Two St Paul's Co-Educational Primary School choirs will be among a host of Hong Kong artists jamming with international reggae star Bobby McFerrin at next year's Hong Kong Arts Festival.
Session musician Jun Kung, Canto-pop singers Eason Chan Yick-shun and Cass Phang Ling as well as erhu player Wong Hiu-nam will also perform alongside the vocalist during his two scheduled performances next February.
'We'd shortlisted a number of children's choirs to perform for this show and the two we've chosen are the most impressive in terms of the number of awards they had won in the past,' explained Andy Yau, assistant marketing manager of the Hong Kong Arts Festival Society. 'Since all the other performers collaborating with Bobby McFerrin are adult artists, we thought it would be a good idea to include youngsters in the show as well. The singer himself is like a big child on stage. This collaboration should make the performance richer.' Mr Yau added that McFerrin, best known for his chart-topping hit Don't Worry, Be Happy, had requested the festival not to give him too much information about the local artists because he wanted to make his shows as spontaneous as possible.
He said: '[McFerrin] likes surprises because much of his shows will be based on improvisation and, intentionally, unrehearsed.'
Any idea what wushu master Li Fai, one of the guest performers, will be doing on stage with the 51-year-old singer? 'That will also be a surprise,' Mr Yau said.
The festival last week announced its programme lineup for 2004.
