Leanne Nicholls is an award-winning oboist and music theatre producer. She is currently the Founder, Principal Oboist and Artistic Director of City Chamber Orchestra of Hong Kong. She holds a Bachelor of Music degree (Hons) with First Class Honours in performance from The University of Adelaide, where she was mentored by the legendary Czech oboist Jiří Tancibudek and Australian soprano Gwenyth Annear. Her performing career includes engagements with the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra, the Adelaide Chamber Orchestra and the State Opera South Australia. In 1988, she won First Prize at the Adelaide Eisteddfod Non-Keyboard Competition. Following her move to Hong Kong in 1989, she performed with the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra, the RTHK Singers and the Hong Kong Sinfonietta (1993 to 1999). Since 1999, Leanne Nicholls has led the artistic planning of CCOHK, including collaborations with many of the world’s most acclaimed artists and composers. For CCOHK, she has also created, produced and directed numerous productions for premiere in Hong Kong and on tour in London, Shanghai and Beijing. Her script-writing credits include Magnificent Mozart (2017), The Star Bach (2018), Vivaldi Unmasked (2018), The Bonn Man – The Story of Beethoven (2021), Haydn & The Prince (2023) and Shark Symphony (2024). Two of her show creations have won the Public Choice Award at the YAMawards in Portugal (Bug Symphony, 2015) and in Belgium (WILD The Musical, 2022). Her directing, script and musical adaptation credits include a 2025 production of Peter Quilter’s GLORIOUS! based on the true story of Florence Foster Jenkins. Leanne Nicholls is also a programme host for RTHK Radio 4. In 2022, she received the Chief Executive’s Commendation for Community Service in the HKSAR’s Honours List for her contribution to classical music in Hong Kong.

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“CCOHK may be Hong Kong’s most third culture arts institution, deeply mixed ethnically and led by the Australian-born, Cantonese-fluent Nicholls”

The Theatre Times (New York)