Hong Kong Children’s Symphony Orchestra

Dr. Yip Wai-hong established the Hong Kong Children’s Symphony Orchestra (HKCSO) in 1996. Members age 7 to 18 were recruited through highly competitive open auditions and had the opportunity to learn under the baton of Maestro Yip Wing-Sie. Throughout the years, HKCSO has presented prestigious soloists and international competition winners such as Lu Wei, Yang Tianwa, Yang Xiaoyu, Shen Wenyu, Zhang Haochen, Tang Yun, Wong Wai-yin, Mengla Huang and Angela Cheng. In recent years, HKCSO members also have the privilege to perform with renowned musicians Xue Wei, Charles Castleman, Chuanyun Li, Chen Xi, Alan Chow, Alvin Chow and Chu Yi Bing.

Besides performing in Hong Kong, HKCSO has been mesmerizing audiences all over the world since 2001 through concert tours and exchange programs in places which include Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Vancouver, Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa, Portland, San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York, Washington D.C. and seven different metropolises in the Mainland China. After the performance in Lincoln Centre, New York, HKCSO was hailed as ‘An Incredible Orchestra’. In the summer of 2011, HKCSO participated in a cultural exchange program in Germany and Austria, which members gained most valuable performance experiences through master classes given by the director of the Vienna Boys’ Choir and conductor of the Hungarian Liszt School of Music.

In the summer of 2012, the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office presented HKCSO in a concert tour of seven concerts in Australia and New Zealand celebrating the 15th Anniversary of the Hong Kong handover. Members participated in master classes given by the Sydney Symphony Orchestra. The Mayor and congressmen also attended the last two performances presented in Auckland and the Parliament House of Wellington.

In the summer of 2015, Dr. Yip led HKCSO in a 29-day tour in Los Angeles in the United States, Kaohsiung in Taiwan, Austria and Slovakia. HKCSO performed side by side with the Youth Symphony Orchestra of Kaohsiung Symphony Orchestra and was coached by the conductor of the Vienna Boys’ Choir Jimmy Chiang.

In the summer of 2016, the orchestra celebrated its 20th anniversary, Dr. Yip Wai-hong led a five-city concert and exchange tour across Shanghai, Qingdao, Tianjin, Beijing and Wuhan. The concert tour was elected as one of the RTHK Radio 4 Top 10 Music Headlines of 2016.

In summer of 2017, to celebrate Hong Kong SAR’s 20th anniversary, HKCSO was invited to perform and visit youth orchestras in Fuzhou, Xiamen, Penang, Kuala Lumpur and Singapore. In Kuala Lumper, HKCSO performed side-by-side with Malaysian Philharmonic Youth Orchestra to open the new season of Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra. Opportunities like these have broadened our members’ vision exponentially. Most of the HKCSO violinists are of very high standard and are holders of professional performance diplomas such as LRSM, Dip. ABRSM, FTCL, LTCL and ATCL.