ENSEMBLES 2024

Hong Kong Youth Strings

Hong Kong Youth Strings Established in 1985, Music Office String Orchestra attained the formal title of Hong Kong Youth Strings (HKYS) in 1989. It provides advanced string ensemble training for local young musicians whom have been trained under Music Office’s district string orchestras. With members aged under 25, recruitment of the HKYS is held through open audition in April every year. The HKYS performed actively for our community with great music, including the Hong Kong Youth Music Interflows, Music Office Annual Gala and other community concerts. As a prestige youth orchestra, the HKYS has collaborated with renowned professional artists, such as Yip Wing-sie, Wong Sze-hang and Kumi Sugiyama, etc. The HKYS performed with several overseas visiting groups for music exchanges, including Cincinnati Junior Strings in 1992, Shenzhen Music Lovers’ Chamber Orchestra in 1996, Lincoln Youth Orchestra in 1998, Beijing City 101 High School Orchestra in 2000, and Youth Orchestra from Chinese Youth Corps of New York in 2007. The HKYS has been serving as youth music ambassador of Hong Kong by organising overseas performing tours. It left footprints on United States of America, Singapore, Malaysia, Japan, Macau, Austria, Czech Republic and Slovakia. The orchestra was recognised with high musical standard by receiving awards internationally. In 2012, it earned acclaims in the “Outstanding Success” category in the competition held by the Summer Cum Laude International Youth Music Festival in Vienna. In 2017, it was awarded with the Gold Band (Winner of the Category) in string orchestras up to 21 years old, and the Grand Prix for Orchestras (the Best Orchestra) from the 8th International Youth Music Festival in Bratislava.

Conductor(s)/ Instructor(s)： Dr. KAM Ho-pang Joseph, CHEUNG Ching-ting, Maxine CHEUNG and Lawrence WONG Manager：Maxine CHEUNG

Joseph Kam

Conductor

Dr. Joseph Kam, a violist, violinist and orchestral conductor, graduated from the University of Michigan, where he obtained his Master of Music and Doctor of Musical Arts degrees. He received several awards and scholarships from the University, including Graduate Merit Award, Humanities Award, Rackham Block Fellowship and School of Music Tuition Grant. During his tenure in the University, he was appointed as the Graduate Student Instructor for teaching viola performance. He was also appointed as a viola faculty in the Interlochen Music Festival (Michigan, USA). As an active conductor, Dr. Kam launched his conducting career since his debut with Metropolitan Youth Orchestra in 2005. He has been the conductor of Hong Kong Youth Symphony Orchestra (HKYSO) since 2007, and under his baton, HKYSO collaborated with world renowned pianist Lang Lang at a UNICEF fundraising concert in 2010. He led the HKYSO to perform in Shanghai Expo in the same year, and conducted a joint concert of HKYSO and Ural Youth Symphony Orchestra in 2015 International Music Festival EURASIA in Yekaterinburg, Russia with high acclaims. He conducted the Filharmonie Bohuslava Martinu in Czech Republic in summers from 2013 to 2015. In 2017, he made his debut in the Adelphi University Auditorium in Long Island, New York State, and conducted the Adelphi Symphony Orchestra. In 2017, Dr. Kam led the Hong Kong Youth Strings to participate in the 8^th International Youth Music Festival in Bratislava, Slovakia with a huge success. He was awarded a special prize for winning the Best Orchestral Conductor. Dr. Kam is currently Senior Music Officer of the String Section of the Music Office, and a violin and viola faculty of the Music Department in the Chinese University of Hong Kong.

Ching-Ting Cheung

Conductor

Cheung Ching-Ting is a conductor, pianist, and cellist. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Music from the Chinese University of Hong Kong and further studied Jazz at the Musicians Institute in Los Angeles. She later obtained a postgraduate diploma in music therapy at HKU SPACE. During her tenure at the university, she participated in string ensembles and performed with the New Philharmonia Orchestra of Hong Kong and the SAR Philharmonic. As a conductor and music educator, Cheung worked with the Hong Kong Youth Strings, the New Territories Youth Strings, and the Island Youth Strings for over 10 years. She has participated in conducting workshops in Seattle and the Czech Republic under the guidance of several well-known conductors, such as Anna Edwards, Dianna Wittry, Kirk Trevor, and Tomáš Netopil. Cheung is currently the music officer in the String Section of the Music Office and the conductor of the Hong Kong Youth Strings and the New Territories Youth Strings.

Competition Program

Additional Concerts Program