1. I am on your side.
Japanese musician and composer, our Sensei, Ryuichi Sakamoto also show his support to Hong Kong students through the twitter account of New Yorkers for Hong Kong:
A message from @ryuichisakamoto to students in Hong Kong :"I am on your side!"
— NYers For Hong Kong (@NY4HK) October 22, 2014
参考： http://www.wikitree.us/story/5375
2. I don't support Hong Kong's Occupy protest.
I don't support Hong Kong's Occupy protest, says Kenny G after stern words from Beijing
PUBLISHED : Thursday, 23 October, 2014, 11:07am
UPDATED : Saturday, 25 October, 2014, 10:33amJames Griffiths
james.griffiths@scmp.com
Kenny G poses with protesters in Admiralty.
Photo: Mark BongBest selling US jazz musician Kenny G has said he does not support pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong after photos of him attending the demonstration site at Admiralty went viral, prompting a stern response from the Chinese Foreign Ministry.
The saxophonist, real name Kenneth Gorelick, was photographed at the main protest site on Wednesday and posted on Twitter a picture of himself at the site, along with the message that he wished “everyone a peaceful and positive conclusion to this situation”. The post was later removed.
News of his apparent support for the Occupy Central movement spread quickly on social media and was picked up by several international publications, including the South China Morning Post.
The musician is hugely popular in China, where his hit song Going Home is often played by shopping malls and fitness centres to signify to customers that it is time to leave, though he told the New York Times earlier this year that he rarely gets any royalties despite its prevalence.
“Kenny G’s musical works are widely popular in China, but China’s position on the illegal Occupy Central activities in Hong Kong is very clear,” China's Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said in response to a reporter's question during a regular press briefing.
“We hope that foreign governments and individuals speak and act cautiously and not support the Occupy Central and other illegal activities in any form,” she added.
Kenny G recently kicked off a world tour with four concerts in China including one at which he was joined onstage by Jackie Chan, a critic of the protests.
(Maybe, In order to smooth the situation, Kenny G's response to his photo taken in the Admiralty protest site is the following:)
Kenny G newly poses : "I was not trying to defy government orders with my last post. I was in Hong Kong as a stop on my way to perform at Mission Hills and happened to walk by the protest area as I was walking around Hong Kong as a tourist. Some fans took my picture and it’s unfair that I am being used by anyone to say that I am showing support for the demonstrators. I am not supporting the demonstrators as I don’t really know anything about the situation and my impromptu visit to the site was just part of an innocent walk around Hong Kong. I love Hong Kong and always come here to perform when I’m asked to. I love China and love coming here to perform for over 25 years. I only wanted to share my wish for Peace for Hong Kong and for all of China as I feel close to and care about China very much Please don’t mistake my peace sign for any other sign than a sign for Peace."
The jazz star seemed to take the Foreign Ministry’s warning to heart, writing in a statement published on Facebook that he “was not trying to defy government orders with my last post”.
“I was in Hong Kong as a stop on my way to perform at Mission Hills and happened to walk by the protest area as I was walking around Hong Kong as a tourist,” he wrote. “Some fans took my picture and it’s unfair that I am being used by anyone to say that I am showing support for the demonstrators.
“I am not supporting the demonstrators as I don’t really know anything about the situation and my impromptu visit to the site was just part of an innocent walk around Hong Kong.
“I only wanted to share my wish for peace for Hong Kong and for all of China as I feel close to and care about China very much,” he concluded. “Please don’t mistake my peace sign for any other sign than a sign for peace.”
The following picture has caused huge controversy and seemed defiant to the Central Government.
.@officialkennyg showed up at #OccupyCentral protests and took a selfie. China isn't pleased. http://on.mash.to/12cdNc4
Reaction to the post was mostly angry, with many Facebook users – most of whose profile pictures featured yellow ribbons, the symbol of the protests – accusing him of being scared of the Chinese government.
(Any pose of this jazz star about these were deleted when I read them again on the 28th, Oct, 2014)
参考： http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/1622776/i-am-not-supporting-demonstrators-kenny-g-walks-back-occupy； http://www.wikitree.us/story/5375； http://www.wikitree.jp/story/5375/source； https://www.facebook.com/KennyG?rf=192190044151162。
3. I simply want to be there and to be one of them in a way, and want to contribute something positive concerts
Vladimir Ashkenazy's 'special gift to Hong Kong'
Ashkenazy says it was 'natural' for him to want to do something for the city and its situation by putting on two free concerts
PUBLISHED : Friday, 24 October, 2014, 6:30am
UPDATED : Friday, 24 October, 2014, 12:06pmOliver Chou
oliver.chou@scmp.com
Vladimir Ashkenazy: I want to be of service.
Photo: SCMP
A world-class conductor has waived his undisclosed but substantial performance fee for two free concerts "as a special gift to Hong Kong".
Vladimir Ashkenazy, one of the most recorded classical pianists and conductors, will direct the Hong Kong Philharmonic to perform two free concerts tonight and tomorrow at the Grand Hall on the Centennial Campus of the University of Hong Kong.
All 1,600 tickets were snapped up shortly after registration opened last week.
"All I want to do is to be of service and do something for the city, for the country and for the situation. It's just natural," he said before a rehearsal on the Pok Fu Lam campus.
The two concerts were scheduled after the cancellation of the 4th Hong Kong International Piano Competition originally scheduled for this month, with Ashkenazy as chair of the jury and the Hong Kong Philharmonic as the accompanying orchestra.
"We made the decision with the concerts and invited Ashkenazy to conduct before he told us he would waive the fee. That made his gesture even more charming," said Michael MacLeod, the Phil's chief executive, who has known Ashkenazy since the 1980s.
"He's a gentleman and generous in his knowledge and time and it exemplifies his love for Hong Kong that he'd waive the performing fee, which makes the free concerts possible," he said, declining to disclose the fee.
Ashkenazy said he had given free concerts before - "always for a good reason" - including performances in his native Russia, which he left in 1963 for the West.
Vladimir Ashkenazy: I want to be of service.
Photo: SCMP
Asked if he felt at home in Hong Kong, the maestro laughed: "Almost. There is a very important reason for me to conduct for free because your situation is rather complicated now, and that's why I hope to bring about an atmosphere of generosity through music and the spiritual value in it."
The two concerts, billed as a "very special gift to Hong Kong", will feature three famous works by Finnish composer Jean Sibelius and the Second Symphony by Sergei Rachmaninov, all of which Ashkenazy has recorded.
MacLeod said the programme was apolitical. But Ashkenazy believed the Sibelius works especially would resonate beyond the musical notes.
The concert opener, Finlandia, is a full-blooded work expressing the Finn's sentiment against the Russian occupation in the early 20th century.
"The Karelia Suite, too, had the same aspiration, and I performed it once with the European Union Youth Orchestra in St Petersburg, which is not far from Karelia in eastern Finland. It was very special," he recalled.
The Switzerland-based conductor said he would like to see the Occupy protest crowd when he could find a moment.
"I simply want to be there and to be one of them in a way, and want to contribute something positive," said the 77-year-old maestro. "Whatever I can contribute to the conscience of the people, I'd be happy to.
"I lived in the Soviet Union. I know how difficult politics can be. But nothing is hopeless. One can always try," he said.
"If you look at the history of mankind, efforts to make things humane and acceptable to everybody usually succeed in the end."
参考： http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/1623109/vladimir-ashkenazys-special-gift-hong-kong
