The Hong Kong choir extravaganza that shuns competition in favour of appreciation, and encourages young performers to sing in foreign languages
- 1,600 take part in concerts for Asia Pacific Choral Summit that seek to eliminate school rivalries and promote shared learning
- Young performers taken out of comfort zone to sing in unfamiliar languages such as Tagalog and Bahasa Indonesia
Kristie Cheung Wai-yin, 13, knows she is getting a big break when she steps on stage for the Be Our Guests opening concert, launching a series of performances organised by the Hong Kong Children’s Choir to showcase young talent.
Practising for a year, Cheung was one of 1,600 taking part in one of Hong Kong’s biggest choral events of its kind this week, which was hosted under the banner of the inaugural Asia Pacific Choral Summit and aimed to cultivate a new generation of young choristers in the region.
She performed pieces from renowned local composers Dr Steve Ho Sung-chi, Austin Yip Ho-kwen and others on Monday, as well as works penned by composers in New Zealand, Australia and Singapore.
For Cheung, who has been part of the children’s choir since she was four years old, what sets this summit apart is how mutual appreciation trumps competitive rivalry.
“It is a different experience,” she said. “We do performances rather than competitions. This is like a showcase where you can appreciate others as well as learn from them.”