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Term One: September - December 2026
4:00pm to 6:00pm - Third Note, 12A3 Vita Tower
14 x 2 hour classes and 2 performances.
Real ensemble skills: listening, timing, and technique
Genuine regular and real concert performances.
A community of musical learners.
Expert direction from instrumental music educators.
All materials provided - Instrument Loans available.
Where Strings, Wind, Brass, and Percussion Meet
What is the Onsom Orchestra
Perhaps your child has spent months in the practice room with a single instrument—a violin, a clarinet, a trumpet, a snare drum—building skills in isolation.
The Onsom Orchestra is where those skilsl stop being a solo. act.
Part of the Third Note program, the Onsom Orchestra brings together Strings, Wind, Brass, and Percussion players into one full ensemble.
Music That Grows With Your Child
The heart of Onsom is a simple but powerful idea: the orchestra is built around the players who are in the group.
Every score is bespoke — arranged and tailored specifically for this ensemble, these musicians, at this moment in their musical journey.
Every child has a part that challenges them at exactly the right level, encouraging them to stretch, grow, and rise to meet something new.
Michelle has been arranging music for decades, and wrote and delivered an arranging and orchestration Instrumental Teacher accreditation course at USQ. She welcomes musician’s requests for Onsom scores - even the crazy ones.
A stage, not just a rehearsal
Students perform at frequent concerts throughout the cycle. Real performance experience without the pressure of a single make-or-break recital.
One ensemble, four voices
Strings, Wind, Brass, and Percussion rarely play together at this age. Here they do—and the result is a genuine orchestral sound rather than a single-section group.
Beyond the solo repertoire
Playing alone teaches discipline. Playing together teaches everything else—how to listen, when to lead, when to hold back, how a single part fits into something larger.
Real meaningful musicianship
Teamwork, cooperation, aural literacy, technical control. The actual skills a young player builds when thirty or more other instruments depend on them keeping time.
Expression with depth
An orchestra stretches a child's artistic range and sharpens their aesthetic awareness—the quiet ability to hear why a phrase works, and to play it meaningfully.
Project Playlist
Highlights of the Onsom X Phil projects - The Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra annual Fundraising concerts in 2024, 2025 & 2026. Click to view the Playlist.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does my child need prior orchestral experience to join?
No prior orchestral experience is needed. Onsom welcomes musicians at a range of levels, and because every score is written specifically for the players in the group, your child's current ability is always the starting point — not a barrier.
What instruments are welcome in Onsom Orchestra?
Onsom embraces the full diversity of orchestral instruments. The bespoke arrangement process means that whatever instruments students bring to the group, the music is shaped around them.
How does bespoke arranging work in practice?
Before each program, the musical director assesses the ensemble — who is in the group, what they play, and what they are ready to learn. The score is then written from scratch to suit that exact combination of players, ensuring every part is meaningful, playable, and appropriately challenging.
What is the Third Note philosophy?
The Third Note is the sound that exists between players — the harmony, the conversation, the collective energy that only emerges when musicians truly listen to one another. Onsom builds this awareness into every rehearsal and performance.
We welcome musicians of all backgrounds and school affiliations! We offer tailored programs for students aged 7 and above, as well as dedicated adult classes.
To best support learning and musical growth, our classes are divided into Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced groupings. For your convenience, students can also loan instruments for home practice or secure exclusive use of an instrument during ensemble classes.
Terms & Conditions: View our guidelines at www.micramusic.com/ensembletcs
Get in Touch: Contact us today with any questions regarding ensemble placements, instrument loans, or our curriculum!