Pros and cons: the Hong Kong Philharmonic turns 40
As the Hong Kong Philharmonic marks its 40th anniversary, Oliver Chou looks back at the trials and triumphs involved in creating an orchestra to be proud of
''Orchestra to turn 'pro' soon," ran a headline on the front page of the South China Morning Post, on March 6, 1973. The orchestra in question was the Hong Kong Philharmonic.
The previous time a story about an orchestra had made it to the Post's front page was in 1959, when the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra arrived in Hong Kong. But whereas the Vienna visit had been a one-off event, the launch of Hong Kong's first professional orchestra would have a lasting legacy. Marking its 40th anniversary next Saturday, the Hong Kong Philharmonic has become what Dr Solomon Bard, its chairman in 1973, hoped it would: "a competent professional orchestra worthy of support".
That the former Sino-British Orchestra turned professional in the 1970s was a sign of the times. The bullish atmosphere in the city in 1973, best reflected in the Heng Sang Index's then high of 1,700 points, hit in March, set the scene. More importantly, though, the Urban Council became autonomous that year and, according to cultural affairs veteran Darwin Chen, many council members, himself included, were arts enthusiasts.
"There was no high-sounding philosophy behind us, but simply three things: good venues, good artists and good audiences," the former director of cultural services recalls. "While we had no problem with venues and audiences, we didn't have music companies of a high standard. So it was a matter of strategy to nurture professional companies.
"We looked at the existing semi-professional groups and turned them into full professional companies."
As with the launch of the Hong Kong Arts Festival in 1973, the founding of a professional orchestra was a move to upgrade the city's culture. The 70s were a time of major institution building - the Independent Commission Against Corruption, formed in 1974, is another example - during an economic take-off that brought forth an affluent and educated middle class. The emerging "little dragon" needed a brand identity and a professional orchestra was a part of it.
