Outreach Music Interest Courses open for applications
The Music Office of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) is now accepting applications for its Outreach Music Interest Courses (OMICs). Members of the public are welcome to apply for an array of courses, ranging from Chinese and Western musical instrument foundation classes to music workshops. The courses will be held from September to February next year.
Introductory courses available include ocarina, kalimba, little harp, keyboard and musicianship. Instrumental enrichment courses include erhu, liuqin, pipa, zheng, yangqin, dizi, violin, viola, cello, flute, clarinet and saxophone. There are also ensemble trainings for Chinese and Western music, music theory (Grades 1 and 2) and aural training. The course fees range from $330 to $1,370.
Other Chinese and Western musical instrument foundation classes will cover erhu, liuqin, pipa, zhongruan, zheng, yangqin, dizi, xiao, violin, viola, cello, flute, clarinet, saxophone, trumpet and percussion (glockenspiel and practice pad). The course fee is $1,460 each.
A new course, "Parent Workshop on 'Music and Children's Emotional Wellbeing'", will introduce ways of enriching the musical experiences of children aged 2 to 8 to promote their emotional health and overall development. The fee for this course is $220.
The Music Office will offer "Workshop on iPad Music Making" for adults to learn about creating music by using the free music app GarageBand. In addition, the "Keyboard Playing (Numbered Musical Notation)" course for adults will cover numbered musical notation reading, melody-playing techniques and simple chord applications. The course fee is $660.
All OMICs are conducted in Cantonese. The courses will be held at different venues across the territory, namely Sheung Wan Civic Centre, Sai Wan Ho Civic Centre, Hong Kong Cultural Centre, East Kowloon Cultural Centre, Ko Shan Theatre, Ngau Chi Wan Civic Centre, Sha Tin Town Hall, Tsuen Wan Town Hall, Yuen Long Theatre, Tuen Mun Town Hall, North District Town Hall, Tai Po Civic Centre, Hong Kong Central Library and the Music Office's music centres in Wan Chai, Mong Kok, Kwun Tong, Sha Tin and Tsuen Wan. Participants of the online course "ABCs of Musicianship" are required to prepare their own electronic device equipped with a wireless or broadband data connection, a webcam and the software Zoom in advance.
Online applications are now available on the Music Office website (www.lcsd.gov.hk/musicoffice). Course prospectuses and application forms are also available at various performance venues of the LCSD and all music centres of the Music Office. The deadline for applications is July 16. Oversubscribed courses will be processed by ballot. For courses not fully taken up after the first round of application, places will be offered on a first-come, first-served basis from August 12 onwards.
For enquiries, please call 3842 7773, 2598 0801 or 2598 8335 or email tooutreachmusic@lcsd.gov.hk.
Source: AI-found images
Hongkong Post unveils new stamp issues for July to December 2026
Hongkong Post announced today (June 18) that five sets of special stamps on various themes will be issued from July to December 2026. Each stamp issue has its own ingenious design and distinctive style, making the stamps valuable collectables for philatelists and the public.
Located in a subtropical region, Hong Kong enjoys valuable geographical features - mountainous terrain and extensive coastline - and distinct seasons. They together nurture a rich variety of natural habitats, providing homes for a wide range of flora and fauna. Following the release of the "Biodiversity" special stamps in 2010, Hongkong Post will issue a set of four stamps on the theme of "Biodiversity II" to showcase the city's distinctive biodiversity, with a view to raising the public's awareness of ecological conservation and inspiring their collaboration in protecting our natural treasures.
Kowloon City District boasts a rich historical and cultural heritage and has undergone tremendous changes over the past few decades. Once home to the legendary Kowloon Walled City, the district has ushered in significant development opportunities since the relocation of Kai Tak Airport to Chek Lap Kok in 1998. Following the successive completion of the Kai Tak Cruise Terminal and the Kai Tak Sports Park, Kowloon City District will host more international and national sporting events, further boosting the development of local tourism. Hongkong Post will issue a set of four stamps on the theme of "Hong Kong Past and Present Series: Kowloon City District", setting out with the public on a journey through time to savour the past and present of Kowloon City District as well as its changing landscape.
Guangcai, the shortened form of "Guangzhou painted porcelain" or "Canton Famille Rose Porcelain", is one of the traditional crafts of Lingnan culture. The Guangcai making technique was inscribed onto the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Hong Kong in 2024. The technique dates back to the early Qing dynasty and was transmitted from Guangzhou to Hong Kong in the 1920s. In addition to conserving the traditional hand-painting technique and auspicious patterns, Guangcai produced in Hong Kong also incorporates local painting techniques and special motifs, hence the name Gangcai ("Hong Kong painted porcelain"). Hongkong Post will issue special stamps on the theme of "Guangcai Making Technique" to promote Lingnan craftsmanship and local intangible cultural heritage, showcasing the ingenuity of Hong Kong artisans that has been passed down through generations.
Inscribed onto the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2016, the "24 Solar Terms" of the Chinese calendar reflect the change in seasons and meteorological patterns. Subsequent to the "24 Solar Terms - Spring", "24 Solar Terms - Summer" and "24 Solar Terms - Autumn" special stamps issued in 2020, 2023 and 2025 respectively, Hongkong Post will issue special stamps themed on "24 Solar Terms - Winter", featuring six solar terms of winter, namely "Winter Commences", "Light Snow", "Heavy Snow", "Winter Solstice", "Moderate Cold" and "Severe Cold". As the final episode of the "24 Solar Terms" series, this special stamp set marks the successful completion of the entire four seasons stamp collection.
As a treasure of Chinese culture, Chinese medicine has a long history in disease prevention and treatment as well as health preservation and has made a significant contribution to safeguarding people's health. With the implementation of various policy measures, and the successive commissioning of the Chinese Medicine Hospital of Hong Kong and the Government Chinese Medicines Testing Institute, Chinese medicine has become an important integral part of Hong Kong's healthcare system. Hongkong Post will release a set of four stamps and one stamp sheetlet on the theme of "Development of Chinese Medicine in Hong Kong" to showcase key milestones in the development of Chinese medicine in Hong Kong.
In addition, the "2025 Hong Kong Definitive Stamps" with new denominations are expected to be issued later this year. Details will be announced in due course.
Customers may place advance orders for the above new stamp products from today on Hongkong Post's online shopping platform ShopThruPost (shopthrupost.hongkongpost.hk). Customers may also visit the Facebook page "@Hongkong Post Stamps" (www.facebook.com/HKPStamps) for more details. Customers who place orders by July 2 (Thursday) will receive attractive gifts and bonus points. Further information about placing orders can be obtained from the Hongkong Post Stamps website (stamps.hongkongpost.hk) or by calling the Hongkong Post Philatelic Bureau hotline at 2785 5711.
Source: AI-found images
