The Hongkong Bank Foundation has recently pledged HK$1.5 million to renew its support for a 3-year scholarship pro- gram entitled “The Hongkong Bank Foundation Hong Kong-Mainland Exchange Scholarship Programme”.

The Exchange Scholarship Programme began in 1996.

Through the scholarships, talented dance and music students in Mainland China have had the opportunity to study at The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts while dance, music and technical arts students of the Academy have engaged in intensive studies on the mainland.

From 1996 to 1999, 53 scholarships were awarded, including eight scholarships for the in-coming mainland students and 47 scholarships for the Academy students, totalling HK$1.2 million.

“The mainland students studied at the Academy for the whole academic year. Study programmes for Academy students were held at the Shanghai Theatre Academy, Central Academy of Drama, Beijing Dance Academy of Fine Arts, Yunnan Province Song and Dance Troupe, Academy of Chinese Traditional Opera in Beijing, Dali Song and Dance Troupe, Tibetan Dance Troupe and many other performing art institutions and companies throughout the mainland,” said Prof. Lo King-man, director of The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts.

“Normally, scholarships for the mainland students were above $100,000 while those for the local students ranged from $20,000 to $30,000,” said Prof. Lo. “The students need not pay anything for themselves.”

The mainland students participating in the programme were nominated by the mainland performing arts institutions while the Academy students were nominated by the Department with their consent.

“As a performing arts institution, the Academy maintains an international character in its profession and its student body.”

Mainland students enrich the student mix and the learning environment at the Academy, said Prof. Lo.

“It encourages creativity and the exchange of ideas, that are vital to the future prosperity of Hong Kong and Mainland China.”

“The programme started from the dance and music students because their individual talents could be easily tested. However, it is hard for other faculties such as drama to perform without mastering the dialects well,” said Prof. Lo.

According to Prof. Lo, the students had to study what he had already received training.

Ms. Jo Jo Wong, 20, a Year 2 Academy student of the School of Music, participated in the programme in summer 1998 and Christmas 1999.

Said Ms. Wong:” I received the scholarships twice.”

Ms. Wong received intensive one-to one coaching in Ban-hu while she majored Er-hu and minored Ban-hu in the Academy.

“I studied at The Central Conservatory of Music but lived with other Academy students in simple hostels in The Beijing Central Conservatory of Music,” said Ms. Wong.

During her leisure time, Ms. Wong visited the historic sites, mixed with the local students and watched their rehearsals.

Mr. Li Zi Hao, 25, is a scholarship recipient from The Guangdong Modern Dance Company.

Mr. Li is studying Year 3 in the School of Dance, majoring modern dance.

“I had to write both Chinese and English application letters for the programme.”

“It was lucky of me to continue my studies in the Academy with the scholarship from the Hongkong Bank Foundation again after finishing Advanced Diploma Year 2,” said Mr. Li.

Mr. Li is now with the Academy for the third year.

He received scholarship from an international fund to study Advanced Diploma Year 1 in the Academy.

“I received $150,000 to $160,000 per year and now live in a flat with another exchange student in Sheung Wan arranged by the Academy.”

“The money is absolutely adequate for my spending here,” said Mr. Li.

Besides performing with the Academy required by the programme, Mr. Li also performed with other organizations.

“I have many friends here and they invited me to participate in their performances.”

“I love to gain more stage experience and earn extra money if it does not clash with my lessons,” said Mr. Li.

“I would also like to meet more friends since this can help my career.”

Mr. Li said he did not have enough time to digest what he had learnt in the Academy as the lessons were closely packed.

Besides having courses in modern dance, he has courses in liberal arts, art criticism, painting and architecture.

“I admire the comprehensive training offered at the Academy. In mainland, we just learn how to dance,” said he.

Mr. Li said it was better to study here since most of the tutors came from Europe and Australia.

“They can give us more insights as modern dance originated from the West,” said he.

Ms. Wong said that China was the best place to study Chinese instruments.

There is only one professional Ban-hu tutor in the Academy, according to Ms. Wong.

Said Ms. Wong: “During the training in Beijing, I practiced Ban-hu for long hours and had much improvement because there was far less entertainment that distract me.”

According to Ms. Wong, the mainland students usually practise five to six hours a day while the Hongkong students practise one to two hours.

“Space is not enough in the Academy.”

“Unlike our mainland counterparts, we are not always able to book the venue for practice,” said Ms. Wong.

Said she: “However, the facilities in the studios there are too simple. We have a concert hall in the Academy.”

Ms Wong said the programme would be more effective if the students were allowed to attend other Chinese music lessons to enrich their minds.

When comparing the Hong Kong students and the mainland students, Ms. Wong said the techniques of the mainland students are better.

Said she: “The mainland students receive formal musical training in their primary education.

“If the teachers or parents think the students have potential, they will make them study in secondary schools that belong to conservatories of music.”

Despite the systematic programme in China, the performances by mainland students are rare, according to Ms.Wong. “It is interesting that they even practise how to bow when performing on stage,” said she.

Mr. Li also agreed that the mainland students had better techniques in performing arts.

“I learnt dancing when I was only 7,” said Mr. Li, “but in Hong Kong, the students usually started to learn dancing after Form 5 or Form 7.”

Mr. Li thinks the Hong Kong students do not master learning technique well.

“I find that they just keep on practising without knowing the correct method,” said he.

“Practice does not always make perfect.”

“Take splitting as an example. The students only complain about the pain and keep on practising without understanding which tendon are stretched,” said he.

Mr. Li said, “Maybe the Hong Kong students are too independent. They seldom interact with others or ask questions.”

But Mr. Li said access to information was the strong point of the local students.

The guest tutors for modern dance are professional and the students could easily get scholarships from funds such as The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust for exchange programmes to enlighten their choreography, said Mr. Li.

“The freedom of expression in Hong Kong allows more creativity too,” said he.

“As an exchange student, I would try to accept the culture of Hong Kong and seize every chance to see more.”

The drama students from the Academy can also participate in the exchange programme after The Hong Kong Bank Foundation renewed its support for the programme.

“We noted the scholarship recipients’ efforts in achieving their goals in performing arts and we appreciate their creativity very much,” said Ms. Kathy Wong, the assistant secretary of the Foundation.

There were two scholarships and 32 scholarships for the mainland and Academy students respectively in 1999/2000.

According to Prof. Lo, the scholarship recipients were not required to write any special reports or hold any talks to share their experience with other students since everything can be seen from their performances on stage.