CONDUCTORS
Richard Pontzious
Founder & Artistic Director
Richard Pontzious founded the Hong Kong-based Asian Youth Orchestra in 1987 with the distinguished violinist, conductor and humanitarian Yehudi Menuhin.
The idea for the creation of an orchestra that would unite the region and celebrate the talents of East Asia’s brightest young musicians came as the result of Mr. Pontzious’ work as conductor, writer, teacher and mentor in mainland China, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Japan. Critics have called AYO “astonishing” and the “finest among youth orchestras around the world.” In 2010 the Orchestra was awarded Japan’s Praemium Imperiale Grant for Young Artists, a global arts prize.
Joseph Bastian
Principal Conductor
The Asian Youth Orchestra warmly welcomes as principal conductor one of the most exciting talents of the younger generation, French-Swiss conductor Joseph Bastian.
The former bass trombonist of the Symphonie Orchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks, Bastian burst into the international spotlight in February 2016, when he stepped in at the last moment to conduct the orchestra in three subscription concerts -- replacing an indisposed Robin Ticciati - with the blessing of his Chief Conductor and conducting mentor, Mariss Jansons.
John Axelrod
Guest Conductor
Maestro John Axelrod is a celebrated international conductor whose dynamic interpretations, intellectual curiosity, and charismatic energy have distinguished his career for nearly three decades. As he approaches his 60th birthday and 30th career anniversary in 2026, he is celebrated for his profound musical depth and innovative programming across a vast repertoire, from core classics to contemporary and crossover works.
His leadership is recognized through prestigious titled positions. Since 2022, he has served as Principal Conductor of the Bucharest Symphony Orchestra and President of the Jury of the Bucharest Conducting Academy. In 2024, he was appointed Esteemed Guest Professor of the Tokyo College of Music. His previous roles include Artistic and Musical Director of the Real Orquesta Sinfónica de Sevilla (2014-2020), Principal Conductor of the Lucerne Symphony Orchestra (2004-2009), and Music Director of l'Orchestre National des Pays de la Loire (2009-2013), among others.
Sophie Mok
Assistant Conductor
Sophie Mok is currently the Assistant Conductor of the Frost Symphony Orchestra. Described as "the most supple and prepared for the spontaneous happening", Mok won the 2nd prize at the International Conductor’s Competition at the 2019 Deutsches Musikfest. In 2022, she was selected to participate in Le Domain Forget Conducting Academy to work with maestro Yannick Nézet-Séguin, and a finalist chosen among 300 candidates in maestro Riccardo Muti’s Italian Opera Academy with the Orchestra Giovanile Luigi Cherubini.
ARTIST-FACULTY
Yehudi Menuhin
Founding Music Director
Joseph Bastian
Principal Conductor
Richard Pontzious
Founder & Artistic Director
John Axelrod
Guest Conductor
Sergiu Comissiona
Conductor Laureate
Sophie Mok
Assistant Conductor
Giorgio Versiglia
Head of Faculty & Artistic Advisor
Strings
Ángel Luis Quintana, cello
David Sheets, double bass
Eugenio Abbiatici, trombone & tuba
Real Orquesta Sinfonica de Sevilla, Spain
Galicia Royal Philharmonic, Spain
Polish National Opera, Warsaw
Spanish National Orchestra
Baltimore Symphony Orchestra
Conservatory of Como, Italy
Rome Opera Theater, Italy
Orchestra Della Radio Svizzera Italiana
Donizetti Conservatory of Bergamo, Italy
Orchestra Filarmonica della Fenice, Venice, Italy
Conservatory of Venezze, Rovigo, Italy
Orchestra Della Radio Svizzera Italiana
Conservatory of Parma, Italy
Conservatory Luca Marenzio, Italy
2026 ORCHESTRA MEMBERS
Violins
Chen Yi Jia 陈艺嘉, Chinese Mainland
Chen Yu Qian 陈予谦, Chinese Mainland
Guan Ying 关莹, Chinese Mainland
Jiang Cheng Zhuo 姜成卓, Chinese Mainland
Lu Yi 芦昳, Chinese Mainland
Wang Tian Yi, Chinese Mainland
Weng Yuan Yue 翁源悦, Chinese Mainland
Xie Jia Yu, Chinese Mainland
Lee Wai Yan Grace, Hong Kong
Leung Yiu Hang Mark, Hong Kong
Liu Vanessa, Hong Kong
Wong Long Chit, Hong Kong
Wong Chin Kei, Hong Kong
Liu Jessica, Indonesia
Kikuchi Marika, Japan
Shimada Miki, Japan
Cho Suyeon, Korea
Jeon Se Hee, Korea
Lim Go Myeong, Korea
Nam Yunil, Korea
Mak Chong Ian, Macau
Lim Zhi Hsuan, Malaysia
Munar Willie, Philippines
Hou Ting Jen 侯廷臻, Taiwan
Huang Bao Syuan 黃寶萱, Taiwan
Ko En 柯恩, Taiwan
Lin Wen Ching 林雯晴, Taiwan
Lin Yu Shin 林昱妡, Taiwan
Yeh Yen Tzu 葉晏慈, Taiwan
Laisakul Chinnaphong, Thailand
Rakhimov Bakhodir, Uzbekistan
Nguyen Nguyen Le, Vietnam
Violas
Chen Yi Xin 陈怡欣, Chinese Mainland
Li De Zhang 李得樟, Chinese Mainland
Sun Wei Tai 孙尉泰, Chinese Mainland
Sun Li Tian 孙藜恬, Chinese Mainland
Yu Li 于力, Chinese Mainland
Jung Chorok, Korea
Ng Jared, Malaysia
Chen Wei Yan, Taiwan
Chen Chia Ling 陳佳伶, Taiwan
Huang Chen Hao 黃宸皓, Taiwan
Liu Yi Yun 劉奕昀, Taiwan
Tseng Hung Cheng 曾泓誠, Taiwan
Cellos
Hu Chen Yuan 胡宸源, Chinese Mainland
Liu Jia Rui 刘嘉芮, Chinese Mainland
Wang Tian Yi 王天一, Chinese Mainland
Chan Hao Jian Isaac, Malaysia
Huang Shih Han 黃詩涵, Taiwan
Lee Yi Hsiu 李易修, Taiwan
Lee Hsin Ni 李芯妮, Taiwan
Sheih Allison 薛詠心, Taiwan
Yu Li Kuang 尤立光, Taiwan
Leelapanumas Pran, Thailand
Double Basses
Cai Yi Nan 蔡一楠, Chinese Mainland
Wang Si Yu 王思昱, Chinese Mainland
Kato Masaya, Japan
Wong Jia En , Malaysia
Lim Loewe 林俐彤, Singapore
Chiang Yung Chen 蔣咏辰, Taiwan
Tan Hsueh Ching 譚學晴, Taiwan
Phattharaphon Jirathanatorn, Thailand
Flutes
Zhang Zi Rui 张梓瑞, Chinese Mainland
Shiihashi Yukine, Japan
Choi Jihyun, Korea
Kim Sihyeon, Korea
Oboes
Ji Yuan 姬辕, Chinese Mainland
Chan Hei Wai, Hong Kong
Simanjuntak Reynard Ardian, Indonesia
Chen Yun En 陳允恩, Taiwan
Clarinets
Lin Ke Qi 林可圻, Chinese Mainland
Wei Zijun 魏子竣, Chinese Mainland
Leung Yat Chun, Hong Kong
Gu Tang Yung Ching 古湯詠晴, Taiwan
Bassoons
Li Xin Ru 李昕儒, Chinese Mainland
Li Hao Ran 李浩然, Chinese Mainland
Yamakoshi Nodoka, Japan
Jung Joomin, Korea
French Horns
Luo Tian Hao, Chinese Mainland
Kurihara Ami, Japan
Park Jinsuh, Korea
Chang Yu Hao 張祐豪, Taiwan
Yen Shih Hsin 顏仕欣, Taiwan
Trumpets
Ma Yi Chen 马逸尘, Chinese Mainland
Kim Nayeon, Korea
Lee Eunyul, Korea
Dang Van Chinh, Vietnam
Tenor Trombones
Zhu Jian Yu 朱建宇, Chinese Mainland
Shimazu Takumi, Japan
Bass Trombone
Chen Qing Feng 陈庆烽, Chinese Mainland
Tuba
Cheng Yeuk Man 鄭約民, Hong Kong
Percussion
Lee Ju Young, Korea
Lee Jungmin, Korea
Ng Jeremy Chuan Kai 黃傳凱, Singapore
Fan Chieh Yun 范且昀, Taiwan
Chantongthea Tatpong, Thailand
Harp
Chang Yin Chie 張尹騫, Taiwan