Hong Kong Plucked String Chinese Orchestra

Hong Kong Plucked String Chinese Orchestra was formerly Melos Chinese Orchestra, which was first established in 1998. It was registered as a non-profit-making organization in 1999. In 2005, when Ms Chan Man-Chong joined the Orchestra as Director and Resident Conductor, it changed to the present name.

The hundred-strong orchestra is made up of young Chinese music aficionados who are students, undergraduates and alumni of the Department of Music of the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, the Chinese University of Hong Kong, theUniversity of Hong Kong and the Hong Kong Baptist University. Their mission is to promote and develop the rich and unique legacy of Chinese plucked string music.

Since its establishment, the orchestra has been playing an active part in various kinds of community activities, including community concerts, lunch-time concerts held at the various town halls of the territory, and interactive music exchange activities with young students coming from primary and secondary schools. The most representative activity was the Artist-in-Residence Scheme for Schools. In 1999, initiated by the Hong Kong Arts Development Council, the orchestra joined hands with the Miu Fat Buddhist Monastery Madam Lau KamLung Secondary School in implementing the Scheme at school. The interesting programme was targeted at enhancing interest and knowledge of Chinese music for the young, and included courses for instrumental music, music workshops, talks on Chinese music, Buddhist music forum and etc.

The orchestra has given many concerts over the years, including its inaugural concert entitled "Grand Tour of the Materland" in 2001. The programme featured plucked string of the various regions and ethnic groups in China. In 2005, the orchestra joined hands with the Melos Music Education Centre in organizing a young musician training programme with the purpose of grooming musicians of the future by inculcating interest in Chinese music among youths.

In April 2006, the orchestra presented a concert entitled Lifelong Passion Rekindled, and the programme featured Ms. Chan Man-Chong on the pipa and Ms. Choi Ngar-si on the Zheng, with the backup of pipa, wing and percussion ensemble music performed by one hundred players, and a zheng concerto with eighty players. The concert showcased the versatility and adaptability of plucked string music in ensemble and concerto formats. In August 2006, the orchestra participated in the International Arts Carnival - Pluckety Pluck (Chinese Plucked String Music) concert jointly with the Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra and Spring-Time Parenthood Theatre. The concert is mainly aimed at promoting Chinese music culture and enghancing interest of Chinee music for public through Chinese plucked string performance, dramas and interacted games.