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Organising a
drum festival had been my dream for many years. With the enthusiastic
support of the community of Hong Kong as well as other parts of the
world, the 2003 Hong Kong Drum Festival was successfully held. Apart
from four concerts that featured Chinese drums and the drum culture of
other countries, there were many ancillary activities that invited
members of the public to take part. The idea was to share the fun and
joy of Chinese music through mass participation and hands-on
experiences. So on a sunny day when the SARS scare was just behind
us, when Hong Kong was gathering all its strength to bounce back, more
than 3,000 drummers, musicians and executive officers of the HKCO,
many of our special guests and tens of thousands of members of the
public gathered under the scorching sun to drum out thunderous sounds
that would bolster the spirit of the community. I am pleased, and
definitely deeply encouraged, to see that the Drum Festival not only
provided a cultural programme for Hong Kong but also served the
community by playing an active, constructive social role. It is my
sincerest wish that the Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra would continue to
walk hand in hand with the Hong Kong people in ‘synergizing our Hong
Kong?in the days to come!
Yan Huichang
Artistic Director
Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra
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