Founded in 1996, the Singapore Chinese Orchestra (SCO) is Singapore’s only full-time professional Chinese orchestra. Attracting over 1.5 million listeners annually, it is renowned for its excellence in traditional Chinese music and unique Singapore flavour.

The SCO, which makes its home at the Singapore Conference Hall, has been helmed by Principal Conductor Quek Ling Kiong since 2023.

The orchestra has toured major cities in Asia and Europe, with notable appearances at the China Shanghai International Arts Festival in 2007, 2018, and 2023. The SCO draws on a wide range of regional musical influences. As a “People’s Orchestra”, the SCO fosters appreciation of traditional Chinese music through extensive education and outreach programmes. The orchestra hosts workshops and competitions, and performs regularly at schools and community concerts.

SCO’s history and people have been documented in books such as The People’s Orchestra (2016) and SCO Hidden Gems (2021). It has also launched a Digital Archival Portal to support academic research. Through these efforts, the SCO continues to further its mission as a top Chinese orchestra that will inspire and inform generations to come.