Hong Kong Police Band

The Hong Kong Police Band consists of both a Silver Band with 60 musicians and a Pipe Band with strength of 24. The Police Band is commanded by the Director of Music, Superintendent, with the aid of Chief Inspector, Deputy Director of Music and Senior Inspector, Bandmaster. They are responsible to the Head of the School of Foundation Training, Police College who is also the officio President of the Band. The Band is based in purpose-built accommodation, Peter Moor Building, in the Aberdeen Campus of Police College. It consists of barrack rooms, practice rooms, offices and storage facilities.

Originally formed from serving officers in 1951 as the Police Silver Band under the direction of Director of Music, Mr W. B. Foster MBE, it had only 21 musicians. As the Band grew in strength, it became increasingly more difficult to reconcile police duties with musical rehearsals and engagements and it was decided that the Band would have full-time musicians, as they are today.

In 1954, the Police Pipe Band was formed to function separately or in conjunction with the Silver Band. The Mackintosh tartan, which the pipers wear, was adopted in recognition of a former Commissioner of Police, Mr Duncan William MacIntosh and is worn by kind permission of the clan chief.

The Band plays an important part in the Force’s public and community relation programme and fulfils over 500 engagements on average each year. These performances include Force parades, Police Night, Officers’ Mess functions and concerts. The band also plays for official events like the Flag-raising Ceremony of the HKSAR Establishment Day, the National Day, State Dinners and the Honours and Awards Presentation Ceremony at the Government House. In addition, the Band participates in various functions organised by the Hong Kong Tourism Board, the Trade Development Council, Government departments and numerous charity organisations.

The Band has gained an international reputation in countries such as Australia, Canada, United Kingdom, Switzerland, Germany, Japan and the United States. Past tours included San Francisco, Zurich, Los Angeles, Manchester and the London ‘Hong Kong Festival’.

In 2010, the Band was invited to participate in the 10th Zurich Police Music Festival in September and performed with various bands from Switzerland, South Africa, the United States, Britain, the Netherlands and Australia, which again gained international applause. Moreover, the performances of the Hong Kong Week programme for the Shanghai Expo in October and the concert performances for the Asian Games in Guangzhou in December attracted millions of spectators and audiences.

In 2011, the Band was featured in the Grand Concert for the Celebration of 14th Anniversary of the Establishment of HKSAR and it was the very first time the band performed with the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Band of China in Hong Kong, which was extraordinarily well received.

In 2012, the Band was invited to participate in the 48th ‘Musikchau der Nationen’ (Music Show of Nations) in Bremen, Germany and the Hong Kong International Military Tattoo in celebrating the 15th Anniversary of the Establishment of HKSAR with the Bands from the United States, Scotland, Turkey, Australia, Russia and PLA Band of China, which were all very well received.

In 2013, the Band performed at Qingdao, Changchun and Changsha for the ‘Style Hong Kong Show’ organised by Trade Development Council for promoting Hong Kong brands and products. The Band also featured in the ‘Christmas Concert in the Park’ which was produced with TV live broadcasting by the Radio 4 of RTHK at Central & Western District Promenade on Christmas Eve. Recently, the Band performed for the 170th Anniversary of the Hong Kong Police Force Charity Concert at City Hall with a renowned singer and raised $2 million for two beneficiary charity organisations, namely, the Hong Kong Children Cancer Foundation and the Helping Hands.