Conductor 

John Ma, Pou Mang

John Ma is a young violinist. He holds a Bachelor Degree of Music (Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts) and a Master Degree of Music (University of Cincinnati, Conservatory-College of Music in United States).

As an orchestral player, Ma was selected as one of the members of the Youtube Symphony Orchestra 2011 under the baton of top 10 conductors in the world, Michael Tilson Thomas and gave 3 perofrmances in Sydney Opera House in March 2011. The live stream of the Grand Finale concert at the Sydney Opera House was the largest live stream YouTube ever made, connecting 33 millions on computers and mobile devices. During the stay in Sydney, he worked with great musicians from orchestra from Berlin Philharmonic, Vienna Philharmonic, London Symphony Orchestra, San Francisco Orchestra, etc. He is currently one of the members of the Hong Kong City Chamber Orchestra. He participated in many major orchestra performances in Hong Kong and Macau, like the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra (HKPO), the Hong Kong Sinfonietta Orchestra (HKSO), the Hong Kong Virtuosi Society Orchestra and the Macau Chamber Orchestra (MCO) as a guest violinist. He was the concertmaster of the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts Academy Symphony Orchestra (HKAPA ASO), the Hong Kong Chamber Orchestra, the Macau Conservatory Chamber Orchestra and the Macau Youth Symphony Orchestra (MYSO). Besides that, he also takes part in the doctor orchestras in Hong Kong like MedArts Orchestra to help fund raising, visit retiring homes and hospitals.

Ma also appeared in different orchestras as a soloist such as the Macau Chamber Orchestra, the Macau Conservatory Orchestra, the Macau Youth Symphony Orchestra, and the Academy Symphony Orchestra. In 2007, he won the HKAPA Concerto Competition, and performed in the winners’ concert in the Juilliard Master Class and Concerts Series with the HKAPA ASO. He has also been invited by the RTHK to be a guest artist to perform. In 2009, he was appointed to be the soloist for the MYSO China Tour 2009. Recently he just gave a recital in Hong Kong University of Science and Technology with Jacqueline Leung in October.

After receiving his bachelor degree from the HKAPA, where he studied with Professor Michael Ma, Ma received his Master Degree as a full scholarship student of the world famous pedagogue Kurt Sassmannshaus at the University of Cincinnati, College-Conservatory of Music. He is also one of the winners of the “Starling Scholarship Competition” in 2007.

In 2005 and 2006, he joined “one of the best music camp in the world” (May 2006, The Strad. Magazine) – the Great Wall International Music Academy in Beijing. He studied with various pedagogues like Kurt Sassmannshaus, the Tchaikovsky and other competitions winner Piotr Milewski, the “Father of Violin Pedagogy” Lin Yao Ji, and the American Strings Quartet etc.

Ma accepted the invitation to form the Strings Orchestra for the University of Macau in 2010, and appointed to be the orchestra conductor, his aim is to enhance the classical music acknowledgement in the campus and form the unique strings sound of the University. The orchestra performances were well received. Ma also gives coaching to its strings quartet or ensemble for small performance.

Assistant Conductor 

Cheong Wai Leong, Violin/Viola/Assistant Conductor

Born in Macau. Cheong acquired his early studies at Chan Sui Ki Perpetual Help College and the Macau Conservatory, where he studied violin under Mr Chan Lap Kwan and viola studies under Mr Su Jia Juan. He joined the Macau Youth Symphony Orchestra in 2000. He was also the winner of the Macau Young Musicians Competition.

Cheong got his professional training at The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts (HKAPA) with several scholarships including one from the Macau Cultural Affairs Bureau and the other from Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, where he got a Diploma and Bachelor of viola performing (with honors) studying with Mr. Leung Kin Fung, the First Associate Concertmaster of the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra Cheong studied his orchestra conducting under Mr Alan Cumberland and Maestro Henry Shek. In 2012, Cheong joined “The 3rd China (Xiamen) Professor Zheng Xiao Ying Master Classes for Orchestra Conducting” and was selected to be one of the youth conductors conducting the Xiamen Philharmonic Orchestra in the season opening concert 2012.

As an active musician, Cheong had performed as a soloist with the Macau Youth Symphony, Macau Virtuosi, Macau Orchestra, Guangzhou Symphony Orchestra and the University of Macau String Orchestra. As an orchestral player, Cheong was the viola principle of the Macau Virtuosi, Macau Youth Symphony Orchestra (MYSO), assistant viola principle of the Academy Symphony Orchestra (HKAPA) and the freelance musicians of the Macau Orchestra (OM) and the Hong Kong New Philharmonic Orchestra (HKNPO). Cheong had participated in various international music festivals including Young Euro Classic, Charterhouse International Music Festival (England), British Isles Music festival (England), Great Wall International Music Academy (China), Shanghai International Arts Festival(China) and The 25^th Macau International Arts Festival. He also travels with the Macau Youth Symphony Orchestra, Macau Virtuosi and the Macau Orchestra to various countries which include China, Taiwan, Japan, Singapore, Australia and Europe .

Cheong is now the ICM Cultural Communication Ambassador of the Macau SAR government, founder of the Anthony Studio and the co-finder of the Macau Music Art Space (MMAS) & M.A.C String Quartet, the headmaster of the Anthony Music Teaching Center, the assistant conductor and violin & viola teacher at the University of Macau String Orchestra, the violin teacher at the Academia de Music S.Pio X and Chan Sui Ki Perpetual Help College.

Beside performing and teaching, Cheong also active on international music competition jury and art management areas. He is the jury of the UK Royal International Art Competition (2018), the Hong Kong International Youth Performance Arts Festival (2018)(2019) and the US NMCC Music Competition Asian Finals (2019). He is also the head administrator of the Portugal Santa Cecilia International Piano Competition Macau Region (2018 – 2019, 2021) and the NMCC Music Competition Macau Region (2019).

Current instructors:

• Conductor: John Ma
• Assistant Conductor: Anthony Cheong
• Violin Instructor: Chang Cheok Man
• Viola Instructor: Anthony Cheong
• Cello Instructor:: Daniel Leong