Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra
The HKCO was founded in 1977 by the Urban Council. Ng Tai Kong who was conductor at a Chinese orchestra in Singapore was invited back to take helm at the orchestra. Between January 2000 and March 2001, it was funded and managed by the government's Leisure and Cultural Services Department, but became an independent body under the management of the Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra Limited in April 2001. Its repertoire includes traditional, contemporary, and popular pieces, and it has commissioned numerous works by local composers from Hong Kong as well as Chinese composers around the world. In October 2002, the Orchestra was awarded for "The Most Outstanding Achievement in Advancing Contemporary Chinese Music" by the International Society of Contemporary Music.