Since its inception in 1973, the NUS Chinese Orchestra has participated actively in the promotion of arts not just within the Chinese music scene in Singapore, but also in many other cultures and countries of the world.

Mr Lum Yan Sing, the Orchestra’s Music Director & Resident Conductor, has guided the orchestra’s growth since its founding. Under his baton and guidance, the orchestra performs a great variety of repertoire involving instrumental soloists, chamber groups of many different combinations and medium-sized ensembles, with the core being an orchestra the size of a Western Symphony.

With over 100 musicians comprising undergraduates and alumni, the Orchestra boasts a varied repertoire that ranges from traditional music to challenging contemporary works by both local and overseas composers. Since its inception, the Orchestra has boldly taken on the challenge of performing technically demanding symphonies and capriccios such as the Great Wall Capriccio, Capriccio of Yimong, and Journey to the Majestic Homeland.
Recently, in the 2009 NUS Arts Festival, the NUS Chinese Orchestra performed the world premiere of a commissioned piece, Song of Kent Ridge, composed by Mr. Phoon Yew Tian. In the same concert, the NUS Chinese Orchestra was able to work together with critically acclaimed pianist Dr. Siaw-Sing Koo while performing the Yellow River Piano Concerto.

The NUS Chinese Orchestra has also had the privilege of performing overseas. Its overseas performances includes the ASEAN Universities Arts Festival in Malaysia (1994), a cultural exchange in Romania under the invitation of the Romanian Ministry of Youth and Sport and the Bucharest Philharmonic Orchestra (1995), Xi'an Jiatong University in China (1998), Aberdeen International Youth Festival in Scotland (1999) and a trip to Switzerland (2005). In its educational cum cultural tour of Mauritius and South Africa (2002), the orchestra received rave reviews in the South African papers.

In XXXII Bydgoszcz Musical Impressions 2009, a recent musical competition held in Bydgoszcz  (Poland), NUSCO has clinched the Grand Prix, awarded by the Ministry of Education and of the European Krzysztof Penderecki Music Centre, the most prestigious award of the competition.

The Orchestra hopes to reach out to Secondary School and Junior College students by increasing interaction between the students and the orchestra, and to provide opportunities for them to participate in activities organized by the Orchestra.

For more information, please visit http://www.nusco.info/