Swire Properties and Yat Po Singers select 50 talented vocalists out of 200 applicants for January’s performance at ArtisTree TaiKoo Place
Over the past decade, Swire Properties has curated a series of art events and engagement activities for employees from TaiKoo Place and Cityplaza’s office tenants to enjoy and explore. To further connect with the office community, Swire Properties recently launched “TAIKOO PLACE PROJECT AFTER 6” with a cappella as the art form to debut this initiative. The three-week casting call and audition for “Double Bill”, the highlight programme under this new project, was completed with 200 audition applications. Hong Kong's first professional a cappella theatre company Yat Po Singers is the collaborative partner for this project.
Renowned music producer Chiu Tsang Hei joined the judging panel with artistic directors from Yat Po Singers to meet with applicants after work. The auditions comprised solo singing, body movement challenges, as well as a cappella sessions where applicants were asked to sing harmony in groups. Following two rounds of auditions, 50 applicants from TaiKoo Place and Cityplaza’s office tenants were selected. These successful candidates have diverse career backgrounds spanning different sectors, including banking and finance, luxury and fashion, IT, media and advertising and come from 40 different companies, including JPMorgan, Citi, DBS Bank, Zurich Insurance, FWD Insurance, LVMH, Tiffany & Co., Schneider Electric, Jack Morton, Mindshare, and more.
Committed to the sustainable development of a work environment planned for the individuals who are engaged in it, Swire Properties is a pioneer in office tenant engagement programmes. The first ‘PROJECT AFTER 6’ initiative received 200 audition applications from TaiKoo Place and Cityplaza offices and is a proven endorsement of the importance of an energetic and lively workplace.
The success of the casting call is attributed to the creative promotion of the event. In early September, performers from Yat Po Singers dressed in officewear and surprised the crowd in TaiKoo Place during lunchtime with their a cappella singing parades. A video of the parade received over 30,000 views on social media. Casting call promotional displays with interactive QR codes linked to online enrollment on the Swire Properties Facebook page were available in office lobbies and inside building elevators, allowing office executives to apply for auditions at any time.
From now until December, the finalists will receive an array of professional training in vocal, a cappella, acting and physical movement by Yat Po Singers, as well as the master class hosted by singer-songwriter and producer Hanjin Tan in October. Featuring four original theatrical pieces on the theme of office life and relationships, “Double Bill” will be staged in January 2015 at ArtisTree alongside other a cappella performances and workshops presented by Yat Po Singers and its guest artists. Admission will be free for all.
About PROJECT AFTER 6
Launched in 2014, PROJECT AFTER 6 is a tenant engagement programme initiated by Swire Properties for its office portfolios. Offering a valuable platform that connects the office community through a series of activities spanning different genres, the programme aims to strengthen connections between office executives by bringing art, music and entertainment into their work environments, unleashing their talents. This is also part of Swire Properties continual commitment to sustainable development which aims to nurture and provide attractive working environment for a positive impact on employees’ productivity, contributing to a successful business and happy community.
About TaiKoo Place
TaiKoo Place is Hong Kong’s largest privately owned business district, managed by Swire Properties. Following the completion of One Island East and the acquisition of Berkshire House, the portfolio now offers over 9 million sq ft of prime commercial space and high-end hotel accommodation for local and multinational corporations. A wide range of cosmopolitan business and leisure amenities are situated within the area, including the approximately 1.11 million sq ft Cityplaza shopping centre, Butterfield’s private members club, lifestyle business hotel EAST, multipurpose venue ArtisTree, over 60 restaurants and cafés with parking for over 6,000 cars.
About Yat Po Singers
Yat Po Singers is the first professional a cappella choral theatre company in Hong Kong focusing on developing original theatrical works. Three Co-Artistic Directors, composer Ng Cheuk Yin, choral director Patrick Chiu and stage director/designer Yuri Ng, formed a solid team and founded the Company with Executive Director (Honorary) Kathleen Ng. The Company’s artistic mission is to promote the a cappella art form in Hong Kong, especially among young people, through original work by local artists that demonstrate the innovative interaction of music and theatre. Through participation in the company’s productions and activities, young singers and school teachers, are nurtured through intensive rehearsals, workshops, and public performances.
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