Award-winning secondary school orchestra tuned up for major mainland competition

Music students from Tuen Mun Government Secondary School are tuned up for international challenges after winning much acclaim from the local audience.

The school's 34-member Chinese orchestra has been invited to participate in the first National Chinese Orchestra Competition for Youth in Beijing next month.

Other contestants will come from Macau and throughout the mainland. Taiwan will also send a team to compete for the honour of the Best Chinese Orchestra. The orchestra has been very active in local inter-school competitions and its award-winning achievements have earned members the trip to the Chinese capital. 'This is the first time we will be performing in Beijing. It will help broaden our vision. We can also learn from other participants,' said team leader Rupert Woo Pak-tuen. Teammate Parlyn Chau was the winner of Chinese dulcimer solo in the inter-school music festival this year. Parlyn said he would put more effort into the Beijing contest than the local competitions. It was an important event where they would face strong competition, he said.

Meanwhile, the school's symphonic band has been invited to perform at the biennial Symphonic Music Festival in Cheju, South Korea.

'I think it is a great festival because there are many bands, including occupational and amateur groups, and the master class,' said band leader Vick Wong Ho-wik.

'The festival will be rigorous and a lot of people will be watching. We cannot afford to make any mistakes. Our performance must be professional,' he added.

Principal Doris Mak Lai-king thought the overseas activities could provide more opportunities for students to develop their potential.

Jacky is a summer intern from

the Hong Kong Shue Yan College