GMO, founded by award-winning young conductor Wilson Ng in 2014, aims to serve as a nurturing platform for local musical talent to evolve and develop, making classical music modern and accessible to the community, and connecting music with people through innovative programming and educational concerts. Gustav Mahler Orchestra Limited is a non profit-making organisation and a registered charity.

Over the years, GMO has become more mature in development and caught the attention from Hong Kong media and in the music scene.  GMO pioneered a new performance concept, “Musicians without Borders”, placing its musicians among the audience, an innovation which received critical acclaim following its premiere.

In June 2017, the orchestra presented a concert titled: “A Titan Adventure with Wilson Ng & GMO”.  The performance of Mahler’s Symphony No. 1, Titan conducted by NG was recorded on CD and released.  It also gained compliments from renowned music critics Leo Ou-fan who commented  “…with Wilson Ng’s emphatic yet graceful conducting gestures, he led a spirited performance of this work and stretched the capacity of the orchestra into its fullest”.

These years, GMO is honoured to collaborate with internationally renowned artists. In August 2017, GMO was featured in the Hong Kong - Vienna Music Festival, sharing a stage with the Vienna Boys’ Choir.  In September 2017, GMO made its international debut under the baton of Artistic Director and Chief Conductor Wilson Ng at the Busan Maru International Music Festival in South Korea, including the closing ceremony with the Gangneung Philharmonic Orchestra. In February 2018, GMO performed with famous violinist Vadim Repin and star ballerina Svetlana Zakharova at the Hong Kong Arts Festival. In May 2018, GMO was invited to perform at the Awards Presentation Ceremony held by the Hong Kong Arts Development Council. In June 2018, with star violinist Joshua Bell, GMO organised “Joshua Bell leads GMO | A Rehearsal-Workshop by Superstar Violinist”. In May 2019, GMO invited the renowned violinist Hu Nai-Yuan as the leader of the orchestra, to present “A Conductor-less Concert” at the Hong Kong City Hall. 

 

GMO actively reaches out to the community in recent years. The orchestra organises fundraising concerts for different types of organisations, including our Media Partner, the Buddhist Compassion, Big Tree Animal Sanctuary and Adoption Centre and Dialogue in the Dark (HK) Foundation. GMO was invited by Sham Shui Po District Youth Programme Committee to share music in several venues in the district.

 

In 2019-2022, joining the “Arts-in-School Partnership Scheme”, GMO is supported by the Hong Kong Arts Development Council, to rehearse, organise arts activities and present concerts in SKH Tang Shiu Kin Secondary School (the School), aims to bring arts into the school community, enhance arts education and promotion. In 2020, together with Toolbox International Creative Academy, GMO presents “TICA Explorer Series - Lecture Performance of Bartok Music” at the School Hall, and a concert “GMO x KJ x Toolbox Percussion” at the Hong Kong City Hall. GMO presents “Tragedy • Desperation • Love” concert at Hong Kong City Hall. 

 

In the upcoming season, GMO will present more fantastic programmes, such as “Back in Time - Beethoven Concert of 22 December 1808”, sharing with the audience one of the most famous concerts in music history and is claimed as the most remarkable moment of Beethoven’s career – the four-hour marathon of Beethoven’s music; celebrating her 9th anniversary, as well as the birth anniversary of Gustav Mahler; “GMO 1% Charity Concert - To Ms Florence Hui, with Love”, dedicated to Ms Hui, the Permanent Honorary Advisor of GMO, and the former Undersecretary for Home Affairs of the HKSAR Government; and a series of “The Stories of GMO Musicians” and Recitals, for the musicians meeting the audience as chamber ensembles and soloist.