Operation Santa Claus helps students find their musical talent

When Poon Sze-yuen manages to perfect a technique on his bass guitar after repeated practice, his feeling of joy is like "smiling from my heart", he says.

Poon, a student at the Open University of Hong Kong, learned to play bass at a free, eight-session workshop organised by Youth Square, a venue and youth development project that is a major donor to Operation Santa Claus this year.

Around 60 university and secondary school students jumped at the chance to learn from local bands how to play the guitar, bass or drums free of charge.

The workshops will culminate in a concert on December 19 called Band Stand for New Energy Source at the Youth Square venue in Chai Wan, which will feature bands Supper Moment, RedNoon, ToNick, PeriM, Ever and Ekee & the Night Ghost Orchestra.

The project was commissioned by the Home Affairs Bureau and operated by the non-profit-making New World Facilities Management Company.

Musician Joey Ou Sun-ming, who organised the workshop, said many students learned drums because lessons are expensive. "Playing an instrument is actually quite uncomfortable. The string of the bass guitar is thick and hurts your fingers. The bass guitar is heavy and hurts your back, and you have to do four different things in unison when playing the drums. It takes constant practice."

Why bother learning to play music? Why still learn to jam? Poon said: "One of the coolest things is when you play with your bandmates, and you can communicate with just one look."

Youth Square gave away 100 concert tickets to participants in the NEED (No to Environmental & Ecological Destruction) programme, run by the conservation group WWF.

The rest of the 540 concert tickets will be given to workshop students and non-profit organisations.

Operation Santa Claus is the annual fundraising appeal jointly organised by the South China Morning Post and Radio Television Hong Kong, with proceeds going to 18 beneficiaries.

How You Can Give

• Donate online by credit card at osc.scmp.com
   
• Donate at an ATM or at any HSBC branch (account no: 502-676299-001 for SCMP Charities Ltd - Operation Santa Claus)
   
• You can donate with a cheque payable to "SCMP Charities Ltd - Operation Santa Claus" and mail it to: Operation Santa Claus, Morning Post Centre, 22 Dai Fat Street, Tai Po Industrial Estate, New Territories
   
• Donations of HK$100 or more are tax-deductible. If you would like a tax receipt, please send the completed donation form and original bank receipt, with your name, address and phone number, to the above address. Please call 2680 8159 or e-mail osc@scmp.com with any inquiries, or visit us online at osc.scmp.com