“Their (Pro Arte’s) professional attitude towards performance, and passionate zeal for music are exemplary...” ConcertoNet.com

"a tour de force" Yonhap News Agency

A Wondrous Musical Journey for Serious Young Musicians

Pro Arte Orchestra of Hong Kong is a registered charity that is committed to providing far-reaching orchestral training for young musicians. Pro Arte’s musicians have frequently been invited to perform at international music festivals such as the renowned Tanglewood Music Festival, Aspen Music Festival, The Pacific Music Festival and Youtube Symphony Orchestra, and have also been accepted into professional orchestras across four continents as well as reputable music schools such as the Juilliard School and the Indiana University Jacob School of Music (USA).

Under the baton of Music Director Ho-man Choi, the musical ambitions of serious young musicians will be inspired. The emphasis on high quality productions of orchestral repertoires will enrich the musical experience of these young musicians to develop in them artistic excellence and creativity.

Tuition and Scholarships

To ensure that no deserving candidate is prevented from attending for financial reasons, all participants are enrolled on merit-based, full-tuition scholarships which are renewable at the end of the season upon successful re-audition.

The orchestra is grateful for the generous support of those individuals and businesses that have enabled us not only to perform in various concert halls in Hong Kong, but also, for example, to undertake our most memorable South China tour last season. With Music Director Maestro Ho-man Choi and its principal players as representatives, Pro Arte has appeared, for example, in the South China Morning Post, Ming Pao and Ta Kung Pao, as well as on RTHK Radio Four and Metro Finance Radio.

Artistic Profile and Character Building

In the 09/10 season, the orchestra performed the complete symphony of Mahler 4 with renowned Korean soprano In-hye Kim. The performance was received with tumultuous applause by the audience, and was highly praised when reviewed by the major Korean press Yonhap News Agency who acclaimed it "a tour de force". Pro Arte's musicians have collaborated with international artists such as SungSic Yang (Sony Classical recording violinist), Sung-Won Yang (exclusive Universal Music cellist), Paul Silverthorne and Lorenzo Iosco (Principal Viola and Principal Bass Clarinet of London Symphony Orchestra), Jeff Nelsen (long-time hornist of the world-renowned Canadian Brass), Edward Auer (the First American prize-winner of the prestigious International Frederick Chopin Piano Competition in Warsaw), Geoffrey Simon (the London- based conductor who has conducted, amongst others, the London Symphony and London Philharmonic Orchestras) and the internationally-famous popular operatic quartet IL DIVO. Leading the way in support and promotion of contemporary music in 2008, the orchestra had the honor of hosting the third stop of the world premiere tour of Cala Tuent by Australian composer Barry Conyngham, alongside professional orchestras such as the Queensland Orchestra.

The orchestra's unique “character building program” is not simply training musicians, but musicians with a positive character, which is important for their personal development and success.