The concert titled "The Music of the Dragons" opened with a percussion piece, which aimed to set a new Guinness world record as a work performed by over 10,000 artists.

Rosanna Wong, chairman of the Hong Kong Organizing Committee of the concert, said they organized the concert "in the hope that the joy and spirit of the occasion may really be brought to life."

The concert at the Hong Kong Coliseum rallied 600 young persons from the mainland, Macao and Taiwan, and 9,500 from Hong Kong who were both performers and audience for this unique and historic event.

The concert, with the theme of "Achievements in the Past and Plans for the Future," was designed to provide the youth with an opportunity to review the past and to look forward to the future, Wong noted.

The record-breaking percussion piece included various percussion instruments such as cow bell, hand drum, rocka, guiro, maraca and triangle.

Under the baton of conductor Yip Wing-sie, these young talents then performed much-loved classical orchestral pieces featuring the erhu and violin, as well as popular pipa and choral renditions.

The young musicians were joined by renowned artists as Li Yundi, Wang Jian, Liao Changyong, Wu Bixia, Li Chuanyun, Zhang Hongyan, Hsin Hsiao-hung, Chau Chin-tung and pop singers Elva Hsiao and Eason Chan.

Henry Ying Tung Fok, vice-chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference National Committee, Chief Executive of the Hong Kong SAR Tung Chee Hwa and leaders of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Hong Kong SAR, the Office of Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the Hong Kong SAR, and the PLA Hong Kong Garrison were present at the concert.

The concert was jointly presented by the Home Affairs Bureau, All-China Youth Federation, Leisure and Cultural Services Department and the Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups.

(Xinhua News Agency July 2, 2002)