Grammy Award and Latin Grammy Award winner Eliane Elias will make her Hong Kong debut and stage a jazz concert for the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD)'s Great Music 2023 in November. The versatile Brazilian musician will showcase her musical talents by presenting her hit compositions to Hong Kong music lovers with her unique performance style.
 
　　Elias, together with her longtime collaborative jazz musicians Marc Johnson (double bass), Leandro Pellegrino (guitar) and Rafael Barata (drums), will perform works in the concert that combine jazz, Brazilian, classical and pop music styles. Many of the compositions are from her critically acclaimed albums, including last year's "Quietude" that features bossa nova jazz balladry. With her alluring voice, virtuosic piano skills and impromptu live interpretation, Elias will bring to audiences a jazz music evening with a Latin flare.
 
　　Elias is a highly acclaimed pianist, singer and composer as well as an arranger. Her distinctive musical style is one of the most unique and immediately recognisable sounds in jazz and Brazilian music. She has released 31 albums to date, winning two Grammy Awards for "Best Latin Jazz Album" and two Latin Grammy Awards for "Best Jazz Album". Elias has toured in 74 countries and regions. In 2018, she was presented with an Edison Jazz Lifetime Achievement Award in the Netherlands.
 
　　"Jazz Concert by Eliane Elias" will be held at 8pm on November 23 (Thursday) at the Concert Hall of Hong Kong City Hall. Tickets priced at $200, $320, $420 and $520 are now available at URBTIX (www.urbtix.hk). For telephone bookings, please call 3166 1288. For programme enquiries and concessionary schemes, please call 2268 7321 or visit www.lcsd.gov.hk/CE/CulturalService/Programme/en/music/programs_1575.html.

　　The LCSD presents the Great Music 2023 from September to November. Various internationally acclaimed musicians and ensembles will come to Hong Kong to perform an array of exciting and diversified music programmes. For more details, please visit www.lcsd.gov.hk/CE/CulturalService/Programme/en/music/groups_1576.html.

  

Attention TV/radio announcers:

Please broadcast the following as soon as possible:

     Here is an item of interest to swimmers.

     The Leisure and Cultural Services Department announced today (October 20) that due to big waves, red flags have been hoisted at Shek O Beach and Big Wave Bay Beach in Southern District, Hong Kong Island; and Clear Water Bay Second Beach in Sai Kung District. Beachgoers are advised not to swim at these beaches.

     The Innovation and Technology Commission (ITC) announced today (October 20) that two venture capital (VC) funds, namely Qiming Venture Partners VIII, L.P. and Qiming Venture Partners VIII-HC, L.P., have been added as co-investment partners (CPs) of the Innovation and Technology Venture Fund (ITVF).
      
     In the third round of applications for becoming CPs of the ITVF, the ITC has so far selected a total of eight CPs out of a total of 15 applications. Following the six CPs selected earlier, based on the assessment criteria including the VC fund's capability, its investment strategy and performance, its management team's expertise and experience, its local network and resources, as well as the advice of the ITVF Advisory Committee, the ITC has selected two other CPs.   
      
     To date, the ITVF has a total of 19 CPs (see Annex) and has co-invested in 27 local innovation and technology (I&T) start-ups. The Government's investment amounts to around $209 million, attracting over $2.1 billion of private investment. The business areas of these I&T start-ups include supply chain management, e-commerce, financial technology, biotechnology and artificial intelligence.
      
     The Government set up the ITVF with a view to attracting more VC funds to co-invest in local I&T start-ups and creating a more vibrant I&T ecosystem in Hong Kong. The CPs are responsible for recommending suitable investment targets to the ITC. The ITC will co-invest with the CPs at a matching ratio of approximately 1(Government): 2 (CP) in eligible local I&T start-ups. Details of the ITVF and brief information on the CPs are available on the ITVF website (www.itf.gov.hk/l-eng/ITVF.asp).

The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:

     The Hospital Authority (HA) spokesman today (October 20) announced that 14 general out-patient clinics (GOPCs) will provide public holiday GOPC services on Chung Yeung Festival holiday (October 23) (see table below). Patients may book an appointment either through the telephone appointment system or the "Book GOPC" function of the "HA Go" mobile app.

GOPC service arrangements on Chung Yeung Festival holiday (October 23)

 
Service hours:
October 23 (Monday): 9am to 1pm and 2pm to 5pm

     The Government published in the Gazette today (October 20) the Bankruptcy and Companies Legislation (Miscellaneous Amendments) Ordinance 2023 (Commencement) Notice 2023 (the Commencement Notice).
 
     The Bankruptcy and Companies Legislation (Miscellaneous Amendments) Ordinance 2023 (the Amendment Ordinance) was enacted by the Legislative Council on July 12, 2023, to provide a legal basis for the Official Receiver's Office's Electronic Submission System (ESS), streamline the publication requirements of insolvency and related notices, and introduce miscellaneous amendments.
 
     Upon enactment of the Amendment Ordinance, the Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau announced that the first phase of the ESS and the streamlined publication requirements would be implemented starting from the end of this year. The Commencement Notice seeks to appoint December 29, 2023, as the commencement date for the relevant provisions.
 
     The Commencement Notice will be tabled at the Legislative Council for negative vetting on October 25, 2023.