"Present" and "Future" of Asia as Seen through Orchestra
 Asia Orchestra Week will see its fourth season in October 2005.

 Asian orchestras, most of which were new to the Japanese audience, sounded much more exciting than one expected! Visiting orchestras are mostly from Europe and U.S. The Festival, started in 2002, has been introducing unfamiliar Asian orchestras and created quite a stir.

 In the past three seasons, Tchaikovsky by a Chinese orchestra and Shostakovich by a Vietnamese orchestra fascinated us. Visual arts and pop culture from Asia cannot pass unnoticed. The classical music is no exception. Asian nations are growing rapidly and so are the orchestras in Asia.

 Themed "Asia United, Present and Future of Asia as Seen through 0rchestra", the 4th Asia Orchestra Week (AOW) will present even more exciting orchestras from Asia and Pacific region.

 All four participating orchestras will visit Japan for the first time; an orchestra of note from Korea, another tycoon from China which has sent a different orchestra each season, a world class orchestra from Tasmania, Australia and one from Indonesia, a treasure house of traditional entertainment. Young and refreshing Century Orchestra Osaka will open the Festival in Osaka.

 The highlight of this year is varieties of repertoire with colorful traditional musical instruments of each country. For instance, Nusantara Symphony Orchestra will perform with Balinese traditional musicians and Guangzhou Symphony Orchestra will bring all- Chinese program.

 Anther highlight is two violin virtuosos, Dongsuk Kang, a soloist of Daejong Philharmonic Orchestra and Augustin Dumay of Guangzhou Symphony Orchestra. They both are very popular artists to the Japanese audience. Heated performance is anticipated at the Festival.

 Community Exchange Program that started two years ago will happen this year, too in Tokyo and Osaka. Participation by high school students of a sister city, visitation to an elementary school with guests from the area, performance with a gamelan group in Osaka and an open rehearsal are planned.

 In addition to a specially priced package for the entire series, the Festival offers student tickets, an option to meet the needs of the youth.

Asia Orchestra week 2005
incorporated to International Performing Arts Festival (IPAF) 2005

Opera City Concert Hall Takemitsu Memorial, Tokyo
The Symphony Hall, Osaka

IPAF Executive Committee, Agency for Cultural Affairs

The Symphony Hall / KTV Kansai Telecasting Corporation (Osaka)
Duo Japan (Tokyo)

Conductor: HAHM Shinik

Violin: KANG Dong-Suk

Jeeyoung: "Jacqueline" Kim: heroes 2002

Mendelssohn: Violin Concerto E-minor op64

Gustav Mahler: Symphony No.1 D-major Titan

Conductor: Sebastian LANG-LESSING

Oboe: Diana DOHERTY

Elena KATS-CHERNIN : Mythic 2004

Richard Strauss: Oboe Concerto D-major

Ludwig van Beethoven : Symphony No.3 E-major Eroica

Conductor: Edward Van NESS /YAZAKI Hikotaro

Piano: Ananda SUKARLAN

Balinese Traditional Dance: IDA AYU WAYAN Prihandari,

Yazeed Djamin: Nyi Ronggeng for orchestra & Kendang Sunda(1988)

Otto Sidharta: Jangeran for orchestra and Balinese traditional instruments (2005)

Ravel: Piano Concerto G-major

Beethoven: Symphony No.7 Op.92 A-major

Conductor: Long YU

Violin: Augustin Dumay

Soprano (voice of the Beijing Opera): MA Shuai *Iris unveiled

Sopranos: Ying HUANG / Zhengrong CUI *Iris unveiled

Erhu: WANG Nan * Iris unveiled

Pipa: GE Yong * Iris unveiled

Zheng: SUN Xin *Iris unveiled

HuanYen-Chun: The Moon Reflected on the Er-quan Spring for String Orchestra

He Zhanghao/Chen Gang: Violin Concerto "The Butterfly Lovers"

CHEN Qigang: Iris unveiled

Conductor: KOIZUMI Kazuhiro

Yokobue: AKAO Michiko

DAN Ikuma: Orchestra Fantasy "Flying Devi"

ISHII Maki: Symphonic Poem "GIOH"for yokobue and orchestra

Tchaikovsky: Symphony No.4 Op.36 F-minor

Founded in 1984 by the full support of the city of Daejeon, the orchestra appointed Shinik Ham as Music Director. His excellent musical leadership projects features of the orchestra. It represents one of the most significant cultural icons of the city and provides cultural benefits to the citizens. At the Daejeon Culture and Arts Center, it presents Master Series, Discovery Series and other innovative programs. Outreach concerts to enterprises, research institutes, schools and nursing homes are also of note. It has established itself on the international scene concluding a successful U.S. tour. It is its first visit to Japan.

Artistic Director and Principal Conductor of the Daejeon Philharmonic Orchestra. Studied in the U.S., he is in great demand as a guest conductor with orchestras in North and South America, Europe and Asia. He successfully led the Daejeon Philharmonic Orchestra's North American tour last year. He was a winner the Forth Gregor Fitelberg International Competition for Conductors, appeared at the American Symphony Orchestra League's National Conductor Preview, and received the Arts & Culture Medal.

Hailed for his outstanding artistry and virtuosity. He went on to win top prizes in a number of international competitions including the Queen Elisabeth. Since then he has appeared with France National, Munich, Montreal and other orchestras under the baton of leading conductors of the world in addition to appearing in recitals and chamber music concerts. He has also performed with Japanese orchestras at many occasions. He is the co-artistic director of a music festival for the youth in Korea.

The orchestra was established in 1948 as a result of a partnership between the State Government, the Hobart and Launceston City Councils and the Australian Broadcasting Commission (ABC). Since 1923, an amateur orchestra, the Hobart Orchestral Society, had provided concerts. Based at the Federation Concert Hall I Hobart, it performs in Tasmania, tours to the mainland, Europe, the U.S. and Asia. The educational program is an integral part of its activities. With 47 musicians presently, it is acclaimed as one of the world finest small orchestras. Sebastian Lang-Lessing, a German conductor is the Chief Conductor and Artistic Director. It is its first visit to Japan.

He is presently the Chief Conductor and Artistic Director of the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra. His achievements as Music Director of Orchestre Symphonique de Nancy were recognized with an award from the French Government. He won the 1st prize at the International Conducting Forum in Hamm. Since his debut at Deutsche Oper Berlin, he frequently appeared at Opera Bastille and other international opera houses. His symphonic engagements have included performances with Berlin Radio Orchestra, Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra and other major orchestras of Europe.

She is Principal Oboe of the Sydney Symphony Orchestra. In addition to numerous recitals and master classes, the winner of many international competitions frequently appears in festivals of the world. One of the most recent activities was the Ross Edwards concerto with the New York Philharmonic under Lorin Maazel. A winner of 2003 APRA-Australian Music Centre award for best performance of an Australian work. Her performance can be heard on several CDs.

The Nusantara Chamber Orchestra was established in 1988 and in 1998 the name was changed to the Nusantara Symphony Orchestra. "Nusantara" means "archipelago", therefore Indonesia in Sanskrit. In 2004, the orchestra was chosen as the Home Orchestra of Balai Sarbini Concert Hall. It is lead by Edward C. Van Ness, Principal Conductor. The musicians are mostly graduates of Jogjakarta Academy. It performs from Baroque to contemporary. NSO Soloists, a group of the orchestra's principal players presents chamber concerts. Much is expected from the epicenter of classical music. It is its first visit to Japan.

Principal Conductor of the Nusantara Symphony Orchestra. While in Madras on a Fulbright grant, he established the Madras Chamber Orchestra and in Indonesia, Promusika Indonesia. He conducted the first full performance of "Bastien und Bastienne". He is also known as a string teacher, conductor and adjudicator both in Indonesia and abroad.

A winner at numerous competitions such as Besançon, he was Principal Guest Conductor of Norwegian Radio Orchestra and Music Director and Zprincipal Conductor of Hofer Symphoniker. He resides in Europe since 1972. He was awarded the Chevalier dans l'Order des Arts et des Lettres from the French Government. Principal Guest Conductor of Tokyo City Philharmonic Orchestra since 2002 and Honorary Conductor of Bangkok Symphony Orchestra since 2000.

Born in Jakarta in 1968, has studied in the U.S., the Netherlands and Denmark, he is now a pianist the country is most proud of. Among the orchestras he has worked with are Berlin, Madrid, Rotterdam, Barcelona, Jakarta and Wellington. He is a dedicatee of more than 100 works for piano. President of the Jury of the National Piano Competition in Jakarta.

Born in Denpasar, Bali in 1989. She has won first prizes at All Bali Legong Kraton Dance Competition in 1997, Alol Bali Mawirama Competition in 2002, the Sekar Ibing Dance Competition in 2003, the Denpasar City Wide Jempring Dance Competition in 2005 and others.

Founded in 1957, it was one of the first-born orchestra of the New China. Under the leadership of Long Yu, the current music director, it continues to grow. A new "Music Season" and administrative system introduced in 1997 has pushed the orchestra to a higher artistic level. At the 3rd Beijing International Music Festival in 2000, GSO performed "Werther". "It was the best sound I ever heard from among Chinese orchestras," Penderecki remarked. Xinghai Concert Hall is its home. Since 1990, it has performed more than twenty concerts in Hong Kong Arts Festival and Macao International Music Festival. Its international tours brought the orchestra to Korea (2000), Europe (2003) and Australia (2004). It will make a debut in the U.S. followed immediately by a debut in Japan.

Born into a family of musicians in Shanghai, he studied at Shanghai conservatory and then in Hochschule der Kunst in Berlin. He was Founding Artistic director of the Beijing Music Festival, one of the most significant music events in the world now. Music Director of the Gunagzhou Sympnony Orchestra and the China Philharmonic Orchestra. He has guest conducted numerous orchestras in Europe, Southeast Asia and won acclaim. His strength in opera productions was shown for the Urban Council of Hong Kong for five successive years. He is to make a debut with Vancouver Symphony Orchestra this season.

Born in Paris in 1949, he started to study music formally at Paris Conservatoire at the age of ten. His talent was recognized by Szeryng, Milstein and Grumiaux. International acclaim came when Karajan made Dumay his guest artist for a gala in Paris. As one of the major violinists, he frequently performs with leading orchestras of the world with such conductors as Ozawa and Dutoit, and appears in recitals on the most celebrated venues and in international music festivals.

An actress indispensable for Beijing Opera. In China and abroad, she has presented more than a thousand performances with China Beijing Opera Company in the past ten years. She played as a leading actress and vocal soloist in the ballet production of "Raise the Red Lantern" directed by Zhang Yimou more than a hundred times in Beijing and Europe.

As an internationally acclaimed soprano, she has appeared in concerts, recitals and operatic engagements at important venues in New York, Saint Louis and other cities. She also frequently performs at galas and festivals with Domingo, Carreras and Bochelli.

A soprano lyric of Guangzhou Symphony Orchestra. She sang the title role of La Traviata and Madame Butterfly in Beijing and Shanghai respectively. Most recently, she performed the Four Last Songs by Richard Strauss with Guangzhou Symphony Orchestra.

She began her Erhu studying at the age of 6 and attended at the Chinese Conservatory of Music in Beijing. A member of the Central Tradition Orchestra of China. She has won at several competitions. With France National Orchestra, she toured in Japan, England, France and Russia.

Studied the lute at the China Conservatory of Music with De-Hai Liu and others. In 2003, she joined the Beijing Opera and performed in "Farewell My Concubine" in Hong Kong. She is repeatedly invited to perform at the Lyon International Music Festival for the new productions.

A young Gu-zheng player. She has won the 1st prize at the Chinese Instruments Contest organized by the Ministry of Culture of the People's Republic of China and many others. Her international tour took her to more than twenty countries. She performed at the Macau Festival and Opera de Lyon.

Century Orchestra Osaka was established in 1989 with the aim of providing the people of Osaka Prefecture an orchestra they could be proud of. While the 56-member orchestra, twin-10 section formation, is highly skilled at playing Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, and other baroque and classical repertoire, it has recently been performing more modern piece, too. The COO invited Kazuhiro Koizumi as a Principal Conductor and Seikyo Kim as resident conductor from 2003 and has made a new start. The COO's aim is to provide not only classical music but music that stirs the soul of every person so that the general public will come to know the joy of listening to great music and attending wonderful concerts. The COO hopes to provide more opportunity for all to come into close contact with music in their daily lives.

Principal Conductor at Century Orchestra Osaka from 2003. He won the First Place Award at the Minon Competition for Conductors in 1970. In 1973, he won the First Prize at the Third Karajan International Competition for Conductors. As a result, he made his Berlin debut and conducted Berlin Philharmonic. By now, he conducted the New Japan Philharmonic as a the Music Director and another outstanding orchestras, Munchener Philharmoniker, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Montreal Symphony Orchestra, a Music Director of the Winnipeg Symphony, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra of London.

Her work helped to promote three types of yokobue - Ryuteki, Nohkan and shinobue to a solo instrument. She commissioned and premiered numerous works and the repertoire for those instruments counts more than a hundred including concertos with orchestra. Her performance at Carnegie Hall, Philharmoniesaal and others achieved critical recognition internationally. Recent concerts include many of her own compositions.