AN EVENING OF classical music at the Cultural Centre or the Hong Kong City Hall is often taken for granted. However, not very long ago a live classical performance in Hong Kong was a rare event.
In fact, Hong Kong's classical music industry only began to emerge in the late 1970s, when the government started building music venues across the territory. It also broadened the education system to nurture musical talent.
Yip Wing-sie, music director of the Hong Kong Sinfonietta, was one of the beneficiaries of the government's initiatives.
'In the 1980s the government empowered the Royal Hong Kong Jockey Club to give music scholarships and I was one of the first recipients. Since then, young people have been presented with more and more opportunities to see and study classical music,' Ms Yip said.
The music industry continued to develop in the 1980s. The setting up of the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts (HKAPA), Sha Tin Town Hall and the Hong Kong Cultural Centre provided further platforms for music education and performance.
Besides government initiatives, economic prosperity and the larger disposable incomes of Hongkongers have also helped the music industry grow. As this happened, awareness among local parents about the benefits and virtues of music education also increased.
Jobs in the classical music industry can generally be classified into four types of roles - performers, composers, administrative support staff and teachers. Most of the jobs available are for teachers. Though there are comparatively fewer full-time positions for performers, many musicians are able to support their careers by teaching privately.
