All kids deserve to explore their interests and broaden their horizons, with extracurricular hobbies in music and sports in particular shown to benefit children’s holistic development. From strengthening their emotional well-being to enhancing academic performance, early exposure to music and physical education can help brighten a child’s future. To make this vision a reality for families with limited financial resources, the Club’s Charities Trust initiated JC Project MuSE, with over HK$400 million in approved funding to provide free, high-quality and tailored music and sports programmes for underprivileged primary school students.

JC Project MuSE is a six-year school-based music and sports education programme developed with reference to the renowned El Sistema model. The project offers three tiers of quality school-based music and sports programmes, tailored to different interest levels and abilities, from entry-level taster experiences such as workshops and fun sports classes, continuous music and sports training, to advanced training and scholarships for high-potential sports and musical talent to receive professional courses and overseas opportunities. The project also provides musical instruments and sports equipment at schools. Other key components include professional development for music tutors and sports coaches, as well as opportunities to participate in performances, community showcases and sports competitions, enabling students to showcase their skills while enhancing parental support and community engagement.

Beginning as a pilot project in 2024 and currently with five participating primary schools, the aim of JC Project MuSE is to expand to support 15 primary schools in the 2026/27 school year, and is expected to benefit over 100,000 children and their families, teachers and community members.

 

Caption: Club Chairman Michael Lee delivers a speech at the launch of JC Project MuSE

To celebrate the launch of the project as well as honour the Club’s 140th anniversary this year, the Project MuSE Concert was held on 17 April, inviting students from JC Project MuSE as well as musical talents nurtured by other Trust-supported projects to attend and take part. The concert opened with a performance by around 100 primary school students showcasing their newly learned musical and sporting skills – including Wushu and Taekwondo.  Caption: Students from The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts perform using instruments from The Hong Kong Jockey Club Collection of String instruments

Other performances included solo virtuosos from The Hong Kong Jockey Club Scholarships and awardees of The Hong Kong Jockey Club Music and Dance Fund, and a visually impaired artist who had performed at the inclusive No Limits arts festival, together with the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra.

There were also students from The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts performing with The Hong Kong Jockey Club Collection of String Instruments, students from the Jockey Club TUTTI Programme, Musicus Society, The Hong Kong String Orchestra and the Music Children Foundation. Among the performers, two of them were mentees and one a mentor participating in the Strive and Rise Programme.

 

Caption: HKSAR Government Chief Secretary for Administration Chan Kwok-ki (back row, centre), Club Chairman Michael Lee (back row, seventh left) and other guests pose for a photo with mentors and mentees from the Strive and Rise Programme

More than 900 students and their parents and teachers from JC Project MuSE, as well as over 240 participants and mentors from the Strive and Rise Programme, were invited to enjoy the concert, providing more underprivileged students with opportunities to engage with and experience the pleasure of music.