A premier choral ensemble.

NOĒMA is a leading chamber choir dedicated to advancing Hong Kong’s choral scene. Comprising some of the finest local choral musicians, the group has quickly become one of the city’s premier ensembles under the dynamic leadership of Artistic Director Sanders Lau, who founded the choir in 2022. NOĒMA has performed to critical acclaim, with invitations from eminent presenters, including MUSE of The University of Hong Kong (HKU), Tai Kwun, and most recently, the Hong Kong Arts Festival in the sold-out multimedia choral concert ‘Garden of Repose’. This cross-disciplinary performance was specifically designed and curated for the choir and has received high praise. It was nominated and shortlisted for the 2024 Classical:NEXT Innovation Award.

The choir’s ethos is centred on applying ideals of rhetoric––the art of persuasion––to its performances, always exploring and harnessing the expressive landscape in its repertoire. NOĒMA is known for its innovative and thought-provoking programming, creating profound dialogues among music, poetry, and spirituality, and reaffirming the relevance of choral art in contemporary society, offering a diverse and stimulating repertoire.

Collaborations are integral to NOĒMA’s endeavour. The group has partnered with artists such as the Cong Quartet, composer Adrian Wong, director/choreographer Ivanhoe Lam, and set designer Ruby Law. In the 2024/25 season, NOĒMA will again collaborate with Ivanhoe Lam in a multimedia theatrical performance as part of his artist residency at the East Kowloon Cultural Centre. Additionally, NOĒMA is partnering with the HKU Chamber Singers as part of the inaugural HKU Doming Lam Composition Prize, furthering its commitment to developing Hong Kong’s choral community.

NOĒMA (νόημα) originates from classical Greek and means ‘the content of thought’. In the Renaissance, music scholars adopted the term to describe homophonic singing for its ‘sweetly stimulating and soothing effect on the ears and spirit.’ This duality mirrors the ensemble’s intellectual and emotional approach to music.