Annabelle Ho: Composing a Greener World

Amid the cozy hum of a dimly lit cafe, where families and friends gather over creamy cappuccinos and casual conversation, violinist Annabelle Ho steps into the spotlight and turns a casual evening into a symphony of revolution. Her bow glides gracefully over strings, weaving melodies from Studio Ghibli films into stories of environmental peril: the trash-laden rivers in Spirited Away mirroring Hong Kong's own polluted waterways, or waste-filled seas in Ponyo echoing global ocean crises. By the final note, passive listeners have become resolute advocates, engaging in discussions about local eco-solutions over interactive Q&A sessions.

At 27, Annabelle is harnessing the power of music to raise awareness towards climate change under her ClimateXArt initiative, hosting immersive concerts ranging from intimate neighborhood gatherings to United Nations stages at COP28. With every performance, she is harmonizing creativity, youth climate education, and women's empowerment in climate action for a sustainable future to build a greener, more sustainable future.

First Notes

Annabelle's love affair with the violin began at the age of six when her parents first placed the instrument into her small hands, an arranged marriage that quickly turned into true love. While the path was not self-chosen, it unfolded with unexpected ease: no stern scoldings from teachers, just steady encouragement. By the time Annabelle entered primary school, she had become immersed in orchestra. Secondary school blurred into university at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, where she joined the Chung Chi College Orchestra.

It was in her final year, during the isolation of COVID, that she met the mentor who would change everything. An extraordinary violin teacher saw past Annabelle's self-doubt and reminded her that she didn't need to be "perfect" to begin, only brave enough to start. Those words gave her the courage to step onto stages alone, and, eventually, to dream of ClimateXArt. Initially, she kept the project secret, afraid he might find the idea of merging violin with climate advocacy strange. When she finally told him, his reaction was pure joy. To her surprise, he was deeply impressed by the fusion of music and climate action, offering praise she had never expected. Sadly, he never lived to attend one of her concerts; cancer took him last year. Yet even from his hospital bed, he kept asking for photos and updates from COP28, cheering her on until the very end.

What captivated Annabelle about the violin was not just the technique, but the instrument's power to invoke emotion. "There is magic in violin, because you can touch people's hearts," she enthuses. Busking amid the hustle and bustle of Central Market, she would find notes of gratitude tucked into her case: scribbled messages like "I really love your music," and "Thanks for healing my day." These encounters revealed music's connective tissue, bridging divides of class, age, and background. "I do believe there is something in music, and it always connects people from different backgrounds," she affirms. With its vast tonal range and capacity for emotional depth, it has become a companion she "carries everywhere." Though her degree in Asian business studies steered her toward corporate ladders rather than conservatories, the violin remains her anchor. "Music is always supporting me; it's such an important part of my life."

The Opening Movement

The call to climate advocacy struck amid the isolation of COVID-19. Freshly graduated, Annabelle joined a bank as a management trainee, a role she cherished for its stability. But with the isolation of lockdown came introspection. Volunteering drew her to TEDx Encompass HK, a climate-focused spin on TED talks. As assistant curator, she supported 15-year-old activist Kamashi, who shaved her head to spotlight ocean pollution. "Even a 17-year-old girl is trying to change the world…why am I sitting in the office?" That epiphany propelled her into youth advocacy programs in climate change, with a focus on sustainability programs. Three years ago, ClimateXArt was born: "The goal for the initiative is to use music to raise awareness and encourage people to reflect on what they can do for the planet."

The inaugural event, a free gathering at a small cafe in Central, was pure experimentation. Annabelle weaved beloved Studio Ghibli soundtracks with environmental storytelling for 30 seats filled with families and friends as she dissected films like Spirited Away, unveiling hidden eco-messages: the river spirit burdened by trash, a metaphor for pollution. Expanding to Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea, she highlighted nets of waste ensnaring the sea, linking fictional woes to enduring realities. Each concert unfolds in three acts, starting with a musical performance that unfolds into educational deep dives into eco-issues, and finally, tying them to Hong Kong's own climate crises. "You always have to link them, or else climate change feels like something big, something global," Annabelle explains. "But if you look at where you live, you'll see that it's actually affecting you."

ClimatexArt: The Crescendo

From modest beginnings, ClimateXArt has blossomed. Backed by sponsors like Eaton Hong Kong and NGO partnerships like EncompassHK and CarbonCare InnoLab, Annabelle has now curated 25 events, drawing over 1,000 attendees. Her global breakthrough came at Dubai's COP28, where she represented Hong Kong youth and performed twice at United Nations pavilions. As a champion of youth climate education, Annabelle mentors secondary school and university students to create social media series spotlighting eco-musicians like Coldplay's zero-waste tours. "Musicians are the catalyst for climate change," she affirms, ensuring that her own events remain low-impact via e-tickets, online posters, and offering prizes from near-expiry food vendors.

Themes shift creatively, from beloved Ghibli classics and Disney favorites to 30-minute musical journeys around the globe, but the core essence remains: live music, environmental education, and the opportunity for personal reflection. The feedback, Annabelle says, has been surprising; a secondary school teacher was stunned to learn that beef has the highest carbon footprint of any food. "My takeaway is that I shouldn't assume that everybody knows what's going on," she reflects, a reminder to tailor content for all levels.

Resonance within Resistance

As a solo founder in a male-dominated advocacy landscape, Annabelle continues to face mounting challenges. Marketing remains a hurdle, and the workload is all-consuming: "I have to do all the marketing, all the design, all the content, all the performances and all the musical arrangements myself," she says with a laugh. She vividly recalls an interaction with a 60-year-old entrepreneur who dismissed her work. "He was so insistent that music had no relationship to climate change... He just walked away. I felt like he didn't respect me at all." The sting lingers, but the encounter has only sharpened her resolve. "If someone tells me, 'You can't do this, it won't work,' I'll still want to try it." What keeps her going are those who believe in her work: captivated audience members who thank her for opening their eyes to the perils of climate change, eager young interns who light up with new ideas to change the world, and the growing sisterhood in Hong Kong's climate space. "A lot of women are working in this space who are willing to help and support each other," Annabelle notes warmly.

Sustainability permeates Annabelle's life through a string of mindful offsets. She has never installed a single delivery app: "If you don't start something, you won't keep doing it," she laughs. Instead, she chooses veggie lunches over rushed takeout, recycles the same handful of performance dresses, and consciously offsets the emissions she cannot avoid. "Sustainability is an attitude… It's a lifestyle." In her work, where she now helps drive AI adoption, she treads lightly: avoiding feeding personal data into unchecked models, seeking out greener data centers, and pushing for strong AI-governance frameworks that prioritize lower energy and water use. "If used mindfully, it's a valuable tool for growth," she explains. Above all, Annabelle is certain of one thing: creativity is irreplaceable. "Music and art will continue to exist, because people crave interactive, human communication."

The Next Movement

Annabelle's vision to expand from a solo performance to a full-fledged orchestra. Phase Two is already taking shape: intensive five-day workshops where she will train 10–12 professional musicians, pairing them with climate experts to create immersive, augmented-reality performances that plunge audiences into Earth's forests, oceans and melting glaciers. "I want people to feel it," she stresses. Her boldest dream is a permanent orchestra: a collective of musician-advocates who create real, lasting impact instead of leaving 'doing good' to the usual cycle of benefit concerts and fundraising. "Musicians can be the catalyst," she insists. "I want to equip them with knowledge, so they can become advocates and start their own initiative." She is also actively seeking global collaboration. As the YOUNGO Art, Culture and Heritage working-group contact point and with connections forged at COP28, she envisions partnerships with artists and advocates from every continent to spread the word about the urgency of the issues we all share. She's already passing the baton to the next generation: her student interns who are diligent, innovative, and hungry for change.

To every young woman itching to launch her own initiative, Annabelle offers wisdom from her own journey: "Be brave. Be open-minded. Don't be afraid to ask. You can start with something really small—just try it first." In a world at the edge of destruction, Annabelle Ho is composing a symphony of hope. At the end of every concert, after the final notes of What a Wonderful World, she leaves the audience with one lingering question: "Imagine the world you want to live in. Are you working toward it?" Through ClimateXArt, she is writing that world into existence, one note at a time.