Introduction | History | Artistic Director | Conductors | IYWO in Singapore | List of Musicians for IYWO 2005 | Programme

The WASBE International Youth Wind Orchestra (IYWO) is an ensemble of approximately 50 outstanding young musicians, ages 18 to 25, from throughout the world. The ensemble performs the finest compositions composed for the wind orchestra medium, and is conducted by internationally renowned conductors.

The next performance of the IYWO will be at the 12th Biennial Conference of the World Association of Symphonic Bands and Ensembles (WASBE) to be held in Singapore from 10 to 16 July 2005. This weeklong conference will be attended by hundreds of conductors, composers, performers, publishers, teachers, instrument makers and friends of wind music from many nations around the world and will include performances by some of the finest wind band/ensembles from throughout the world.

Rehearsals are daily and will conclude with a concert on 16 July at 3.30pm at the Esplanade Concert Hall under the baton of Felix Hauswirth and Yasuhide Ito. The Artistic Director is Dr. Glenn D. Price. With tradition, this is part of the conference's "finale".

The WASBE International Youth Wind Orchestra began in 1987 when the Boston Conference organizers, Frank Battisti (USA) and Lee Chrisman (USA), asked William Johnson (USA) to form an international youth honor band to perform at the 3rd WASBE International Conference held at Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA. The band was formed and Col. John Bourgeois (USA) and Geoffrey Brand (UK) served as its conductors. The ensemble performed for both the conference at Boston University and for the general public in Boston's Hatch Shell.

During the preparations for the 4th International Conference to be held in Kerkrade, The Netherlands, William Johnson proposed to the WASBE Council that the international youth ensemble become an official performing ensemble of the association. Under the leadership of Jan Molenaar (The Netherlands) and Vondis Miller (Canada), the Council accepted the proposal and the name of the ensemble was changed to the WASBE International Youth Wind Orchestra (IYWO).

For the next several years, Leif Jansson (Sweden) headed up the IYWO and organized performances at both conferences and at various locations between conferences including the Sydney Opera House in Sydney, Australia in 1992. Subsequently the ensemble limited its performances to WASBE conferences.

Over the years the orchestra has attracted some of the most outstanding young musicians (ages 18-25) from throughout the world. The ensemble has been conducted by numerous well known conductors including Karel Husa, Jan Cober, H. Robert Reynolds, Ray Cramer, William Johnson, Yasuhide Ito, Johann Mösenbichler, Wayne Marshall, Toshiyuki Shimada, Ronald Johnson, Larry Rachleff, Baldur Bronnimann, Glenn Price, Gary Hill and others.

Glenn Price (Canada) currently serves as the WASBE International Youth Wind Orchestra's Artistic Director. Conductors for the Singapore Conference performance in 2005 will be Felix Hauswirth (Switzerland) and Yasuhide Ito (Japan).

Dr. Glenn D. Price has an international reputation as one of the leading conductors of his generation. His ensembles from the University of Calgary (Canada) have received great critical acclaim for their performances, recordings and broadcasts, including a performance at the 1999 WASBE Conference in San Luis Obispo (USA) and the National Conferences of CBDNA in 1995 and 2001. His series of recordings on the Arktos label has been specifically cited as a major contribution to the field. An active conductor on the international scene, Dr. Price has conducted professional and student orchestras and wind ensembles throughout North America as well as in Europe, the United Kingdom, South America, the Middle East and Asia. In 2003-04, Dr. Price conducted the International Youth Wind Orchestra for the WASBE Conference in Sweden, the Wind Orchestra of the Bruckner Conservatory in Austria and return to the National Youth Wind Orchestra of Great Britain, in addition to North American appearances including Toronto, Vancouver, Philadelphia, Los Angeles and Dallas. As a percussionist, he has performed with the Canadian Opera Company, National Ballet of Canada, Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra, New Works Calgary, Eastman-Dryden Orchestra, Alberta Theatre Projects and Alberta Ballet. He has also appeared as a soloist and recitalist. His performances have been heard on radio, television, recordings and film. Following Master's and Doctoral degrees at the Eastman School of Music, Dr. Price completed post-doctoral studies in conducting at the Toho Gakuen School of Music in Japan, Tanglewood Music Center in Massachusetts and advanced studies in Europe and Russia. Dr. Price serves on the Executive Board of the World Association for Symphonic Bands and Ensembles (WASBE). He has spent two years in Los Angeles as Head of Wind and Percussion, Professor of Conducting and Director of Wind Ensembles at The California State University, Northridge. He has returned to The University of Calgary and accepted his position as Director of Wind Ensembles and Professor of Conducting and Percussion.

Mr Felix Hauswirth earned his degree in Conducting and Theory at the Lucerne Conservatory of Music in Switzerland. In 1983, he was guest professor for one semester at the University of Michigan in Flint, USA. In 1985, he was appointed professor for conducting at the Basel Conservatory, Switzerland. He is the author of several books, mainly on conducting and on wind ensemble literature. In 1983, he founded the Swiss National Youth Wind Ensemble and conducted this Ensemble till 1993. As a guest conductor and with his own ensembles, he has performed in several countries in Europe, the Near and Far East, South Africa, Japan and Australia, South America and in several places in the USA. He has conducted many recordings and broadcastings with different ensembles. As a clinician, he is regularly invited all over the world. Since 1998, he is head of the wind band conducting course at the Bundes-Academy in Trossingen, Germany and since 2000, he teaches at the Istituto Superiore Europeo Bandistico (I.S.E.B) in Trento, Italy. From 1993-2000, Mr Hauswirth was the Artistic Director for the International Festival for Contemporary Music in Uster, Switzerland. He is the Conductor of the Baden-Wuttemberg Youth Wind Ensemble, Germany and the Zug Wind Orchestra, Switzerland. He was the president of the World Association for Symphonic Bands and Ensembles (WASBE) from 1997 to 2001.

Mr Yasuhide Ito was born in Hamamatsu, Shizuoka Prefecture, on 7th December 1960. He started to take piano lessons in his childhood and began studies of composition in his high school days. His first band composition, "On the March" (1978; published by TRN) was written when he was in his third year of high school. In 1979, he went on to Tokyo University of Fine Arts and Music, majoring composition, and wrote his graduate work in 1986. Ito's musical talent has been widely recognized since he won prizes at the Shizuoka Music Competition (piano, first prize, 1980), Japan Music Competition (composition, third prize, 1982), the Competition for Saxophone Music (1987) and the Band-masters Academic Society of Japan (the Academy Prize, 1994). In 1987, his Festal Scenes (published by TRN) saw its US premiere, with Ito himself conducting at the ABA-JBA joint convention, held in Tenessee. His work, Gloriosa ("Gururiyoza") for band (1990), has become one of the most frequently played repertories in the world. He has composed 38 band works, amongst are The Symphony (1990) and Melodies for Wind Ensemble (1995), both commissioned by Tokyo Kosei Wind Orchestra. Ito's lectures about Japanese band music at WASBE in 1995 (Hamamatsu) and 1997 (Austria) have had a great influence on the band world. Besides his composition career, Ito is well-known as an author and translator. He has written "Kangakki no Meikyoku Meienso" ("The Masterpieces and Great Performances of Wind Instruments") and translated Frank Erickson's "Arranging for the Concert Band." Ito is also active as a board member of JBA and BASJ (The Bandmasters Academic Society of Japan), and a lecturer at Tokyo University of Fine Arts and Music, Senzoku Music College, Sakuyo Music College and Tokyo Conservatoire, Shobi.

The Experience:

Following the footsteps of past IYWOs, the experience in Singapore will be "Uniquely Singapore" - a Confluence of Arts bringing wind bands and musicians from both East and West. Not only will IYWO participants be able to experience working closely with other advanced young musicians from around the world, they will also get to hear ensembles from all continents within a week. With access to sessions and exhibitions throughout the conference, IYWO performers will also get to work with the Boston Brass.

The Venue:

The Esplanade - Theatres by the Bay is the venue for all ensembles selected to perform at the WASBE 2005. The Concert Hall is the premier music performing venue in Singapore and can seat up to 1,600 people with an additional 200 seats in the Gallery. The stage can accommodate an orchestra of up to 170 musicians. Highlights of the Hall include reverberation chambers and an acoustic canopy. These state-of-the art mechanisms allow the Hall to highlight different types of music. Another feature is a Klais pipe organ with 4,740 pipes and 61 stops.

The Repertoire:

The repertoire by IYWO features both Eastern and Western music. New works will be premiered - featuring Ito's new composition based on Singaporean Folk tunes. Other pieces include Suite from "The Planets" and a piece by Koh Changsu, a 3rd generation Korean-Japanese composer.

PICCOLO Chan Tsz Chun, Hong Kong Foo Chie Haur, Malaysia FLUTE Heather Waters, USA Kanako Akaki, Japan Leung Wing Kin, Hong Kong Lindsey Marie Wallis, Canada OBOE Ronald Rivero, USA Seow Yibin, Singapore COR ANGLAIS Kawaguchi Mizue, Japan BASSOON Molee Kittima, Thailand Lee Wai Ching, Hong Kong Eb CLARINET Adele Demi-Smith, USA Bb CLARINET Au Shuk Yee, Hong Kong John Tasman, Hong Kong Masumi Isozaki, Japan Miki Sawame, Japan Remi Maeda, Japan Sayuri Hogawa, Japan Song Mi Sun, Korea Wijitwechakam Sarute, Thailand Yap Wei Yeong, Malaysia Eb ALTO CLARINET Mohamed Hafiz Bin Mohd, Singapore Bb BASS CLARINET Alexis Witt, USA Bb SOPRANO SAXOPHONE Kevin Carter, USA Low Chee Meng, Malaysia Eb ALTO SAXOPHONE David Lawrence Harper, USA Lee Yu Kwi, Korea Bb TENOR SAXOPHONE Fabien Girard, Switzerland Eb BARITONE SAXOPHONE Kerdteesod Annawin, Thailand

Bb TRUMPET Adam Fowler, USA Ann Franek, USA Kathryn Umble, USA Naomi Onodera, Japan Raul Guadalupe Barcenes, USA Tomoyuki Hasegawa, Japan FRENCH HORN Ang Guangyi, Singapore Ingrid Martin, Australia Lin Chun'en Ruth, Singapore Miranda Morris, USA TENOR TROMBONE Cheng Kai Ming, Hong Kong Christopher Yancey, USA David Alejandro Dioz, Spain Wee Wei Peng, Malaysia BASS TROMBONE Tsang Yin Ting Anton, Hong Kong EUPHONIUM Matthew James Hill, United Kingdom Teo Wei Ren Twain, Singapore BBb TUBA Mark LeGault, USA Tan Yao Cong, Singapore Tim Kelly, Australia Timothy Allen Lee, USA PERCUSSION Chee Jessica, Malaysia Chu Wing In, Hong Kong Claudius Heinzelmann, Germany Julie Maree Whiting, Australia Paul-Konstantim Oschwald, Siripanichwattana Tanasit, Thailand Tsuruta Akari, Japan HARP Fontane Liang, Singapore STRING BASS Goh Ji En, Singapore PIANO Chan Yi Hern, Singapore Kok Zhi Ying, Singapore

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Date: 16th July 2005 Venue: Esplanade Concert Hall (1pm to 3pm)
Programme	Composer
Conductor : Mr Felix Hauswirth
Al Fresco	Karel Husa
Concerto for Brass Quintet and Wind Orchestra	Frigyes Hidas
Interval
Conductor : Mr Yasuhide Ito
Korean Dances	Koh Chang Su
Sinfonia Singaporiana (World Premier)	Yasuhide Ito
Get Well Maestro (In Memory of Maestro Frederick Fennell)	Yasuhide Ito