different. (This rule does not apply to the Creative Presentation Section.)
2. Each participating team may choose any combination of Chinese drums, regardless of size and type. However, other musical instruments will not be accepted. (This rule does not apply to the Special School and Rehabilitation Organization Section, the Senior Section, the Creative Presentation Section and the Future King of Drums Tournament.) If the participants / participating team use an excessive number of percussion instruments that do not belong to the category of Chinese drums, the Panel of Judges reserves the right to deduct marks or disqualify the said person(s) / team.
3. Participating teams may design their own costumes, group formations and staging of their performance, subject to the final approval of the HKCO.
4. All participating teams should submit the newly arranged scores and drum formation plan to the Judges 2 weeks before the competition for reference.
5. There may be no prizewinner for a specific section if the participants fail to perform well or up to standard. The Organizer reserves the right to make the final decision.

First Round for Kindergarten / Primary School Section and Final Round for all other sections: 

5-6 October 2019 (Sat & Sun)　

Hong Kong Cultural Centre Piazza

Final Round for Kindergarten / Primary School Section:

26 October 2019 (Sat)　

Hong Kong Cultural Centre Concert Hall

Chairman: 

Mr Yan Huichang (Artistic Director and Principal Conductor for Life, HKCO)

Vice Chairmen: 

Mr Yim Hok Man (Associate Concertmaster and Percussion Principal, HKCO)

Dr Chin Man Wah, Celina (Executive Director, HKCO) 

Members: 

Mr Chew Hee Chiat (Resident Conductor, HKCO)

Mr Luk Kin Bun (Percussion Associate Principal, HKCO)

Mr Chin Kwok Wai (Percussion Assistant Principal and Education Executive, HKCO)

Mr Wang Dong (Percussion Assistant Principal, HKCO)

Well-known percussionists and seasoned music-makers 

Co-Chair of the Panel of Judges of Lion Dance Drum Section: 

Mr Yan Huichang (Artistic Director and Principal Conductor for Life, HKCO)

Mr Hing Chao (Founder of the HongKong Culture Festival)

For each section:

Champion: HK$3,000 and trophy

First Runner-up : HK$1,500 and trophy

Second Runner-up : HK$1,000 and trophy

Each participant / participating team in any sections will receive a certificate.

‘King of Drums’ Challenge

Winner: HK$3,000 and trophy, and the chance of an artist contract as a soloist with the Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra. 

The offer is subject to the final decision of the Organizer.

10 September, 2019 (Tuesday)

1. Completed Registration Forms should be submitted with a registration fee of HK$400 (to be EITHER in the form of a cheque made payable to "Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra Ltd." OR by direct deposit into the Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra's banking account at Hang Seng Bank: 388-487-688-001, Swift code: HASEHKHHXXX). For overseas wire transfers, the handling charge should be borne by the participant.
2. Please send your Registration Form together with your cheque or pay-in slip by mail or in person to: The Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra, 7th Floor, Sheung Wan Municipal Services Building, 345 Queen's Road Central, Hong Kong. Please mark on the envelope “Hong Kong Synergy 24 Drum Competition” 
3. Music scores for the Hong Kong Synergy 24 Drumming Routines will be available from the Organizer. If needed, teams performing the Compulsory Scores of Rolling Walnuts, The Ox Fighting the Tiger, Flying Dragon and Leaping Tiger, A Poem on the Drum and Lion Dance Drum Music for Celebrations may request for two sets of relevant scores from the Organizer.

Enquiry: 3185 1645 (Mr Lui)｜Email: ivan@hkco.org

Download Leaflet and Application Form

Synergy 24 Drum Score (10th Anniversary Version)

Synergy 24 Drum Score (Original Primary Version)

The Ox Fighting the Tiger

Rolling Walnuts

A poem on the Drum

Flying Dragon and Leaping Tiger

Lion Dance Drum Music for Celebrations