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.
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
Richard Pontzious
Founder & Artistic Director
Toko Inomoto, viola
*Rhonda Rider, cello
Anna Kwan, cello
Eugenio Abbiatici, trombone & tuba
*On Sabbatical Leave
Sergiu Comissiona
Conductor Laureate
Jospeh Bastian Sophie Mok
Principal Conductor Assistant Conductor
Monnaie Opera Brussels
Real Orquesta Sinfonica de Sevilla, Spain
Malaysia Philharmonic Orchestra (former)
Triple Helix Trio & The Boston Conservatory
Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra
Baltimore Symphony
London Philharmonic Orchestra (former), Donizetti Conservatory of Bergamo
Orchestre National du Capitole de Toulouse, France
Orchestra Della Radio Svizzera Italiana
Donizetti Conservatory of Bergamo, Italy
Orchestra Filarmonica della Fenice, Venice, Italy
Teatro Carlo Felice, Genoa, Italy
Orchestra Della Radio Svizzera Italiana
Conservatory of Parma, Italy
National Symphony Orchestra, Taiwan
2023 ORCHESTRA MEMBERS
Violins
Sun Xin Yi, China
Tang Xin Yuan, China
Zhang Ji Yun, China
Chan Chak Him Joshua, Hong Kong
Chan Joab, Hong Kong
Chow Chung Yu, Hong Kong
Lee Ka Wai, Hong Kong
Lee O Rio, Hong Kong
Harabe Mei, Japan
Kanda Honami, Japan
Hyun Yu Jin, Korea
Kim Jin Joo, Korea
Kim Young Hun, Korea
Lee Seung Jun, Korea
Park Ha Young, Korea
Ha Iek, Macau
Gabriel Mari Domagas, Philippines
Jose Marie Eserjose, Philippines
Adrian Nicolas Ong, Philippines
Emanuel John Villarin, Philippines
Chang Chung Wei 張仲薇, Taiwan
Chang Tzu Chieh 張紫媫, Taiwan
Chen Yi Chen 陳奕蓁, Taiwan
Huang Bao Syuan 黃寶萱, Taiwan
Huang Chien Yu 黃芊妤, Taiwan
Huang Shih Yung 黃時雍, Taiwan
Kuo I Ting 郭依庭, Taiwan
Kuo Ming Chin 郭明晉, Taiwan
Wu Jia An 吳家安, Taiwan
Chinnaphong Laisakul, Thailand
Violas
Gong Shi Shi, China
He Zhe Hao, China
Wong Chak Kiu, Hong Kong
Wong Ki Chung, Hong Kong
Ng Sok Kun, Macau
Jann Minn Mendoza, Philippines
Chang Chih Yu 張芷瑜, Taiwan
Kou Hsiao Tung 寇筱彤, Taiwan
Kuo Jui Chu 郭芮竹, Taiwan
Lee Wei Fang 李維帆, Taiwan
Lin Chun Yi 林均奕, Taiwan
Komkrit Suriya, Thailand
Cellos
Wu Jia Yi, China
Sakamoto Yuka, Japan
Ryu Kokoro, Japan
Kim Ha Eun, Korea
Chan Hao Jian Isaac, Malaysia
Huang Huei Yu 黃彗羽, Taiwan
Huang Wei 黃葦, Taiwan
Lee Ke Xuan 李可瑄, Taiwan
Li Bo Han 李博翰, Taiwan
Peng Hsin Yuan 彭信源, Taiwan
Double Basses
Fang Kai Chun, China
Li Xin Yi, China
Zhang Jia Wei, China
Chau Wai I, Macau
Charis Hadjisophocleous, Singapore
Ozaki Kanae, Japan
Lai Po Jung 賴柏融, Taiwan
Lee Wei Ling 李威岭, Taiwan
Flutes
Huang Yi Hang, China
Chan Wing Ka, Hong Kong
Hui Tin Ho, Hong Kong
Weng Yi Chian 翁乙汧, Taiwan
Oboes
Chan Chun Young, Hong Kong
Ng Wei Xiang, Singapore
Chen Yu En 陳語恩 , Taiwan
Chuang Kai Wen 莊凱雯, Taiwan
Clarinets
Tse Ho San Toby, Hong Kong
Kier Manimtim, Philippines
Chen Yan Rung 陳雁榕, Taiwan
Lee Chin I 李晉毅, Taiwan
Bassoons
Lau Hoi Shun Adrian, Hong Kong
Chen You Rong 陳宥蓉, Taiwan
Liu Hung Wen 劉葒玟, Taiwan
Javlon Khayitov, Uzbekistan
French horns
Jiao Yong Han, China
Song Ze Yu, China
Hwang Jae Bin, Korea
Jaben Sim, Singapore
Chiu Kuan Yin 邱冠茵, Taiwan
Trumpets
Machida Rina, Japan
Abner Wong, Singapore
Hou Cheng Yong 侯丞勇, Taiwan
Phan Thanh Binh, Vietnam
Tenor Trombones
Qiu Jia Hui, China
Chang Kai Hao 張鍇濠, Taiwan
Bass Trombone
Huang Yu Cheng 黃昱澄, Taiwan
Tuba
Lee Chak Sum, Hong Kong
Percussions
Lo Wang Yu, Hong Kong
Dodo Saaya, Japan
Yoo Yo Han, Korea
Ng Chuan Kai Jeremy, Singapore
Nithit Rujikajorndej, Thailand
Harp
Jhang Yue Lin 張悦臨, Taiwan