The Hong Kong Youth Symphony Orchestra was founded in 1978. It consists of one hundred twenty musicians from twelve to twenty five years old. Over the long performing life of the orchestra, most of its ‘graduates’ continued their musical career and became soloists, members of other orchestras or music teachers. New participants of the orchestra are selected at annual open auditions.

The orchestra is directed by Ng Ka-ming, Pak Wing-heng, Yeung Tak-man and Joseph Kam. The orchestra has worked with such prominent guest conductors and soloists as Sir Yehudi Menuhin, Edward Grach, Fou T’song, Timothy Landauer, Georg Tintner, Sir David Wilcocks, Tang Muhai, Kenneth Jean, Yeh Tsung, Yip Wing-sie, Lang Lang, Colleen Lee.

The orchestra can be seen as a musical ambassador of Hong Kong, touring with its concert performances to France, Israel, Cyprus, United Kingdom, USA, Singapore, and China. One of the tours was made during the Week of Hong Kong at the EXPO-2010 International Exhibition in Shanghai.