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.
Jader Bignamini
Conductor
Jader Bignamini was appointed Music Director of the Detroit Symphony in January 2020 and is currently in his third season with the orchestra.
In addition to concerts in Detroit, the 2022/23 season sees Jader debut with the Pittsburgh Symphony, Toronto Symphony, Frankfurt’s hr–Sinfonieorchester and at the Deutsche Oper Berlin (Simon Boccanegra). 2023/24 highlights include debuts with the London Philharmonic and Bergen Philharmonic, alongside returns to the Wiener Staatsoper (Manon Lescaut) and Opéra de Paris (La forza del destino).
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
Yeonjin Kim, cello
David Sheets, double bass
Eugenio Abbiatici, trombone & tuba
Sergiu Comissiona
Conductor Laureate
Jospeh Bastian Jader Bignamini Sophie Mok
Principal Conductor Conductor Assistant Conductor
Giorgio Versiglia
Head of Faculty & Artistic Advisor
Real Orquesta Sinfonica de Sevilla, Spain
Cologne University of Music and Dance, Germany
Polish National Opera, Warsaw
Tianjin Juilliard School, Mainland China
Baltimore Symphony
RAI Orchestra, Italy
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
The Conservatory Luca Marenzio, Brescia, Italy
2025 ORCHESTRA MEMBERS
Violins
Hou Hiu Chung Henry, Hong Kong
Kam Cheuk Hei Lorenzo, Hong Kong
Huang Russell 黃鴻豪, Indonesia
Nainggolan Norman Jefferson, Indonesia
Akashi Koharu, Japan
Choi Ye Rin, Korea
Chen Yu Qian 陳予謙, Mainland China
Fei Yu Chen 费宇宸, Mainland China
Gao Zi Shang 高子尚, Mainland China
Jiang Shu Qi 江书奇, Mainland China
Liang Shuang Jiang 梁双江, Mainland China
Lu Yi 芦昳, Mainland China
Peng Can Can 彭灿灿, Mainland China
Qi Yang Xi 齐杨烯, Mainland China
Zhou Ya Wen 周雅雯, Mainland China
Lee Jin Yen, Malaysia
Valentine Gwyndylynn, Malaysia
Munar Willie, Philippines
Nuñez Cedie, Philippines
Tiburcio Gavril Yaselle, Philippines
Chen I Shuo 陳怡碩, Taiwan
Chen Ting Fa 陳碇發, Taiwan
Cheng Yu 鄭羽, Taiwan
Fan Chiang Ting En 范姜廷恩, Taiwan
Huang Pin Shu 黃品澍, Taiwan
Jiang Yu Kai 江宇凱, Taiwan
Kuo Tzu Hsuan 郭子嫙, Taiwan
Wu Chi Wen 吳琦雯, Taiwan
Wu Mu Rong 吳慕融, Taiwan
Praponaukkaramongkon Kanchayapath, Thailand
Violas
Huang Xin Can 黄欣粲, Mainland China
Bao Si Yu 鲍斯羽, Mainland China
Zhang Hao Ran 张浩然, Mainland China
Sun Wei Tai 孙尉泰, Mainland China
Tan Glaris Ying, Malaysia
Kung Yu Ning 貢御寧, Taiwan
Zhou Xiao Wu 周曉武, Taiwan
Tsai Cheng Hui 蔡承慧, Taiwan
Tsai Li Chien 蔡禮謙, Taiwan
Cheng Kuan Yu 鄭冠瑜, Taiwan
Chen Ho Yu 陳赫禹, Taiwan
Lin Yu Ju 林育汝, Taiwan
Cellos
Cho Yu Min, Korea
Lee Da Yeon, Korea
Sun Yu 孫羽, Mainland China
Guo Ze Yun, Malaysia
Lee Jia Le, Malaysia
Lin Hsuan Chin 林玄晉, Taiwan
Hsu Yu Lun 許彧綸, Taiwan
Lu Zhen Tao 盧振燾, Taiwan
Liao Yu Ling 廖祐綾, Taiwan
Huang Chu Yun 黃筑荺, Taiwan
Double Basses
Kutsuna Ayane, Japan
Masaya Kato, Japan
Won Ji Woo, Korea
Qiu Tian Ning 仇天宁, Mainland China
Wang Zi Ning 王子寧, Mainland China
Zhong Chi Yu 钟驰宇, Mainland China
Huang Hsuan Yu 黃瑄妤, Taiwan
Lian Hsiang Yo 連翔佑, Taiwan
Flutes
Lee Yu Xian Natasha, Singapore
Ngai Cheuk Nam Natalie, Singapore
Hsu Chia Yu 許家瑜, Taiwan
Liu Chih Hao 劉志浩, Taiwan
Oboes
Bei Er 貝爾, Mainland China
Ma Kai Wen 马凯汶, Mainland China
Sho Yong Shuen, Malaysia
Fu Chi Fan 傅其梵, Taiwan
Clarinets
Tang Ho Yan, Hong Kong
Kawada Ayaka, Japan
Yamagata Tamae, Japan
Lin Zheng Jun 林鉦钧, Mainland China
Bassoons
Cheng Son Him, Hong Kong
Or Yuk Man, Hong Kong
Jung Dong Gue , Korea
Chan Yi Chi 詹宜錡, Taiwan
French Horns
Takemura Marina, Japan
Kurosawa Kei, Japan
Song Jia Xun 宋嘉洵, Mainland China
Zhang Bo Xuan 张柏轩, Mainland China
Yen Shih Hsin 顏仕欣, Taiwan
Li Mei Hsien 李美嫻, Taiwan
Trumpets
To Hau Suet Venus 杜巧雪, Hong Kong
Wang Yi Cheng 王艺程, Mainland China
Li Dong Ning 李东宁, Mainland China
Wong Abner Ho Khuen 王祺权, Singapore
Tenor Trombones
Ito Yukina, Japan
Zhu Jian Yu 朱建宇, Mainland China
Bass Trombone
Su Yu Cheng 蘇昱丞, Taiwan
Tubas
Cheng Yeuk Man, Hong Kong
Yamamoto Sota, Japan
Percussion
Cheuk Yee Lam, Hong Kong
Oh Ga Eun, Korea
Kim Young Hoon, Korea
Li Xiao Biao 李小飚, Mainland China
Fan Chieh Yun 范且昀, Taiwan
Harps
Felita Eleonora, Indonesia
Lu Yuan 鲁媛, Mainland China