Initiative to connect young and the elderly through music in Hong Kong shows one is never too old to pick up an instrument
- Group of amateur players wow at pre-Christmas chamber music performance, organised by non-profit group Haw Par Music
- Ages of about 30 members range from five to 73
Perched on a high stool with a double bass dwarfing her, Fung Lai-ling, 73, smoothly glides her bow back and forth across the massive instrument, the tune of the classic Christmas song Feliz Navidad floating from her strings.
She misses a note or two occasionally but does not stumble, stealing quick glances at fellow players who exchange smiles with her.
This was the scene at the revitalised Haw Par Mansion in Tai Hang just before Christmas last year, with Fung being among a group of some 30 amateur musicians, aged five to 73.
Fung, the eldest in the group, only picked up the instrument at 60. She can now play the violin, cello and double bass – no small feat for someone who was hearing-impaired for more than 30 years before getting a hearing aid.
Her hearing loss was a side effect from treatment for lung disease 50 years ago, but after installing the aid, a Mother’s Day present of a violin from her daughter has made music an indispensable part of her life, helping her reconnect with society.
“Music is my life. It keeps pushing me forward,” she says. “It has always been my friend, and communicates with me.”
