Newsletter No. 467

4 467 • 19.11.2015 心誠，則事成— 莫華昇與鍾翁瑞華 Dedication Makes Success: Mr. Edwin Mok and Mrs. Joy Chung 特寫 Feature O n the afternoon of 10 October, 200 school-children from Tai Po, Sha Tin, Ma On Shan, Tsing Yi, and Sham Shui Po, and 80 guests settled into their seats at the Lecture Theatre at Shaw College. They were there for Music Picnic , a fundraising show co-organized by the E&R Foundation and CUHK. The event raised close to HK$350,000 for the University’s I • CARE Programme. One of the main activities of the E&R Foundation is supporting teenage music learners to go on exchange overseas in the summer. Its founder Mr. Edwin Mok , a lawyer, laments that despite the large number of music learners in Hong Kong, many are obsessed with grade exams and competitions, and overlook the essence of what music is about. In an attempt to remedy this, he provides them with opportunities to hone musical skills and stage charitable public performances. In Music Picnic , performances featuring the piano, strings, harp, flute, and opera singing were given by young homegrown musicians, including secondary students, university graduates, as well as current CUHK students and alumni. Some performances were given by young musicians supported by the foundation and by related groups. Mr. Mok said, ‘Concerts are the platforms where they demonstrate their artistic talents and inspire others. With sponsorship from well- wishers, we can invite children who might otherwise have little opportunities to attend a performance of this kind for free.’ During the harp performance, the children were awed by the massive size of the instrument and captivated by its ethereal sounds. Their excitement was palpable. When CUHK student Mr. Perry Lau asked the audience to pick five notes for him to compose a tune with, then played it on the piano, the children were thrilled by his improvisation. The 90-minute concert featuring Chinese and Western songs of different eras enabled the audience’s imagination to take flight and broadened their cultural horizons. Although Mr. Edwin Mok had received a Western education, he and his brothers learned the Chinese classics from a private tutor on weekends when young. He follows traditional Chinese beliefs about self-cultivation, harmonious family relationships, and philanthropy faithfully. This was the second time he supported the I • CARE Programme. Three years ago when his son James Mok launched his novel The Challenge , they donated all the proceeds of the launch event to the I • CARE Programme. Why the I • CARE Programme? He said, ‘I remember a speech in which Prof. Joseph J.Y. Sung encouraged CUHK graduates to live a simple life, a noble life, and a humble life. The I • CARE Programme is aimed at facilitating whole-person education, with emphasis on integrity and moral development, creativity and intellectual development, appreciation of life and aesthetic development, and engagement in social services. Mrs. Chung and I are Christians. We believe everything we have is God’s gift and, therefore, not a reason for singing our own praises. We should maintain integrity, and shouldn’t let ourselves be dominated by earthly desires. These are in line with the ideas of I • CARE.’ Mrs. Joy Chung , a close friend of Mr. Mok’s, is the principal patron of Music Picnic . This was the first collaboration between her and CUHK. Besides giving monetary support, she and members of her Bible study group formed a choir and went on stage. ‘I told the choir members that we’re doing this to support university education, and it would benefit many school children. They all jumped at the opportunity.’ On the day before the show, nine choir members and their instructor Mr. Jimmy Chan rehearsed for almost two hours in the lecture theatre. Not only did they pay attention to singing techniques, they also scrutinized their stage presentation and movements, striving for perfection. Mrs. Chung has provided financial support to many different projects through organizing fundraising concerts. She believes that the power and beauty of music can develop moral character and touch people’s hearts. She lives up to the Biblical teaching of ‘it is more blessed to give than to receive’. ‘I’m blessed to have the chance to participate in an I • CARE Programme activity. I’m grateful to our teacher for his patience and tolerance. I’m moved by the Bible study group’s wholehearted support for and dedication to singing of the Lord’s great love.’ It’s like the lyrics of a song they sang: ‘The long road is there for distant places. The rainy season is there for Mother Earth.’ Everything is there for a purpose. The singers have been contemplating what they could offer to their loved ones, friends, children and parents. ‘Everyone can contribute in their way no matter how little they have. We’re not professional singers, but we are passionately devoted. The thought that we were contributing to the education of the young was what kept us going with enthusiasm,’ she said. The planning and preparation of Music Picnic was carried out by CUHK student volunteers, who also handled stage lighting, sound and logistic support. Although their performance was not on a par with that by professionals, their commitment received high praise from the two patrons. As they said, dedication brings perfection. This quality was also the key to the success of the fundraising event and the projects it supported. 逸 夫書院大講堂在10月10日下午迎來了大埔、沙田、馬 鞍山、青衣及深水埗等區的二百名學童，還有八十 位嘉賓，欣賞一場繽紛的匯演「音樂遊蹤」。音樂會由E&R Foundation與中大合辦，為大學的博群計劃籌得近港幣 三十五萬元。 E&R Foundation其中一項主力工作是贊助學音樂的青少年 在暑假到海外交流，基金會創辦人 莫華昇 律師有感於香港 學音樂的學生不少，可惜很多只是着眼於考級和比賽，未能 真正體會音樂的精妙，所以積極為他們開拓進修和公開表演 的機會。所有表演都是慈善性質。 在「音樂遊蹤」演奏鋼琴、弦樂、豎琴、長笛，演唱歌劇的， 都是土生土長的青少年，有中學生、大學畢業生、中大現屆 學生和校友，也有曾獲基金會支持的年輕音樂家和友好團 體。莫律師說：「音樂會是他們表演和啓發他人的平台，得到 有心人的贊助，我們可以邀請一些平素較少機會接觸音樂的 孩子來免費欣賞。」 當日孩子見到豎琴出場，既訝異於其龐大體積，也着迷於其 仙境似的音色，興奮之情溢於言表。中大音樂系學生 劉子豪 邀請聽眾自選五個音符，由他即興作曲以鋼琴彈奏，更令孩 子樂不可支。為時九十分鐘的音樂會，曲目貫通古今中外， 帶領聽眾悠然遨遊於不同的想象空間，不經不覺就開啓了 胸襟。 莫華昇接受西式教育之餘，自幼在周末與兄弟師承私塾先 生，學習四書五經，深受中國修身齊家、為善積德的傳統思 想熏陶。這已是他第二次支持博群計劃，三年前其子 莫禮恩 創作的小說《超越時空的挑戰》發布，也把籌募所得捐助博 群計劃。 為甚麼獨鍾博群？莫華昇說：「我記得 沈祖堯 校長曾寄語 畢業生要過儉樸、高尚、謙卑的生活，博群計劃提供全人教 育，着重人格與德育、創意與知性、生活藝術與美學的培育， 更有很多服務社會的機會。我和鍾太都是基督徒，相信我們 所有的都是神賜的，不足自矜，更要把持德行操守，不被世 俗搖動。這些都與博群的理念諧協。」 鍾太是 鍾翁瑞華 女士，莫華昇的好友，「音樂遊蹤」的至尊 贊助。這是她第一次和中大合作，除了捐資，還特與教會查 經班成員組成歌詠小組表演。「我跟組員講，這是支持大學 教育的活動，也會惠及很多學童，她們二話不說便答允了。」 演出前一天，九位組員與導師 陳晃相 先生準時到達大講堂， 彩排近兩小時，除了歌曲的細節，隊形、動作等都一絲不苟， 力求完美。 鍾翁瑞華過去贊助不少項目，都用音樂會籌款。她認為音樂 的真善美，足以陶冶性情，觸動人心。她強調奉獻的心意，深 切體會施比受更為有福，「有機會參與中大博群計劃的活 動，是感恩；老師的包容和耐心，要感謝；查經組成員真心支 持及付出，唱出耶和華的大愛，令我感動。」就如她們演唱 的曲詞—「長路奉獻給遠方，雨季奉獻給大地，」萬事萬物 皆有所獻，歌者也不停思想，自己可以拿甚麼奉獻給愛人、朋 友、孩子和爹娘。「每個人無論擁有多少，都可以奉獻自己的 力量。我們都不是專業歌者，只是有一份赤誠，想到可以為 學生的教育做點甚麼，我們便練習得更開心，更落力了！」 「音樂遊蹤」的策劃籌備，現場演出的燈光、音響和一切雜 務，都由中大學生義工負責，雖未臻專業水平，專業態度仍 得到兩位贊助人的讚許。誠如他們所說，凡事用心，便會做 得好。這份心意，正是籌款活動及其支持的項目得以成功的 要素。 「音樂遊蹤」的兩位至尊贊助人鍾翁瑞華（右）和莫華昇同樣愛好音樂 Joy Chung (right) and Edwin Mok, principal patrons of Music Picnic , are both music lovers Photo by ISO staff