Under the patronage of the Secretariat for Social Affairs and Culture of the Government of the Macao Special Administrative Region, co-hosted by the Cultural Affairs Bureau and Wynn Resorts (Macau), S.A. and produced by Macao Orchestra Company, Limited, the Open Rehearsal, Closing Ceremony and Achievements Concert of the “1^st Macao International Children’s Arts Festival - Music Camp” were held today (21 August) at Macao Cultural Centre. The students showed their rehearsal and learning achievements to the public at the Concert, which concluded the six-day Music Camp perfectly amid enthusiastic applause.

The Achievements Concert was held in the evening with a Toasting Ceremony held at the Macao Cultural Centre Foyer. Guests attending included Ms Leong Wai Man, President of the Cultural Affairs Bureau; Mr Yin Rutao, Deputy Director of the Department of Publicity and Culture of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the Macao SAR; Mr Ricky Hoi Io Meng,  Acting Director of the Macao Government Tourism Office; Mr Frederic Luvisutto, Chief Operating Officer and Executive Director of Wynn Macau, Limited; Ms. Catherine Kong, Vice President of Corporate Communications and Community Affairs of Venetian Macau Limited; Ms Mina Siew, Director of Community Relations of MGM; Mr Lio Kuokman, Music Director and Principal Conductor of Macao Orchestra; Mr Li Chu Kwan, Chairman, Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of Macau Legend Development Ltd.; and Ms Jean Yuan Jing, Assistant to Vice President, Customer Services cum General Manager - Cabin Service, Air Macau Company Limited. At the Achievements Concert, the string musicians from the Academy of St Martin in the Fields joined the Music Camp students to perform Tchaikovsky’s “Serenade for Strings in C major”. The violin students of the Music Camp, Sabrina Wang Iat Ham, Zhang Hanyue and Cheong Tin Ut, performed the solo parts of Bach’s “Concerto for Two Violins in D minor” with Joshua Bell. In addition, Joshua Bell delivered a brilliant solo performance of Vivaldi’s “The Four Seasons”.

At noon on the same day, the Closing Ceremony was officiated by Ms Leong Wai Man, President of the Cultural Affairs Bureau; Mr Frederic Jean-Luc Luvisutto, Chief Operating Officer and Executive Director of Wynn Macau, Limited; Mr Joshua Bell, the violin master; and the string musicians from the Academy of St Martin in the Fields, namely Mr Harvey de Souza, Principal First Violin, Mr Ralph de Souza, violinist, Mr Ian Rathbone, violist, and Ms Judith Herbert, cellist. President Leong Wai Man and Mr Frederic Luvisutto presented Certificates of Appreciation to the Music Camp instructors, internationally renowned violin master Joshua Bell and the string musicians of the Academy of St Martin in the Fields, respectively. Joshua Bell also awarded Certificates of Participation to students who completed the Music Camp. One of the Music Camp students, Christy Choi Wai In, expressed gratitude to the instructors for their professional guidance, which greatly helped the students improve their performance skills. She was excited about having the rare opportunity to perform with the world-renowned musicians. She also believed that the experience of the Music Camp would be a great inspiration for the future development of their music career. The organiser also arranged an Open Rehearsal in the morning to show the public the works behind the scenes of a concert and present the students’ rehearsal process of tutti and solo.

A total of 29 young violinists from different regions were admitted to the 1^st Macao International Children’s Arts Festival - Music Camp through open recruitment and selection. The Music Camp featured the personal instruction from the string musicians of the Academy of St Martin in the Fields. Students took intensive one-on-one musical instrument lessons and master classes conducted by the string musicians. And Joshua Bell collaborated with the string musicians to form a String Orchestra with the students, where they rehearsed and performed together. The students also participated in cultural tours and flash mob performances during the Music Camp period to experience the unique history and culture of Macao, accumulate performance experience and enhance musical skills.