HONG KONG SAR -
Media OutReach Newswire - 20 January 2025 - The unique allure of
a cappella lies in its harmonious melodies, created solely by
human voices, without instrumental accompaniment. On 18 January, local
and international talent came together to celebrate the art of
a cappella at the
"Hong Kong International A Cappella Contest Finals."
An annual event organised by The Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups
(HKFYG), the Contest was a resounding success. The team from
Pooi To Middle School claimed both the Championship and Outstanding Harmony titles in the
"School Division: Pop Chorus.
" Meanwhile,
HKFYG Lee Shau Kee College's HLC Harmonix won the
"School Division: Vocal Band,
" along with the Best Presentation, Outstanding Lead Vocal and Outstanding Harmony awards.
In the
Open Division, the youngest
a cappella ensemble,
Little by little Kids, earned the Most Potential Award with their
original children's song "A Happy Day" and their rendition of the
cartoon theme song "Problems Every Day." Comprising six members aged
eight to ten from three different primary schools, including a
nine-year-old beatboxer who started teaching himself to beatbox at age
four, they delivered their performance with great poise and were met
with enthusiastic applause from the audience. All members expressed
delight at their competition debut. Despite their young age, they
demonstrated sophistication in rhythm, lead vocal, harmony,
choreography, beat, and even the finer details of song introduction
Also making their competition debut was Pooi To Middle School's
12-member team, the winner of the "School Division: Pop Chorus." Having
started practising since last September, they attributed their success
to their enjoyment of performing and strong team spirit. The team
emphasised the importance of individual performances as well as that of
their fellow team members. They revealed that while they initially
focused too heavily on pitch accuracy, they disordered that shifting
their attention the meaning behind the lyrics eventually enhanced their
performance.
The
Open Division featured professional teams from Japan, Singapore
and Taiwan, who competed alongside local talent in an extraordinary
musical showdown.
TunaStars from Hong Kong ultimately emerged victorious, securing both the Vocal Band (International) and (Hong Kong) Championship titles.
Carrie Wong, Supervisor of the HKFYG, congratulated the winning teams
and commended all participants for their exceptional virtuosity and
teamwork. She remarked, "By bringing together top teams from Hong Kong
and around the world, the Contest serves as a valuable platform for
artistic and musical exchange.
A cappella groups, without relying on expensive equipment, showcase the power and versatility of the human voice."
Wong also expressed gratitude to the judges for their professional
guidance and extended special thanks to the Hong Kong Arts Development
Council for its steadfast support. She affirmed the HKFYG Cultural
Services Unit's continued commitment to promoting
a cappella education and fostering exchange through the art form.
The panel of judges for the "Hong Kong International
A Cappella Contest Finals" included: Ray Chu, Pop and Jazz
Artistic Director of Taiwan Choral Music Center; Zhang Mingming, Chief
Executive Officer of Guangzhou Modern
A Cappella Club; baratti,
A Cappella Producer and Member of Japanese vocal harmony group
"Nagie Lane"; Alfred Wong, composer and recipient of CASH Golden Sail
Music Awards; and Guddy Chan, renowned vocal coach.
Appendix: Prize winners of the "Hong Kong International
A Cappella Contest 2024 Finals"
School Division: Pop Chorus
Prize
|
School/Team
|
Champion,
Outstanding Harmony Award
|
Pooi To Middle School
|
Second Place,
Best Presentation Award,
Outstanding Lead Vocal Award
|
HKFYG Lee Shau Kee College's
HLCers
|
School Division: Vocal Band
Prize
|
School/Team
|
Champion,
Best Presentation Award,
Outstanding Lead Vocal Award,
Outstanding Harmony Award
|
HKFYG Lee Shau Kee College's
HLC Harmonix
|
Second Place
|
SKH Lam Kau Mow Secondary School's
LKaMella
|
Third Place,
Outstanding Rhythm Award
|
Kwok Tak Seng Catholic Secondary School's
Trend
|
Best Arrangement Award
|
Po Leung Kuk Tang Yuk Tien College's
ERA
|
Open Division: Vocal Band (International)
Prize
|
Team
|
Champion (International),
Champion (Hong Kong),
Best Presentation Award
|
TunaStars (Hong Kong)
|
Second Place,
Best Arrangement Award,
Outstanding Lead Vocal Award
|
JiU (Taiwan)
|
Third Place
|
SHAKA-SHOKU-SHAKAI (Japan)
|
Outstanding Harmony Award
|
TunaDream (Hong Kong)
|
Most Potential Award
|
Little by little Kids (Hong Kong)
|