In two of its concerts this year, it let non-profit housing group Habitat for Humanity use for free the concert hall's foyer space that it rented, to raise funds.

Last night, it played in a charity concert that raised $150,000 for The Straits Times School Pocket Money Fund. And it will donate all the proceeds of its December concert with the Western Australia Youth Orchestra to the Children's Cancer Foundation.

For its community spirit, the orchestra was given the Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation (HSBC) Youth Excellence Award for Musical Excellence yesterday.

Mr Daniel Tan, 27, the Defence Science and Technology Agency's project head for aircraft acquisition and integration, received the HSBC Youth Excellence Award for Leadership and Community Service.

The orchestra's musical talent and passion for philanthropy resonate with the award's aim to develop talented young Singaporeans to enrich the community, said Mr Goh Kong Aik, HSBC's head of corporate sustainability.

The orchestra's chairman, Mr Lee Guan Wei, 22, and other musician friends started working together in 2006. They formed the orchestra under the guidance of maestro Chan Tze Law only last year, when HSBC was scouting for an orchestra to perform at its Youth Excellence Award concert. It now has 95 members aged 14 to 23.

The prize money of $200,000, held in trust by the National Arts Council, will aid the orchestra in realising its vision to "pursue philanthropy through the medium of music", Mr Lee said.

"We have bigger plans for philanthropy causes, now that we have the funds."

lingxin@sph.com.sg