研究與發展

Application of Modern Technology in Transmission of Cantonese Opera in Hong Kong

As a local traditional art form in Hong Kong, Cantonese opera has been enlisted in the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, reflecting a critical and unique position representing Chinese and Guangdong culture. In recent years, transmission of Cantonese opera has been valued by various stakeholders since it may influence the sustainability of the genre. This project aims to enhance transmission of Cantonese opera with the adoption of modern technology in school and community settings. Two individual research projects will be implemented. First, we will evaluate a newly developed tablet application for accompanying Cantonese operatic singing with a multi-case study. Five school music teachers will be invited to trial on the application by involving their students to use it in learning accompaniment in classroom settings. Observation and interviews will be used to evaluate how the students learn. Second, the research team will validate and evaluate a newly develop Cantonese Opera Body Movement (COBM) gamified software for community learning environment and to investigate if learners may benefit from the software in a three-month trial. A COBM software has been newly developed, and six learners will be invited to practice 30
movements with the software, while two veterans of Cantonese opera will be invited to assess the same set of movements. An inter-judge reliability test will be used to test the reliability of the software. Afterwards, a total of 60 learners will be invited and categorized into control and experimental group for a quasi-experimental design. Pre-and post-tests will be implemented to seek if there are any possible changes after the treatment in both groups, and if there are any significant differences between and within groups. In addition, students’ learning motivation before and after the treatment will

also be measured.

Teaching Cantonese Opera in Schools: In-depth Case Studies in Hong Kong

Cantonese opera is recognized as one of the most representative inter-disciplinary arts in Hong Kong and has been included in the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage List of Humanity. The transmission of Cantonese opera in education has been facing different challenges, including but not limited to audience building, audience education, teacher training and development and limited teaching and learning resources in this genre. Although Education Bureau has organized various workshops and courses regarding the training on teaching this genre, many music teachers may not be confident nor competent regarding teaching the genre and thus may influence the teaching practices and effectiveness.  

This study aims to understand how in-service music teachers who have received relevant training in Cantonese opera in dealing with teaching the genre, in the forms of class observations and in-depth interviews. The research team will observe the classes over the semester in each participating school and interview teachers for their feedback and reflection in terms of teaching and learning of the genre, which might provide insights for the future development in teaching the genre in primary and secondary schools. This study will provide insights of what problems Hong Kong music teachers would encounter when they teach Cantonese opera in music lessons, and how they would deal with the problems. In addition, good practices may be dug out for other teachers’ reference.

Survey of Audiences’ View on Cantonese Opera Performances in Hong Kong

Cantonese opera is very popular in Hong Kong and has been included in the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage List of Humanity. For a long time, many international marketing scholars have conducted market surveys on the audience's motivation for participating in performing arts. However, there are few studies on the views of Hong Kong audiences on attending Cantonese opera performances. Understanding the audience’s motivation for watching performances will greatly increase the attendance of Cantonese opera performances, thereby helping to inherit the tradition of Cantonese opera.  

This research aims to investigate the motivations and incentives of Hong Kong audiences in attending Cantonese opera performances so as to improve the performance level and professional ethics of the industry in the short term, and promote the development of Cantonese opera.  

The research team will collect Hong Kong audiences’ opinions on Cantonese opera in the form of an online questionnaire. The data includes the gender, age, educational background, work status and monthly family income of the interviewee, as well as factors affecting audience attendance, including the availability of performance venues. Data such as personal factors, accessibility, repertoire content, performer factors, performance nature and perceived cost. The research team will apply statistical methods such as correlation analysis, regression analysis and multivariate analysis of variance to infer and interpret the possible relationships among various factors, providing insights for decision-makers and producers who promote the development of Cantonese opera, comprehensively expanding the audience, enhancing the artistic level, and benefiting Cantonese opera can reach both elegance and common appreciation.

粵劇生行身段電腦評估系統發展計劃」與推出「粵曲拍和」iPad應用程式

「粵劇生行身段電腦評估系統」旨在通過記錄 3D 生行身段動作，將各個動作以元宇宙模擬的方式重新呈現，同時藉遊戲化軟件評估系統，讓用家通過模仿學習及練習粵劇身段動作，並獲得即時回饋，以提升其鍛練興趣。系統更設有多種模式，將各個動作劃分成不同的難度，以符合不同程度用家的需要。系統內收錄的各個生行身段動作均由本地粵劇大師阮兆輝先生及新晉演員吳立熙先生親身示範。他們分別穿上設有十九個感應器的動作擷取設備，配合光學動作捕捉軟件，精確地把每個關節動作記錄，並以數碼 3D 模擬方式重新展現於系統，再配合不同動作節奏的鑼鼓音樂。研究人員現正把專業粵劇演員的動作評分與系統內建的評分數據作比較及調整，以提高其準確性。

「粵曲拍和」iPad 應用程式由本中心開發，教大 「創新與科技基金」資助，並獲知識產權署頒發香港專利。本程式旨在把傳統的粵劇音樂與現代科技結合，以及為大中小學建立一個粵劇音樂的教學平台。用家可通過此程式把平板電腦變成粵曲拍和中常用的樂器，感受嶄新的演奏和學習體驗。早前本中心曾舉行發佈會，向公眾介紹有關本應用程式的特點，同時邀請中小學教師分享使用感受和心得。

文化教育作為國民教育：
透過學習粵劇發展香港和廣東地區學生的中國文化身份認同

自一九九七年香港回歸中國以來，粵劇已被納入香港特別行政區的學校音樂課程。粵劇亦被香港和中國政府視為文化教育政策中的重要一環，其中包括傳統粵劇藝術的保育及在學校推廣傳統文化教育。

作為一種揉合了不同中國文化特色的表演藝術，粵劇非常適合作為促進建立中國文化認同的媒介，因此，本研究的目的為：一) 調查香港和廣東省地區學校的粵劇教學現況，二) 研究香港和廣東省地區教師的音樂喜好和教師培訓等如何發展及增添課堂上粵劇教學元素；三) 探討粵劇教育怎樣幫助學生建立其中國文化身份認同。

此研究共分為兩部份：第一部份將以問卷形式調查現時香港及廣東地區中小學粵劇教育的情況；第二部份則會於香港及廣東地區合共八間中小學進行個案研究。此研究旨在探討中小學粵劇教育的現況和挑戰，從而推動粵劇教育的持續發展。

香港粵劇的傳承和可持續發展研究計劃

此研究共分為四個子計劃: 計劃一的目的為探討虛擬實境(Virtual Reality)對推動中學生欣賞粵劇的作用 。計劃二的目的為驗證電腦化自動評估與學習系統 (CKCALS) 對訓練粵劇身段的效果和發展可行性。計劃三的的目的為研究目前學校對粵曲演唱的教學方法，從而探討新的教學方法在未來的發展和成效。計劃四的目的為研究目前學校對粵曲拍和的教學方法，從而探討其在未來的新發展和可行性。

粵劇創新本質：伶人、鑒賞家及初學者角度及互動

通過二零一四至一五年度優配研究金的資助，此研究計劃將針對三個影響香港粵劇未來發展的關鍵問題進行研究：

1. 二十世紀傑出粵劇演員所展現出的創意; 
2. 演員與學生對粵劇創新概念等觀點上的轉變; 
3. 專業人士和觀眾如何對藝術創意重新評價。

粵劇創新本質：三十年代間香港伶人、鑒賞家及初學者的觀點改變

此為一項申請優配研究金前的先導研究。我聘請了一位熟悉粵劇劇目和風格的研究助理為我整理，以及分析一些粵曲唱段與相關的文獻。通過比較三個不同版本的粵曲唱段，可以發現到演員在演唱時所展現的不同創新元素與個人風格，從而展示出粵劇創意在中國傳統文化風氣下的表現。此發現亦証明部份二十世紀初的演員已經在其表演上展現出個人創意，為現代的藝術表演樹立了良好的典範。

中學粵劇教學共同研究計劃

此計劃的目的為發展中學裡的專業粵劇培訓。由香港八和會館提供專業粵劇演員和導師給予二十一名中學生為期兩年的戲曲培訓，從而探討其對學生的影響及轉變。

香港粵劇的傳承與教學模式: 中國口頭傳統與西方學院派傳統研究

此計劃為二零一一至一二年度香港教育資助委員會優配研究金撥款資助研究之一。粵劇文化正面臨失傳的危機。傳統的粵劇訓練多為師徒制，以口傳身授的形式將知識及技巧傳承予下一代，然而，此模式在近年逐漸受到西方學院派訓練的影響，演變為由不同範疇的專業人士在特定課程時限內為演員作出指導。本項研究共為期二十個月，以不同的研究方法劃分為三個階段: 第一個階段分別訪問了十位背景不同的演員，當中五位曾接受過師徒制培訓，而其他五位則接受過學院式培訓。研究員亦會到香港以及廣東省的粵劇學院進行觀課，訪問學生和教師對其教學模式的意見。這些發現將有助於制定口頭傳統和西方學院傳統的教學模式，並為下一階段的研究提供理論框架。

中小學粵劇教學合作計劃

此項為期三年的計劃是由優質教育基金資助，目的為通過邀請粵劇演員到不同的學校與音樂教師共同授課，從而發展學校中的粵劇教育。此計劃於三年間合共有六十所學校獲邀參與，計劃完成後亦會發布一系列的光碟以記錄當中合作授課的內容及過程。

中小學粵劇教學試驗計劃

此計劃邀請了專業粵劇演員與不同中小學校音樂教師合作授課，包括兩間小學及兩間中學，合共十四名中學教師及兩名小學教師。一眾老師在計劃前先參與了四個教育工作坊，並在及後八星期與專業粵劇演員共同設計課程及授課。此計劃的目的為探討專業粵劇演員與學校老師在中小學粵劇教學上的合作關係。