Music of Hong Kong
Encyclopedia
The Music of Hong Kong is an eclectic mixture of traditional and popular genres. Cantopop
is one of the more prominent genres of music produced in Hong Kong
. The Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra
and the Hong Kong Sinfonietta
regularly perform western classical music
in the city. There is also a long tradition of Cantonese opera
within Hong Kong.
, pipa
was one of the instruments played by the Chinese, and was mainly used for ceremonial purposes. Western classical music was, on the other hand, the principal focus amongst British Hong Kongers with the Sino-British Orchestra being established in 1895. In the beginning of 20th century, Western pop music became popular. Mandarin pop songs in the 1920s were called Si Doi Kuk
(時代曲). They are considered the prototype of Chinese pop songs.
In 1949 the People's Republic of China
was established by the communist party
. One of the first actions taken by the government
was to denounce popular music as pornography
. Beginning in the 1950s massive waves of immigrants fled from Shanghai to Hong Kong. Along with it was the Pathé Records (Hong Kong)
record company, which ended up becoming one of the most significant popular record companies in Hong Kong.
The 1960s was marked by the rise of Hong Kong English pop
which peaked until the mid-1970s among both British and Upper Middle
/Upper class
ethnic Chinese Hong Kongers. After the Chinese language
had become an official language in 1974, Cantopop
's popularity increased sharply due to the improved status of the language and the large Cantonese Chinese population in the city.
Traditional Chinese Huangmei opera
, on the other hand, had peaked in the 1960s amongst the general Chinese population.
, Mandopop
, imported English language
pop music
, Japanese pop music and Korean pop music. Larger music stores, such as HMV
in Hong Kong, stock a more extensive range which includes classical music
, Cantonese opera
in addition to the aforementioned genre
s. Like Japan, audio cassettes have never been big sellers in Hong Kong.
in the 1960s, Hong Kong's musical output was dominated by Cantonese opera
and English pop. Prominent singers included Tang Kee-chan (鄧寄塵), Cheng Kuan-min (鄭君綿). The godfather of Cantopop Roman Tam
(羅文) made significant strides in the industry. The youth began to gravitate towards Cantonese pop in the 70s.
Around 1971, Sandra Lang
(仙度拉) was invited to sing the first Cantonese TV theme song, "The Yuanfen
of a Wedding that Cries and Laughs" (啼笑姻緣). This song was the creation of the legendary songwriter Joseph Koo
(顧嘉輝) and the songwriter Yip Siu-dak (葉紹德). The genre was launched to unprecedented levels with virtually every TV drama using localised cantopop songs. Another big name singer was Paula Tsui
.
While TV theme songs are still an important part of Hong Kong music, the arrival of the Four Heavenly Kings (四大天王) took Cantopop a stage higher. Today, Cantopop is the dominant form of music with strong associations to pop culture. Record companies have had a majority stake in the segment, and Hong Kong is considered the central hub of Cantopop in the world.
came to Hong Kong creating a spectrum of Mandarin pop. The period ended in its height with Teresa Teng
. Her songs were popular even in mainland China
. Mandarin pop will likely continue to gain in popularity, especially after the 1997 handover
which made Mandarin one of the standard languages under Basic Law
. One of the TV series that emulate the 60s/70s mandopop club scene in Hong Kong is the TVB
series Glittering Days
.
. In the 1950s
, popular music of Hong Kong was largely dominated by pop songs in the English language
until the Cantopop
's emergence in the mid-1970s
. Many well-known Cantopop singers of today, like Sam Hui and Alan Tam
, began their early careers singing in English. Western culture at the time was specifically a mark of education and sophistication. Inspired and influenced by imported popular music from the West such as Elvis Presley
, Johnny Mathis
and The Beatles
, Hong Kong artistes started to produce English language pop music in the 1960s
.
Today, imported pop music in English language remains popular in Hong Kong, second only to C-pop
. Most Hong Kong artists now sing primarily in Cantonese and Mandarin and occasionally perform in English. Artists who produced substantial works in English include Chet Lam
, The Pancakes
, Ghost Style
, etc. Jacky Cheung
released an English album in 2000. Other artistes who have native fluency in English include Janice Vidal
, Jill Vidal
, Karen Joy Morris, Fiona Sit
, Edison Chen
, etc.
, but it is universally accepted that the predecessors of Cantonese opera originated from the northern part of China and slowly migrated to the southern province of Guangdong
in late 13th century, during the late Southern Song Dynasty
. Beginning in the 1950s, massive waves of immigrants fled Shanghai
to destinations like North Point
, boosting its fanbase.
has a strong presence in Hong Kong. Organisations such as The Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra
, Hong Kong Sinfonietta
and the Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra
receives substantial annual funding from the Hong Kong Government and other major sponsors such as the Swire Group
. The budget of Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra
in 2002/2003 financial year was HK$86 million, of which 70% comes from The Hong Kong Government. Their production adds dynamics to the music culture. All primary and secondary school students in Hong Kong are required to take music class as part of their school curriculum
.
Cantopop
Cantopop is a colloquialism for "Cantonese popular music". It is sometimes referred to as HK-pop, short for "Hong Kong popular music". It is categorized as a subgenre of Chinese popular music within C-pop...
is one of the more prominent genres of music produced in Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
. The Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra
Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra
The Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra , is the largest symphony orchestra in Hong Kong. First established in 1895 as an amateur orchestra, under the name Sino-British Orchestra, it was renamed the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra in 1957, and became a professional orchestra in 1974 under the funding...
and the Hong Kong Sinfonietta
Hong Kong Sinfonietta
The Hong Kong Sinfonietta is a professional symphony orchestra based in Hong Kong, China. It was established in 1990 by a group of local music graduates. It has always aimed at promoting classical music to the public. The orchestra was reorganized 1999, with Tsung Yeh, an American conductor of...
regularly perform western classical music
Classical music
Classical music is the art music produced in, or rooted in, the traditions of Western liturgical and secular music, encompassing a broad period from roughly the 11th century to present times...
in the city. There is also a long tradition of Cantonese opera
Cantonese opera
Cantonese opera is one of the major categories in Chinese opera, originating in southern China's Cantonese culture. It is popular in Guangdong, Guangxi, Hong Kong, Macau, Singapore and Malaysia. Like all versions of Chinese opera, it is a traditional Chinese art form, involving music, singing,...
within Hong Kong.
History
In colonial Hong KongColonial Hong Kong
In the 19th century the British, Dutch, French, Indians and Americans saw Imperial China as the world's largest untapped market. In 1840 the British Empire launched their first and one of the most aggressive expeditionary forces to claim the territory that would later be known as Hong Kong.In a few...
, pipa
Pipa
The pipa is a four-stringed Chinese musical instrument, belonging to the plucked category of instruments . Sometimes called the Chinese lute, the instrument has a pear-shaped wooden body with a varying number of frets ranging from 12–26...
was one of the instruments played by the Chinese, and was mainly used for ceremonial purposes. Western classical music was, on the other hand, the principal focus amongst British Hong Kongers with the Sino-British Orchestra being established in 1895. In the beginning of 20th century, Western pop music became popular. Mandarin pop songs in the 1920s were called Si Doi Kuk
Shidaiqu
Shidaiqu is a type of Chinese folk/European jazz fusion music that originated in Shanghai, China, in the 1920s.-Terminology:The term literally means "songs of the era" in Mandarin...
(時代曲). They are considered the prototype of Chinese pop songs.
In 1949 the People's Republic of China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
was established by the communist party
Communist Party of China
The Communist Party of China , also known as the Chinese Communist Party , is the founding and ruling political party of the People's Republic of China...
. One of the first actions taken by the government
Politics of the People's Republic of China
The politics of the People's Republic of China take place in a framework of a single-party socialist republic. The leadership of the Communist Party is stated in the Constitution of the People's Republic of China...
was to denounce popular music as pornography
Pornography
Pornography or porn is the explicit portrayal of sexual subject matter for the purposes of sexual arousal and erotic satisfaction.Pornography may use any of a variety of media, ranging from books, magazines, postcards, photos, sculpture, drawing, painting, animation, sound recording, film, video,...
. Beginning in the 1950s massive waves of immigrants fled from Shanghai to Hong Kong. Along with it was the Pathé Records (Hong Kong)
Pathé Records (Hong Kong)
Pathé Records is the first major record company in Shanghai, China and later Hong Kong. The company was a subsidiary of the original Pathé Records conglomerate.-History:...
record company, which ended up becoming one of the most significant popular record companies in Hong Kong.
The 1960s was marked by the rise of Hong Kong English pop
Hong Kong English pop
Hong Kong English pop are English language songs that are made, performed and popularized in Hong Kong. Known as simply English pop by Hong Kong people...
which peaked until the mid-1970s among both British and Upper Middle
Upper middle class
The upper middle class is a sociological concept referring to the social group constituted by higher-status members of the middle class. This is in contrast to the term "lower middle class", which is used for the group at the opposite end of the middle class stratum, and to the broader term "middle...
/Upper class
Upper class
In social science, the "upper class" is the group of people at the top of a social hierarchy. Members of an upper class may have great power over the allocation of resources and governmental policy in their area.- Historical meaning :...
ethnic Chinese Hong Kongers. After the Chinese language
Chinese language
The Chinese language is a language or language family consisting of varieties which are mutually intelligible to varying degrees. Originally the indigenous languages spoken by the Han Chinese in China, it forms one of the branches of Sino-Tibetan family of languages...
had become an official language in 1974, Cantopop
Cantopop
Cantopop is a colloquialism for "Cantonese popular music". It is sometimes referred to as HK-pop, short for "Hong Kong popular music". It is categorized as a subgenre of Chinese popular music within C-pop...
's popularity increased sharply due to the improved status of the language and the large Cantonese Chinese population in the city.
Traditional Chinese Huangmei opera
Huangmei Opera
Huangmei opera or Huangmei tone originated as a form of rural folksong and dance that has been in existence for the last 200 years and possibly longer. The music is performed with a pitch that hits high and stays high for the duration of the song...
, on the other hand, had peaked in the 1960s amongst the general Chinese population.
Market
As an "open economy", a vast variety of music is commercially available in Hong Kong. Most retail music stores in Hong Kong carry CantopopCantopop
Cantopop is a colloquialism for "Cantonese popular music". It is sometimes referred to as HK-pop, short for "Hong Kong popular music". It is categorized as a subgenre of Chinese popular music within C-pop...
, Mandopop
Mandopop
Mandopop is a colloquial abbreviation for "Mandarin popular music." It is categorized as a subgenre of commercial Chinese-language music within C-pop. Mandopop was the first variety of popular music in Chinese to establish itself as a viable industry. As the name implies, Mandopop features songs...
, imported English language
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
pop music
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
, Japanese pop music and Korean pop music. Larger music stores, such as HMV
HMV
His Master's Voice is a trademark in the music business, and for many years was the name of a large record label. The name was coined in 1899 as the title of a painting of the dog Nipper listening to a wind-up gramophone...
in Hong Kong, stock a more extensive range which includes classical music
Classical music
Classical music is the art music produced in, or rooted in, the traditions of Western liturgical and secular music, encompassing a broad period from roughly the 11th century to present times...
, Cantonese opera
Cantonese opera
Cantonese opera is one of the major categories in Chinese opera, originating in southern China's Cantonese culture. It is popular in Guangdong, Guangxi, Hong Kong, Macau, Singapore and Malaysia. Like all versions of Chinese opera, it is a traditional Chinese art form, involving music, singing,...
in addition to the aforementioned genre
Genre
Genre , Greek: genos, γένος) is the term for any category of literature or other forms of art or culture, e.g. music, and in general, any type of discourse, whether written or spoken, audial or visual, based on some set of stylistic criteria. Genres are formed by conventions that change over time...
s. Like Japan, audio cassettes have never been big sellers in Hong Kong.
Cantopop
Prior to the development of popular musicPopular music
Popular music belongs to any of a number of musical genres "having wide appeal" and is typically distributed to large audiences through the music industry. It stands in contrast to both art music and traditional music, which are typically disseminated academically or orally to smaller, local...
in the 1960s, Hong Kong's musical output was dominated by Cantonese opera
Cantonese opera
Cantonese opera is one of the major categories in Chinese opera, originating in southern China's Cantonese culture. It is popular in Guangdong, Guangxi, Hong Kong, Macau, Singapore and Malaysia. Like all versions of Chinese opera, it is a traditional Chinese art form, involving music, singing,...
and English pop. Prominent singers included Tang Kee-chan (鄧寄塵), Cheng Kuan-min (鄭君綿). The godfather of Cantopop Roman Tam
Roman Tam
Roman Tam, known by the stage name Lo Man , nickname Law Kee , was a renowned Hong Kong Cantopop singer. He is regarded as the "Godfather of Cantopop".-Career:...
(羅文) made significant strides in the industry. The youth began to gravitate towards Cantonese pop in the 70s.
Around 1971, Sandra Lang
Sandra Lang
Sandra Lang is a former Taishan Cantopop singer, active in the 1970s. - Career :During the late 1960s Sandra Lang's career began under the HK English pop group named The Chopsticks. The group did not last long, as Lang soon went solo for TVB....
(仙度拉) was invited to sing the first Cantonese TV theme song, "The Yuanfen
Yuanfen
Yuan or Yuanfen is a Buddhist-related Chinese concept that means the predetermined principle that dictates a person's relationships and encounters such as the affinity among friends or lovers. In common usage the term can be defined as the "binding force" that links two persons together in any...
of a Wedding that Cries and Laughs" (啼笑姻緣). This song was the creation of the legendary songwriter Joseph Koo
Joseph Koo
Joseph Koo Kar-Fai, MBE, SBS is one of the most respected composers in Hong Kong. He used the pen name Moran for Mandarin songs. He is the younger brother of famous Chinese singer Koo Mei .-Career:...
(顧嘉輝) and the songwriter Yip Siu-dak (葉紹德). The genre was launched to unprecedented levels with virtually every TV drama using localised cantopop songs. Another big name singer was Paula Tsui
Paula Tsui
Paula Tsui Siu-fung is a famous Cantopop singer in Hong Kong. She has been affiliated with the TVB television station until the mid-1990s but has performed for Asia Television Ltd...
.
While TV theme songs are still an important part of Hong Kong music, the arrival of the Four Heavenly Kings (四大天王) took Cantopop a stage higher. Today, Cantopop is the dominant form of music with strong associations to pop culture. Record companies have had a majority stake in the segment, and Hong Kong is considered the central hub of Cantopop in the world.
Mandarin pop
Mandarin on the other hand dominated the language of cinematography until the emergence of Cantonese counterparts in the mid-1970s. Many singers from TaiwanTaiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
came to Hong Kong creating a spectrum of Mandarin pop. The period ended in its height with Teresa Teng
Teresa Teng
Teresa Teng , was an immensely popular and influential Chinese pop singer from Taiwan. Teresa Teng's voice and songs are instantly recognized throughout East Asia and in areas with large Asian populations...
. Her songs were popular even in mainland China
Mainland China
Mainland China, the Chinese mainland or simply the mainland, is a geopolitical term that refers to the area under the jurisdiction of the People's Republic of China . According to the Taipei-based Mainland Affairs Council, the term excludes the PRC Special Administrative Regions of Hong Kong and...
. Mandarin pop will likely continue to gain in popularity, especially after the 1997 handover
Transfer of the sovereignty of Hong Kong
The transfer of sovereignty over Hong Kong from the United Kingdom to the People's Republic of China, referred to as ‘the Return’ or ‘the Reunification’ by the Chinese and ‘the Handover’ by others, took place on 1 July 1997...
which made Mandarin one of the standard languages under Basic Law
Hong Kong Basic Law
The Basic Law of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China, or simply Hong Kong Basic Law, serves as the constitutional document of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China...
. One of the TV series that emulate the 60s/70s mandopop club scene in Hong Kong is the TVB
Television Broadcasts Limited
Television Broadcasts Limited, commonly known as TVB, is the second over-the-air commercial television station in Hong Kong. It commenced broadcasting on 19 November 1967...
series Glittering Days
Glittering Days
Glittering Days is a TVB period drama series broadcast in November 2006. The series is shown to celebrate TVB's 39th Anniversary....
.
English pop
The term English pop in Hong Kong does not mean pop music from England, but western style pop songs sung in the English languageEnglish language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
. In the 1950s
1950s in Hong Kong
1950s in Hong Kong began after the Japanese rule ended in 1945 with sovereignty returning to the British. However, the Nationalist-Communist Civil War was renewed in mainland China. It prompted a large influx of refugees from the mainland, causing a huge population surge. The government struggled...
, popular music of Hong Kong was largely dominated by pop songs in the English language
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
until the Cantopop
Cantopop
Cantopop is a colloquialism for "Cantonese popular music". It is sometimes referred to as HK-pop, short for "Hong Kong popular music". It is categorized as a subgenre of Chinese popular music within C-pop...
's emergence in the mid-1970s
1970s in Hong Kong
1970s in Hong Kong underwent many changes that shaped its future. Economically, it reinvented itself from a manufacturing base into a financial centre. The market also began leaning toward corporations and franchises.-Background:...
. Many well-known Cantopop singers of today, like Sam Hui and Alan Tam
Alan Tam
Wing Lun Alan Tam, MH is an award-winning Hong Kong Cantopop and English pop singer and actor. During the early 1980s he played a major role in developing the cantopop scene as he was known for singing romantic ballads with modern arrangements. As of 2008, he is still active in the music...
, began their early careers singing in English. Western culture at the time was specifically a mark of education and sophistication. Inspired and influenced by imported popular music from the West such as Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
, Johnny Mathis
Johnny Mathis
John Royce "Johnny" Mathis is an American singer of popular music. Starting his career with singles of standards, he became highly popular as an album artist, with several dozen of his albums achieving gold or platinum status, and 73 making the Billboard charts...
and The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
, Hong Kong artistes started to produce English language pop music in the 1960s
1960s in Hong Kong
1960s in Hong Kong continued with the development and expansion of manufacturing that began in the previous decade. The economic progress made in the period would categorise Hong Kong as one of Four Asian Tigers along with Singapore, South Korea, and Taiwan.-Background:Economically, this era is...
.
Today, imported pop music in English language remains popular in Hong Kong, second only to C-pop
C-pop
C-pop is an abbreviation for Chinese popular music , a loosely defined musical genre by artists originating from mainland China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan. Others come from countries where the Chinese language is used by a large number of the population, such as Singapore and Malaysia...
. Most Hong Kong artists now sing primarily in Cantonese and Mandarin and occasionally perform in English. Artists who produced substantial works in English include Chet Lam
Chet Lam
Chet Lam is a Hong Kong based independent singer-songwriter whose style has been described by many as "city-folk". He is the elder brother of singer Eman Lam.-Biography:...
, The Pancakes
The Pancakes
The Pancakes is a Hong Kong based, award-winning one-girl band consisting of independent singer-songwriter Dejay Choi. The music of the Pancakes is characterised by Dejay's very innocent, almost child-like voice with bright and catchy melodies...
, Ghost Style
Ghost Style
Ghost Style is a rapper/producer based in Hong Kong. He is credited with releasing the first English language rap album in Hong Kong...
, etc. Jacky Cheung
Jacky Cheung
Jacky Cheung is a Hong Kong singer-songwriter and actor. The Chinese language media refers to him, Aaron Kwok, Andy Lau and Leon Lai as the Cantopop Four Heavenly Kings , with more than 60 million records sold as of 2000....
released an English album in 2000. Other artistes who have native fluency in English include Janice Vidal
Janice Vidal
Janice M. Vidal, often credited mononymously as "Janice", is an award-winning female Cantopop, Hong Kong English pop, Jazz and R&B singer based in Hong Kong. She is the twin sister of singer Jill Vidal....
, Jill Vidal
Jill Vidal
Jill Vidal, often referred to as Wei Si or simply as Jill, was a Hong Kong-based female urban pop singer. Vidal is of Chinese, Korean, and Filipino ethnicity with British nationality...
, Karen Joy Morris, Fiona Sit
Fiona Sit
Fiona Sit Hoi-Kei is a female singer and actress from Hong Kong.-Biography:Fiona Sit attended Island School and studied Creative Media in City University of Hong Kong until 2004...
, Edison Chen
Edison Chen
Edison Koon-Hei Chen is a Hong Kong film actor, Cantopop singer, Hong Kong hip hop rapper, model, record producer, fashion designer, and a pop icon. Chen is also the founder of CLOT Inc., and the CEO of Clot Media Division Limited...
, etc.
Cantonese opera
The art form is one of the first organised forms of entertainment in Hong Kong. The art form still exists today in its traditional format despite the changing trends in other industries. There is a debate about the origin(s) of Cantonese operaCantonese opera
Cantonese opera is one of the major categories in Chinese opera, originating in southern China's Cantonese culture. It is popular in Guangdong, Guangxi, Hong Kong, Macau, Singapore and Malaysia. Like all versions of Chinese opera, it is a traditional Chinese art form, involving music, singing,...
, but it is universally accepted that the predecessors of Cantonese opera originated from the northern part of China and slowly migrated to the southern province of Guangdong
Guangdong
Guangdong is a province on the South China Sea coast of the People's Republic of China. The province was previously often written with the alternative English name Kwangtung Province...
in late 13th century, during the late Southern Song Dynasty
Song Dynasty
The Song Dynasty was a ruling dynasty in China between 960 and 1279; it succeeded the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period, and was followed by the Yuan Dynasty. It was the first government in world history to issue banknotes or paper money, and the first Chinese government to establish a...
. Beginning in the 1950s, massive waves of immigrants fled Shanghai
Shanghai
Shanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...
to destinations like North Point
North Point
North Point is a mixed-use urban area in the Eastern District of Hong Kong. It is the northernmost point of Hong Kong Island, adjacent to both Causeway Bay and Quarry Bay, and projecting toward Kowloon Bay. Fortress Hill occupies the western end of the North Point area.-History:In 1899, The...
, boosting its fanbase.
Classical music
Western classical musicClassical music
Classical music is the art music produced in, or rooted in, the traditions of Western liturgical and secular music, encompassing a broad period from roughly the 11th century to present times...
has a strong presence in Hong Kong. Organisations such as The Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra
Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra
The Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra , is the largest symphony orchestra in Hong Kong. First established in 1895 as an amateur orchestra, under the name Sino-British Orchestra, it was renamed the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra in 1957, and became a professional orchestra in 1974 under the funding...
, Hong Kong Sinfonietta
Hong Kong Sinfonietta
The Hong Kong Sinfonietta is a professional symphony orchestra based in Hong Kong, China. It was established in 1990 by a group of local music graduates. It has always aimed at promoting classical music to the public. The orchestra was reorganized 1999, with Tsung Yeh, an American conductor of...
and the Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra
Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra
The Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra is an orchestra of Chinese traditional instruments based in Hong Kong. It was established in 1977 and comprises 85 musicians. The Artistic Director and Principal Conductor is Yan Huichang.-External links:**...
receives substantial annual funding from the Hong Kong Government and other major sponsors such as the Swire Group
Swire Group
The Swire Group is a transnational corporation headquartered in the Swire House in the City of Westminster, London, England. It controls a range of wholly owned businesses, including deep-sea shipping, cold storage, road transport, and agricultural activities. The current chairman is James...
. The budget of Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra
Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra
The Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra , is the largest symphony orchestra in Hong Kong. First established in 1895 as an amateur orchestra, under the name Sino-British Orchestra, it was renamed the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra in 1957, and became a professional orchestra in 1974 under the funding...
in 2002/2003 financial year was HK$86 million, of which 70% comes from The Hong Kong Government. Their production adds dynamics to the music culture. All primary and secondary school students in Hong Kong are required to take music class as part of their school curriculum
Education in Hong Kong
Education in Hong Kong has a similar system to that of the United Kingdom, in particular the English education system of Hong Kong was modernised by the British in 1861. The system is often described as extremely competitive by global standards....
.
Music recording certification
IFPI Hong Kong certifies music recordings in Hong Kong. Like some other Asian countries, the sales requirements of domestic products are higher than foreign products and certifications are usually based on sales. The sales requirements are 25,000 and 50,000 copies for gold and platinum, respectively, before 2006. It was lowered in 2006 and 2008, due to declining sales. The sales requirements are 20,000 and 40,000 copies for releases between January 1, 2006 and December 31, 2007. Currently, the requirements are 15,000 copies for Gold and 30,000 copies for Platinum. International repertoire requires only half of the Gold and Platinum awards from the domestic ones, same as classical music albums. (Before 2006, 15,000 and 25,000 copies for gold and platinum for foreign repertoire, respectively).See also
- Hong Kong Music venues
- MTV Networks Asia
- Gangtai cultureGangtaiGangtai is a term derived from the shortened word of "Kong" and "Tai". It is generally used to describe C-pop songs, artists or music from Hong Kong or Taiwan.-Terminology:The term is synonymous with post-1960 cantopop or post-1970 mandopop...
- Music of United Kingdom
- Music of ChinaMusic of ChinaChinese Music has been made since the dawn of Chinese civilization with documents and artifacts providing evidence of a well-developed musical culture as early as the Zhou Dynasty...
- Music of JapanMusic of JapanThe music of Japan includes a wide array of performers in distinct styles both traditional and modern. The word for music in Japanese is 音楽 , combining the kanji 音 with the kanji 楽...
- Music of United States
External links
- Guide to Classical Music in Hong Kong - about the classical music scene in Hong Kong
- Youtube: The plight of rock and roll in Hong Kong part 1.
- Youtube: The plight of rock and roll in Hong Kong part 2.