The Macao Youth Symphony Orchestra (MYSO) was founded in 1997 by a group of local music teachers and former players from the Macao Chamber Orchestra. The MYSO draws it¡¦s members from local university, secondary and primary schools. Since its inception, the orchestra has given more than one hundred public performances as it strives to keep its initial objectives to provide musical training and performing opportunities for the local youth, as well as providing a forum for exchanging their musical and personal experiences. Additionally, MYSO works to improve the standard of the students¡¦ music appreciation and performance through opportunities to develop their talents providing regular training in instrumental and orchestral performance with guest teachers from Hong Kong, Mainland China as well as from Europe, United States and Australia. Music education has long been recognised as having a positive effect on the academic and personal development of school aged children. Music also plays an important role in the consolidation of human qualities such as discipline, self-esteem and mutual co-operation. Therefore, friendship blossoms spontaneously among the orchestra members.

Besides its honorary music director, Mr. Veiga Jardim, and local teachers, the orchestra has received training and/or performed with eminent musicians such as Yu Feng (Central Conservatory of Music, Beijing), Edward Tarr (United States), Leung Kin Fung (Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra), Ye Suh-Han, Fung Kai Man, Ma Jun Yi (Tasmania Symphony), Homer Lee (Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra), Yiu Song-Lam, Chin Hing-Sang, Choy Kwok-Tin, Wang Jia-Yang, En Shao, Choi Ho-Man, Lin Hui-juan, Li Chuan Yun, Richard Tsang, Lung Hueng-Wing, Jackson Leung, The Lee Trio, Jeremy Carter (UK), Yves and Raphael Severe (France), Matthew Krel (Russia), Akiko Nakajima and Martin Schebesta (Austria), Xie Nan (China )and America String Quartet, Michael Ma, Ray Wang, Wang Yi, Cheang Wai Ling, Cheang Chan Pong, Zhu Xiong Zhen, Huang Jin Shui, Zhang Yi, Zhao Yao, Alan Cumberland(UK), Jan Sedivka (Czech Republic), Matthew Ruggiero(United States), Robert Davidovici¡]Romania¡^. The MYSO has also performed with local talents such as the brothers Lio Kuok Man and Lio Kuok Wai, Lam Ieng-Ieng, Wong Ka, Hong Si-Man, Timothy Sun and John Ma. Among the groups who have performed with the MYSO are Coro Perosi (Macau), Australia SBS Youth Orchestra, HKAPA Chamber Orchestra, the Wright State University Chamber Orchestra (United States), the EOS Symphony Orchestra (Central Conservatory, Beijing) and the Vienna Boys Choir.

In the last ten years, the orchestra has earned a reputation as being one of the most distinguished youth orchestras in the region. In 2004, the orchestra made a tour of Hong Kong, performing at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre, becoming the first local orchestra to perform in that venue. The orchestra also performed in important venues such as Macau Cultural Centre, Harbin Music Hall, Xinghai Concert Hall (Canton), Wiener Musikverein, Salzburger Mozarteum, Sydney Conservatorium, Victorial Hall (Singapore) and the concert hall of the National Grand Theatre (Beijing).

Among several youth orchestras from China, the Macao Youth Symphony Orchestra has been chosen to participate at the ¡§8th World Choral Festival Vienna & Salzburg 2008¡¨, becoming the first youth orchestra from China to perform with the Vienna Boys Choir at the Wiener Musikverein and the Salzburger Mozarteum. The orchestra¡¦s performance was hailed by the audience as one of the highest points of the festival.

In addition to its main objective of providing music education and musical entertainment to the local youth, the orchestra prides itself on introducing many local talents to the audiences through two annual events: the orchestra¡¦s ¡§Anniversary Concert¡¨ and the ¡§New Generation¡¨. Since the performance of Schubert¡¦s Unfinished Symphony in the year of its inception (1997) to the recent European tour in 2008, extraordinary progress has been demonstrated by the orchestra¡¦s young players. This confirmed by the applause of the audiences and the words of the music critics from all the places where the orchestra has performed in the course of its existence. The music critic of the 4MBS Classic FM Radio station (Queensland) thus described the concert in Brisbane:

¡§On Friday 17 August [2007], a Brisbane audience was treated to a concert by the Macao Youth Symphony Orchestra as part of its Australian tour. First, we were privy to the exuberant warm-up session of this truly youthful orchestra. (¡K) After much applause, [the orchestra] launched into a vibrant encore of symphonically treated Chinese musical forms. All of the musicians clearly enjoyed performing this spirited piece, and the pentatonic enthusiasm of the violins set the entire audience alight with delight.¡¨