“HSBC x HKFYG Vocal Vibrato @ Shenzhen,” presented a series of a cappella performances brought together young a cappella singers from around the world, along with mainland and Hong Kong singers to showcase their talents, while also fostering cultural exchanges between the performers.
Shenzhen played host to this captivating display of melodies, thanks to the support of the Qianhai Authority, Qianhai Shenzhen-Hong Kong Youth Innovation and Entrepreneur Hub and AISL Harrow Schools. The performances took place at the Qianhai Shenzhen-Hong Kong Youth Innovation and Entrepreneur Hub, One Avenue, and Harrow International School Shenzhen.
Deputy Executive Director of the HKFYG, Alice Lui, along with other distinguished guests, attended the event to show their support to this passionate youth community involved in music. Alice Lui expressed her deep appreciation to all the singers, not only for their exceptional musical performances, but also for their engagement which the audiences, which she believed will have a lasting impact. She hoped that this musical gathering would inspire more young people to develop an interest and passion for music, while fostering communication and collaboration within the field.
The line-up for “HSBC x HKFYG Vocal Vibrato @ Shenzhen” included:
The Sons of Pitches from London, United Kingdom, specialising in beatbox a cappella and Champions of the BBC 2 television series.
Beat Poetry Club from Vienna, Austria, an all-female performing group.
Rabbit Cat from Tokyo, Japan, who made their overseas debut and boasts a following of over 300 thousand on YouTube.
3H from Hong Kong, who is the winner of Chinese Beatbox Championship, also achieved a remarkable feat to the top 16 in the World Beatbox Championship in 2023.
Lash Vocals from Hong Kong, winners of multiple awards at last year’s “Hong Kong International a cappella Festival.”
The Vienna-based all-female a cappella group, Beat Poetry Club, expressed their immense excitement about this performance opportunity, especially since it marked the first visit to China for most of them. They cherished the chance to meet and collaborate with a cappella musicians of diverse styles, finding inspiration in each other’s performances.
The Japanese a cappella performing group Rabbit Cat expressed their joy and excitement as they performed overseas for the first time. They were really nervous for the first overseas performance but at the end they were thrilled to witness the Chinese young audience enthusiastically singing along and showering them with resounding applause during their performance.
Collaborating with the HKFYG for the second time, The five-man a cappella group from the UK, The Son of Pitches, thoroughly enjoyed their performances in Shenzhen and the opportunity to harmonise with other talented groups. A standout moment for them was when they joined forces with other a cappella musicians and students to sing “We Are the World.” They wholeheartedly encourage young people to embrace a cappella as a means of self-expression, emphasising the freedom to choose any instrument and the value of experimenting with every new idea.
Chinese Champion beatboxer 3H expressed his delight in interacting with fellow musicians during the event, emphasising the enjoyable experience it provided. He also acknowledged the abundance of beatbox talent present in China.
HKFYG’s Cultural Services Unit has been devoted to promoting the development of the local a cappella scene and creating more opportunities and spaces for young people to engage in cultural and arts activities. With over 500 a cappella training sessions and events organized annually, the HKFYG has involved more than 300 secondary schools and over 370,000 individuals in its a cappella activities. In recognition of its efforts, the association received the “Arts Education Award (Non-school Category)” from the Hong Kong Arts Development Council in 2016. The “Hong Kong International a cappella Festival,” “a cappella Education Programme,” and “HKFYG Hong Kong Melody Makers” all contribute to youth appreciation and learning of music from various angles, as well as nurturing numerous a cappella groups, thereby enriching the local cultural landscape. For more information about the choral festival, please visit the website https://csu.hkfyg.org.hk.
