"I'd like to share with you a French song. My favourite colour is pink, and this song is called La Vie en Rose.”
At the Hong Kong Hope Through Music Annual Concert 2020, local soprano Michelle Siu gave an unforgettable rendition of the French classic La Vie en Rose while playing the piano. Her voice was so moving and penetrating that it was hard to believe she had, in fact, never seen pink before.
Michelle lost her sight from eye cancer when she was only three months old. From that point on, her perception of the world has had to rely mainly on the sense of touch and hearing. Slowly, her parents realised that she had a gift for the piano and singing.
With sheer determination and hard work, Michelle went on to earn performance diplomas in piano and vocal music. She’s also won a host of prizes for piano and singing in open competitions. In 2016, she was offered a place by the Chinese University of Hong Kong, becoming the first visually impaired student in its music department.
In 2017, Michelle was awarded a Hong Kong Jockey Club Scholarship in recognition of her academic excellence and dedication to community service. Founded in 1998, The Hong Kong Jockey Club Scholarships is the Club's leading charity programme for nurturing local talent. Over the past 25 years, the scholarship programme has continued to grow. In 2015, it began to offer overseas graduate scholarships. Moreover, it was expanded to benefit students from the Vocational Training Council as well as students with special education needs like Michelle.
To date, the Club has funded scholarships totalling over HK$870 million to over 1,000 students. Looking ahead, Michelle wants to devote herself to inclusive education on top of her career as a musician, so that more people with special needs can find an education model system that works for them.
Did you know?
Since its inception in 1998, scholarship recipients have come from a wide range of backgrounds, from local Chinese students to ethnic minority students, and from those who pursue music, atmospheric science, aerospace engineering and zoology, to budding teachers and educators. The programme has also supported a number of students with special learning needs.
All scholarship recipients are members of The Jockey Club Scholars Alumni Association, forming a close-knit group to perform community service.
Learn more about The Hong Kong Jockey Club Scholarships.
Ng Suet-ha, a visually impaired participant, says, “Through accessible design and inclusive creativity, everyone can shine on the stage of art.”