Author Archives: hksar gov

     Young Hong Kong tenor Jasper Sung will give a vocal recital in October as part of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD)’s “Our Music Talents” Series. Accompanying Sung will be pianist Karen Sung, and together they will perform the song cycle of Schubert’s “Die schöne Müllerin”.

     The programme will include “Das Wandern” (Wandering), “Wohin?” (Where to?), “Halt!” (Halt!), “Danksagung an den Bach” (Giving Thanks to the Brook), “Am Feierabend” (On the Restful Evening), “Der Neugierige” (Curiosity), “Ungeduld” (Impatience), “Morgengruß” (Morning Greetings), “Des Müllers Blumen” (The Miller’s Flowers), “Tränenregen” (Rain of Tears), “Mein!” (Mine!), “Pause” (Pause), “Mit dem grünen Lautenbande” (With the Green Lute-ribbon), “Der Jäger” (The Hunter), “Eifersucht und Stolz” (Jealousy and Pride), “Die liebe Farbe” (The Favourite Colour), “Die böse Farbe” (The Hateful Colour), “Trockne Blumen” (Dry Flowers), “Der Müller und der Bach” (The Miller and the Brook) and “Des Baches Wiegenlied” (The Brook’s Lullaby).

     In 2015, Jasper Sung graduated from the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts with a Master of Music degree in singing under Nancy Yuen. In 2016, he studied for the Postgraduate University Course (Voice) at the University Mozarteum Salzburg under Mario Diaz with the Hong Kong Jockey Club Music and Dance Fund Scholarship. He has also studied with Siegfried Jerusalem and Helen Donath at the International Summer Academy of the Mozarteum in Salzburg with the Foundation for the Arts and Music in Asia Scholarship.

     Sung has played many operatic roles including the title role in “The Tales of Hoffmann”, Jupiter in “Semele”, Eisenstein in “Die Fledermaus”, Gherardo in “Gianni Schicchi”, and Basilio and Don Curzio in “The Marriage of Figaro”. He also sang as the Stone and Eunuch in the “Dream of the Red Chamber”, a co-production between the San Francisco Opera and the Hong Kong Arts Festival. In 2015, Sung was selected as one of the “Young Music Makers” by Radio Television Hong Kong. He was supported by the Hong Kong Arts Development Council’s Artistic Internship Scheme to sing the role of William in the contemporary chamber opera “Fish in the Hand” composed by Alain Chiu in 2015. He sang as the tenor solo in several concerts for the Salzburger Bachgesellschaft, as well as Charpentier’s “Te Deum” with the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra. He also participated in the Mozart “Requiem” Concert with the Chung Chi Choir of the Chinese University of Hong Kong, “Bach Christmas Oratorio” with SingFest conducted by Helmuth Rilling, and Britten’s “The Company of Heaven” and “Mendelssohn and Bruckner: A Musical Praise” with the Hong Kong Oratorio Society.

     “Our Music Talents Series: Vocal Recital by Jasper Sung” will be staged at 8pm on October 27 (Saturday) at the Theatre of Hong Kong City Hall. Tickets priced at $120 and $160 are now available at URBTIX (www.urbtix.hk). For telephone credit card bookings, please call 2111 5999. For programme enquiries and concessionary schemes, please call 2268 7321 or visit www.lcsd.gov.hk/CE/CulturalService/Programme/en/music/programs_580.html.

     The LCSD is presenting the “Our Music Talents” Series to nurture and support local emerging artists and groups and provide them with performing opportunities, enabling them to develop and showcase their talent. 

  

The following is issued on behalf of the Major Sports Events Committee:

     October will be an exhilarating month for major sports events. The Major Sports Events Committee (MSEC) has awarded “M” Mark status to the following major sports events that will be held in October: the Prudential Hong Kong Tennis Open 2018 (October 6 to 14) and the New World Harbour Race 2018 (October 21).

     The Chairman of the MSEC, Mr Karl Kwok, said today (September 28) that those events, like all “M” Mark events, will add colour and vibrancy to Hong Kong and help attract more visitors.

     “‘M’ Mark events showcase Hong Kong’s capability to host world-class events and reinforce its position as the events capital of Asia,” Mr Kwok said.

     “‘M’ Mark events also help generate economic benefits for Hong Kong by attracting tourists. They also instil a sustainable sporting culture in the community, and help foster a sense of pride and social cohesion,” he added.
     
     The “M” Mark System was launched in 2004 to help local national sports associations (NSAs) organise more major sports events and nurture them into sustainable undertakings. Sports events meeting the assessment criteria will be granted “M” Mark status by the MSEC. Funding support will also be provided to some of the event organisers.

     The number of recognised “M” Mark events increased from four in the beginning to 12 in 2018. So far, around $124.3 million has been approved to support recognised “M” Mark events.

     For details of other “M” Mark events, please visit www.mevents.org.hk. The “M” Mark applications for smartphone users are available for downloading from iTunes as well as Google Play. read more

The following is issued on behalf of the Community Care Fund Secretariat:

     The Community Care Fund (CCF) rolled out two phases of subsidy programme in 2012 and 2015 to provide subsidies for owners’ corporations (OCs) of old buildings. As the programme has effectively relieved the burden relating to the daily operating expenses of OCs of old buildings and helped them comply with relevant legislative requirements, the CCF will implement Phase III of the Programme on October 1 (Monday). Two enhancement measures will be implemented under Phase III of the Programme, including raising the upper limit on the annual average rateable value of residential units and raising the maximum amount of total subsidy in the implementation period for each OC, so as to benefit more OCs in need. 
           
     The Home Affairs Department (HAD) will continue to implement Phase III of the Programme. Each eligible OC may apply for the subsidy on an accountable basis in respect of each covered item carried out and expended during the three-year implementation period. The maximum amount of subsidy is 50 per cent of the actual expenses and each eligible OC can apply for a maximum amount of $24,000 for the subsidy. All applications must be submitted to the HAD on or before September 30, 2021. The HAD will process the applications on a first-come, first-served basis and has the right to refuse eligible applications when funding is exhausted.

     The items eligible for subsidy under Phase III of the Programme remain the same, including registration or filing fees at the Land Registry; procurement fees for public liability insurance or third party risks insurance for common areas of buildings; expenses for regular inspection of fire services installations and equipment or electrical installations; expenses for examination of lifts and expenses for clearing fire escapes once a year.

     The target beneficiaries should be OCs of residential or composite (i.e. commercial/residential use) buildings aged 30 years or above. The annual average rateable value of the residential units in the urban areas (including Sha Tin, Kwai Tsing and Tsuen Wan) should not exceed $162,000, while those in the New Territories should not exceed $124,000.

     The HAD will initially identify OCs meeting the eligibility criteria and will invite them by mail to make applications. Those OCs which do not receive written notification from the HAD within October but consider themselves to meet the criteria may request the HAD for a review.

     The guide and application form for the programme are available at Home Affairs Enquiry Centres of the District Offices, or can be downloaded from the building management website of the HAD (www.buildingmgt.gov.hk).

     For enquiries, please contact 2835 2500 or email to bm_enq@had.gov.hk. read more

The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:      The Hospital Authority (HA) spokesperson today (September 28) reminded the public that 12 general out-patient clinics (see table below) will continue to provide se… read more

     The Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Mr Edward Yau, met with Canadian senior government officials and parliamentarians in Ottawa and Montreal, Canada to promote closer ties between Hong Kong and Canada today (September 27, Ottawa time), concluding his official visit to the United States and Canada.

     Speaking at a lunch meeting with parliamentarians in Ottawa, Mr Yau said Hong Kong and Canada have all along enjoyed excellent economic and trade relations and are important trade and investment partners. He encouraged Canadian enterprises to make use of the Hong Kong platform to explore the enormous market of Mainland China.

     “As the Canadian Government has made trade diversification a priority, and is committed to fostering bilateral trade and investment with Mainland China, Hong Kong can play a key role in this regard by joining hands with Canada to venture into the markets of Mainland China and the rest of Asia,” he said.

     “Hong Kong can be a good strategic partner of Canadian companies, by providing a diversified financing platform as well as excellent professional support services in law, accounting, consulting, architecture, construction and project management for infrastructural projects. With superb connectivity to all parts of the world alongside the various advantages Hong Kong enjoys under the ‘one country, two systems’ principle, enterprises can set up headquarters or regional bases in Hong Kong as a one-stop hub for the overall co-ordination and operation of projects in the Asia-Pacific region.”

     In Ottawa this morning, Mr Yau called on the Federal Minister of Small Business and Export Promotion, Ms Mary Ng, and the Chairman of the Standing Committee on International Trade in the House of Commons, Mr Mark Eyking, to discuss issues relating to trade and economic co-operation between Hong Kong and Canada.

     He also had a breakfast meeting with key members of the Hong Kong-Canada Business Association Ottawa to learn about the association’s efforts in expanding commercial relations between Canada, Hong Kong and Mainland China as well as throughout Asia using Hong Kong as the platform.

     Mr Yau then proceeded to Montreal in the afternoon where he had a meeting and dinner with Federal Minister of International Trade Diversification, Mr James Carr, to exchange views on Hong Kong-Canada bilateral trade relations.

     Mr Yau will return to Hong Kong tomorrow (September 29). read more