Police Choir performs at French National Day Reception
La Bastille, much as it is an icon of liberty for most French nationals, has also become a point of admiration for Hong Kong policemen, at least for the 40 members of the Police Choir who attended the French National Day Reception at Hong Kong Convention Centre on July 13. For the first time, the French Consulate invited the police singer group to kick off their ceremonial reception at the Bauhinia Room by performing the French National Anthem, followed by the Chinese National Anthem.
It turned out that La Marseillaise is a highly popular tune and most of the 900 strong guests who graced the reception were able to ad-lib the lyrics in sync with the strong patriotic rhythms meted out by the Police Choir. After a minute's silence, then the Police Choir brought on the Chinese National Anthem, which once again recharged the Bauhinia Chamber with fervour and energy. Both the attending guests and the host were very pleased as not many choral groups in the territory can perform in French and putonghua on the same stage.
"It didn't come easy," said the event leader of the Choir, Chief Inspector Vincent Cheng. "The invitation came in February through the CP's Office, and members had to go through many special sessions of French training before they could start learning the music in the Marseillaise. The French Consulate had also conducted a friendly inspection of the Choir's progress, which helped encourage members to reach the requisite standard.
Commissioner Tsang Wai-hung was one of the officiating VIPs at the reception, and was gladly surprised by the Choir's performance. "To sing in the host's language a hymn which all the French are very proud of is one of the best examples of police engaging the community," he said.
The Police Choir is planning a 35th Anniversary Concert and welcomes Force members of all ranks, streams or disciplines to join in their singing ventures for betterment of their cultural being.
Police
Choir
with the Attaché of Police of the French Consulate, Mr
Jean-Christophe Marten-Perolin