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The Greater Bay Area Youth Orchestra (GBAYO), presented by The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts (HKAPA) and supported by the Swire Group as Founding Patron, has returned with live performances in Hong Kong, Guangzhou and Shenzhen from 11th to 15th July. This year, HKAPA and the Swire Group announced the renewal of their partnership in support of the GBAYO, reaffirming their shared commitment to inspiring young musicians and promoting cultural exchange in the Greater Bay Area (GBA).
The concert tour is also supported by the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau of the HKSAR Government (HKSARG) and the Culture, Media, Tourism and Sports Bureau of Shenzhen Municipality.
This year’s opening concert was held at HKAPA’s Hong Kong Jockey Club Amphitheatre (HKJC Amphitheatre) on 11th July with officiating guests in attendance, including Charles Yang Chuen-liang SBS JP, Council Chairman of HKAPA, Professor Anna CY Chan, Director of HKAPA and Arnold Cheng, Director, Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, Swire.
Nurturing nearly 300 talented young musicians from the GBA
The GBAYO programme features an orchestral training camp to cultivate musical excellence and cross-cultural collaboration among youth from the GBA. In early July, 98 young musicians gathered at HKAPA in Hong Kong for intensive training. Now, the orchestra has embarked on a three-city concert tour, beginning in Hong Kong on 11th July, followed by performances in Guangzhou on 13th July and concluding in Shenzhen on 15th July.
In the past three years, the programme has trained 279 musicians aged 16 to 28 and attracted over 6,500 concertgoers, highlighting its growing public resonance and cultural impact. Beyond the stage, the programme has made a lasting impact on its young musicians. Alumni from 2024’s GBAYO cohort have been accepted into HKAPA, The Royal Danish Academy of Music and the Cleveland Institute of Music, underscoring the orchestra’s success in nurturing talent and opening international doors.
A renewed partnership for enhanced cultural exchange
The GBAYO was launched by HKAPA with the support of the Swire Group in 2022. The 2025 season marks a continued partnership between the two organisations, strengthening youth engagement and community connections in the GBA.
Guy Bradley, Chairman of John Swire & Sons (H.K.) Limited, said, “As the Founding Patron, we are proud of what the GBAYO has achieved over the past three years and are pleased to renew our collaboration with HKAPA. Doing so furthers our shared mission of creating a world-class platform for young classical performers. At Swire, we are growing our presence in the GBA. At the same time, contributing to cultural exchange in the region is also important to us, as is promoting the GBA’s artistic achievements to the wider world.”
Professor Anna CY Chan, Director of HKAPA, remarked, “With the resounding success of our GBAYO concerts over the past three years, the Academy is proud to once again share the beauty of music with the public. Our commitment to young talent development is at the heart of this initiative, providing training and mentorship by renowned musicians that empower young musicians to excel on the global stage. I extend my heartfelt gratitude to the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau of the HKSARG, the Culture, Media, Tourism and Sports Bureau of Shenzhen Municipality and the Swire Group for their invaluable support.”
First overseas conductor to lead the GBAYO
This season marks a significant milestone for the GBAYO as it welcomes Christoph Koncz as its first overseas guest conductor. Currently in his second season as Music Director of the Orchestre Symphonique de Mulhouse and Principal Conductor of the Deutsche Kammerakademie Neuss am Rhein, Mr Koncz brings extensive international experience and artistic vision to the programme. Under Mr Koncz’s baton, the programme showcases a vibrant selection of pieces, including Dance of the Golden Snake by Nie Er (arr. Tang Jianping), Dohnányi’s Symphonic Minutes, Ravel’s Daphnis et Chloé Suite No.2 and Bartók’s Concerto for Orchestra.
Mr Koncz said, “I am delighted to lead the GBAYO as its first overseas guest conductor. From the very first rehearsal it was immediately clear that these young musicians are promising and passionate individuals, and their eagerness to learn and connect through music is very inspiring. I’m very much looking forward to sharing this exciting journey with the musicians and our audience and to contributing to a programme that so meaningfully bridges cultures and nurtures the next generation of artistic talent across the region.”
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About The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts
The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts (HKAPA), established in 1984, is a world leading higher education institution for the performing arts. It provides professionally-oriented undergraduate education and postgraduate studies in Chinese Opera, Dance, Drama, Film and Television, Music, and Theatre and Entertainment Arts. Its educational philosophy reflects the cultural diversity of Hong Kong with an emphasis on Chinese and Western traditions, and interdisciplinary learning. In the QS University Rankings announced in 2025, the Academy ranks in the global top 20 for Performing Arts education.
The Academy has been granted Programme Area Accreditation status by the Hong Kong Council for Accreditation of Academic and Vocational Qualifications to awards its own Certificates, Diplomas, Bachelor’s (Honours) Degrees and Master’s Degrees. In the past four decades, more than 10,000 artists have graduated from the Academy, going on to become performing artists, creative arts practitioners, filmmakers, educators and cultural leaders with global impact – many have won international awards and shone in their respective artistic fields.
Besides the main campus in Wanchai, Béthanie, the Academy’s Landmark Heritage Campus in Pokfulam, houses educational facilities for the School of Film and Television.
About the Swire Group
About the Swire Group The Swire Group is a highly diversified global corporation, with businesses encompassing property, beverages and food chain, aviation, marine, as well as trading and industrial activities. Its core businesses are mainly focused on Asia, with its key operations in Hong Kong and the Chinese Mainland. Within Asia, Swire’s activities primarily come under the Group’s publicly quoted arm, Swire Pacific Limited (HKSE: 00019/00087), which is the largest shareholder in two Hong Kong listed companies: Swire Properties and Cathay Pacific Airways.
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Photo captions
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Image 1
(From left) Prof Yiu Song-lam, Council Member & Artistic Coordinator; Mr Chapman Ngan, Deputy Director (Administration); Ms Sheryl Lee, Council Member; Prof Anna CY Chan, Director of HKAPA; Mr Arnold Cheng, Director – Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, Swire; Mr Charles Yang, Council Chairman of HKAPA; Mr Christoph Koncz, Conductor; Mr Andrew Leung, Council Member; Dr Gordon Munro, Deputy Director (Academic); Dr Inaki Sandoval, Dean of the School of Music.
Image 2
98 talented musicians from different cities in the GBA delivered a high-calibre performance in Hong Kong.
Image 3
98 talented musicians from different cities in the GBA delivered a high-calibre performance in Guangzhou.
Image 4
Austrian maestro Christoph Koncz leading the GBAYO.