Author Archives: hksar gov

     Ninety-one convictions were recorded in April 2018 for breaches of legislation enforced by the Environmental Protection Department (EPD).        Sixteen of the convictions were under the Air Pollution… read more

     The Transport Department (TD) today (May 11) reminded the public that “stop-and-go” e-payment facilities will be provided at the manual toll booths of the Tsing Sha Highway (Sha Tin Heights Tunnel/Eagle’s Nest Tunnel/Tai Wai Tunnel) from Sunday (May 13).
 
     Motorists will be able to pay tolls by Octopus or contactless credit cards (including Visa, Mastercard and UnionPay) issued by local banks, saving time otherwise spent on cash counting and receiving change.
 
     Two sets of card reader panels will be installed at each manual toll booth to serve vehicles of different heights. The card reader on the left of each panel will accept Octopus card payment and the one on the right will accept contactless credit cards. Cash payment will still be accepted if motorists cannot pay the toll successfully by tapping their cards.
 
     For enquiries on the operation of the “stop-and-go” e-payment system, motorists can call 1823. read more

     The Leisure and Cultural Services Department announced today (May 11) that Harbour Road Sports Centre in Wan Chai District has been reopened. The sports centre was temporarily closed yesterday (May 10) due to an unforeseen… read more

     The services provided by Mobile Library 11 have been resumed after completion of urgent repairs to the mobile library van, a Leisure and Cultural Services Department spokesman announced today (May 11).   &nbsp… read more

     The Leisure and Cultural Services Department will present appreciation talks in June to introduce English madrigals from their origin to their heyday. The talks will be hosted in Cantonese by Patrick Chiu with live a cappella music by SingFest Choral Academy. Details are as follows:
 
June 13 (Wednesday)
Topic: “Sing we and chant it” – The genesis of English madrigal
English madrigals flourished in England in the late 16th century. This lecture traces the history and origin of English madrigals with demonstrations to illustrate the stylistic changes from Italian madrigals to English madrigals.
 
June 20 (Wednesday)
Topic: “The Triumphs of Oriana” (1601) – Songs for Queen Elizabeth I
“The Triumphs of Oriana” is an extravagant musical compliment paid to Queen Elizabeth I by Thomas Morley, Gentleman of the Chapel Royal. Published in 1601, it consists of 25 madrigals by 23 different composers including some of the most well-known ones. Attendees will listen to the story of this brilliant collection and see how it captured the musical imagination of the time.
 
June 27 (Wednesday)
Topic: Oriana’s story continues – “Choral songs in honour of Her Majesty Queen Victoria” (1899)
In 1899, imitating the idea of “The Triumphs of Oriana”, another collection of madrigals was published to mark Queen Victoria’s 80th birthday. This lecture will look at how these secular part-songs continued to intrigue composers in the 19th century, a time when England entered its great age of industrial expansion and economic progress.
 
     Born in Hong Kong, Patrick Chiu is a choral conductor and is dedicated to the promotion of choral music and education on the topic. During his period of residency in Vienna, Chiu participated in various local professional performances and received tuition from professors at the Vienna Conservatory. Later he earned a scholarship to study at the University of Cincinnati’s College-Conservatory of Music, where he received his master’s degree in choral conducting. During his stay in Europe and the United States, he worked with and studied under world-renowned maestros including Helmuth Rilling, James Levine and Harry Christophers. Chiu won two Gold Awards in the World Choir Games with the Hong Kong Melody Makers in 2010 and was a recipient of the Award for Young Artist in the Hong Kong Arts Development Awards 2012. Chiu is the founder of Hong Kong SingFest.
 
     All talks will be held at 7.30pm at the Lecture Hall of the Hong Kong Space Museum. Tickets priced at $50 (for each lecture) 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_562.html. read more