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Tokyo Kosei Wind Orchestra (Japan)
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After Dr. Frederick Fennell (the orchestra's present Conductor Laureate) was inaugurated as Principal Conductor in 1984, the group's level of performance rapidly advanced. Dr. Fennell and the orchestra were awarded the "Academy Prize for Wind Instrument Music" from the Japan Wind Instrument Music Association for the first time in 1991.
The Tokyo Kosei Wind Orchestra's celebrated European tour of 1989 included a performance at the 4th WASBE Conference in Kerkrade in The Netherlands. This was followed by a second command performance tour to Europe in 1993, which was a great success in several countries. "The Millennium Concert Tour" to Taiwan at the end of 1999 supported the orchestra's Asian presence. The orchestra made an Asian tour to Taiwan, Singapore and Macao in April 2002. It was also a guest ensemble at the Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic at the Hilton Hotel in Chicago in December 2002; storms of applause followed the two performances before capacity audiences at the Clinic.
The orchestra continues to maintain a very busy domestic schedule, with an annual four-concert season in Tokyo, more than thirty local area performances, youth and conservatory concerts, and the recording of more than 290 CDs to date. In 1993, the wind orchestra recorded a commemorative CD for the wedding of Japan's Crown Prince: New Celebrative March conducted by composer Ikuma Dan. Tonepleromas 55, a 1998 recording of wind works by Toshiro Mayuzumi, conducted by Hiroyuki Iwaki, was awarded first prize in the "Record Section" by the Agency for Cultural Affairs of Japan. In 2000, Douglas Bostock, one of Great Britain's outstanding conductors, was selected as the Tokyo Kosei Wind Orchestra's Principal Conductor. He has led the group in a new directions of performance, including taking a fresh look at European wind music. In addition to his duties with the Tokyo Kosei Wind Orchestra, Bostock is Principal Guest Conductor of the Czech Chamber Philharmonic, Permanent Guest Conductor of the Munich Symphony Orchestra, and Principal Conductor of the Aargau Symphony Orchestra in Switzerland. Bostock, who studied with Sir Adrian Boult in London and Francis Travis in Freiburg, has a broad repertoire covering a wide spectrum of genres and styles. He has recorded numerous CDs with orchestras in Great Britain, the Czech Republic, Italy, and Germany. His recordings of the complete Nielsen symphonies with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra have been enthusiastically received, and he is currently involved ina highly acclaimed CD series of twentieth century British music. |
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