Gudni A. Emilson

Chief Conductor

Gudni A. Emilsson was born in Reykjavik, Iceland in 1964. At the age of 4 he started music lessons with his father. At the State University of Music Trossingen in Germany he finished his Master Degree in piano and conducting. Gudni has also taken Master Classes, Workshops and assisted conductors including: Sergiu Celibidache, Walter Hügler, Kirk Trevor, Lutz Köhler, Rudolf Barshai, Ilya Musin, Manfred Schreier, Myung Wung Chung, Helmut Rilling, John Eliot Gardiner and Bernard Haitink.

Gudni A. Emilsson has won numerous national and international prizes for conducting.

Amongst the rewards he has received:

• “Herbert von Karajan Award” in Salzburg – Austria
• “Richard Wagner Award” in Bayreuth – Germany
• The “LIND -Artist Award” in Reykjavik – Iceland
• The “Masaryk Artist Award” of the Masaryk University of Brno – Czech Republic

He has enjoyed serving as guest conductor with German Orchestras such as the Stuttgart Philharmonic, Orchestra of the University of Leipzig, Nürnberg Symphony Orchestra, Göttingen Symphony Orchestra, Mannheim Chamber Orchestra and North West Germany Philharmonic. He has further served as a guest conductor for other European orchestras and choirs like the Radio Orchestra of Prague, Iceland Symphony Orchestra, Bankja Chamber Orchestra of Sofia, the Plovdiv Philharmonic Orchestra in Bulgaria, Kotor Art Festival Orchestra, Thessaloniki State Symphony Orchestra Greece, the Bohuslav Martinu Philharmonic in the Czech Republic, Czech Philharmonic Chamber Orchestra in Prague, Symphony Orchestra of the National Theatre in Prague, Radio Symphony Orchestra Prague, Radio Choir of Prague, Bukarest Radio Choir, the South Bohemian Chamber Orchestra, Poland Philharmonic and the Tonkünstler Orchestra of Vienna. Outside of Europe he was been well received as a guest conductor of the Arctic Chamber Orchestra (USA), the Orchestra “Sesi” Porto Alegre (Brazil), Arkansas Symphony Orchestra USA and the Vietnamese National Symphony Orchestra.

Scheduled of conducting invitations for 2009 to 2011 include: Haydn Festival Vienna (Austria), the Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra (Germany), Avignon Symphony Orchestra (France), San Francisco Chamber Orchestra (USA), Moravian Philharmonic Orchestra (Czech Republic), Philharmonic of Poland, Radio Philharmonic Orchestra Pilsen (Czech Republic), Kiev Philharmonic Orchestra (Ukraine), Hradec Kralove Philharmonic Orchestra, Arthur Rubinstein Philharmonic Lodz of Poland, Belgrade Philharmonic and the Orchestra dell` Arena di Verona in Italy.

Gudni has toured all of Europe, East and West Africa, Near and Middle Eastern Countries, Japan, South Korea, South East Asia, China, North and South America.
Gudni A. Emilsson has further performed in several important musical centres and at festivals such as: Bohuslav Martinu Festival Prague, Gewandhaus Leipzig Germany, Luxembourg,
Rio de Janeiro Sala Cecilia Mireles in Brasil, Alba Music Festival Italy, Mozart Festival Dortmund Germany and the Prague Spring Festival in “Rudolfinum – Hall”.
He has had the pleasure of working with such soloists as: Emmanuel Pahud, Katona Twins, Wolfgang Emanuel Schmidt, Perca Du, Lambis Vassiliadis, Josef Suk, Pavel Sporcel, Pieter Wispelwey, Ara Malikian, Reinhold Friedrich, Stefan Schilli, Dimitri Ashkenazy, Mischa Maisky, Lucia Aliberti, Hasmik Papian, Uto Ughi, Valery Oistrach and Shlomo Mintz.

From 2000 to 2004 Emilsson was the Chief Conductor of the Suk Chamber Orchestra in Prague, Czech Republic.
2005 he started as the Artistic Director of the Orchestra Camerata Bohemica Prague.

Since 2002 he has been serving as the Artistic Director and Cultural Attaché of the Classical Music Festival of the University City of Tübingen in Germany.

From 1999 he has been the Artistic Director and Chief Conductor of the Tübingen Chamber Orchestra touring in over 40 countries all over the world supported by the German Council of Music, the German Government and the Goethe Institute.

From 2005 Emilsson took over the new role as Chief Conductor of the Thailand Philharmonic Orchestra, which is under the patronage of the Royal Thai Government and Mahidol University College of Music in Bangkok.

Radio, Television and CD productions are available in Europe, USA and Thailand.

Capt. Prateep Suphanrojn MA BA LRSM

Resident Conductor

Capt. Prateep Suphanrojn MA BA LRSM was born in Suphanburi, Thailand. In 1988, he joined in the Royal Thai Army School of Music as the Oboist and the Tubaist. Then 1966, he was awarded a scholarship to study the Band Master Course at the Royal Military School of Music, Kneller Hall and Kingston University. He received the Bandmastership from the Associated Board of the Royal School of Music (LRSM) in 1997 and a Bachelor of Arts from the Kingston University in 1998. In the final year competition, he won prizes for arrangement, composition and conducting. He also was the Best All – Round and Best Oversea Student Bandmaster in 1998.

At present, he works in the Royal Thai Army Band in the Bandmaster Position and also as an officer of the Education Department and working his master degree program on composition at the College of Music, Mahidol University. He has also been the resident conductor of Dr. Sax Chamber Orchestra since June 2002.

Claude Villaret

Principal Guest Conductor

Claude Villaret’s baton leading the Berliner Symphoniker caused the euphoria of thousands spectators … Because of the magic he created beetween music and public, Claude Villaret, was the unquestionable protagonist of the IIIrd edition of the International Festival of Ushuaia. 4th May 2007 www.swissinfo.org

Born in Lausanne, Switzerland, Claude Villaret studied piano and conducting. He was then invited by the celebrated conductor, Bernard Haitink to follow his work at the Euyo and the Berliner Philharmoniker.

In 1990 whilst living in Argentina, he founded the Youth Orchestra of Latin America and conducted them at the famous Teatro Colon in Buenos Aires. On returning to Europe, in 1994 he won the much prized conducting competition of the music academy in Biel, following which he was invited to be guest conductor of the South Bohemian Chamber Philharmonic. His career as a conductor has since taken him to leading music centres such as Milan, Zurich, Salzburg, Buenos Aires, London, Prague, Athen, Vienna, Lucerne and Geneva in famous concert halls like Buenos Aires Teatro Colon, Tonhalle Zürich, Megaron Athen, KKL Lucern, Smetana Hall Prague, Sala Sao Paolo in Sao Paolo and other international venues with orchestras such as:

• Royal Philharmonic Orchestra London (England)
• Berliner Symphoniker (Germany)
• Symphony Orchestra Zurich (Switzerland)
• Musikkollegium Winterthur (Switzerland)
• TKO- Chamber Orchestra Thurgau (Switzerland)
• The New Orchestra of Geneva (Switzerland)
• OSI Orchestra della Svizzera Italiana (Switzerland)
• Nara Philharmonic (Japan)
• Wien Residenz Orchester (Vienna)
• Sinfônica Nacional (Brasil)
• Orquesta Sinfônica da USP (Sao Paolo)
• Plovdiv State Philharmonic Orchestra (Bulgaria)
• North Czech Philharmonic Orchestra (Czech Republic)
• Camerata Bohemica Prague (Czech Republic)
• Dvorak Prague Symphony Orchestra (Czech Republic)
• South Bohemian Chamber Orchestra (Czech Republic)
• Orchestra Sinfonica di Grosseto (Italy)
• Chamber Orchestra of Tübingen (Germany)
• State Philharmonic Orchestra of Arad (Romania)
• State Philharmonic Orchestra of Sibiu (Romania)
• State Phiharmonic Orchestra of Bacau (Romania)
• State Philharmonic Orchestra of Brasov (Romania)
• Chamber Orchestra of Kiev ( Ukraine)
• Orquesta Sinfónica Uncuyo (Argentina)
• Orquesta Sinfónica de Bahia Blanca (Argentina)
• Orquesta Sinfónica de la UNT (Argentina)
• Orquesta Sinfónica de Matanzas (Cuba)
• Sudecka Philharmonic Orchestra (Poland)
• Kalisz Philharmonic Orchestra (Poland)
• Athen State Symphony Orchestra (Greece)
• Antalya State Symphony Orchestra (Turkey)
• Astana National State Orchestra (Kazakhstan)

He has maintained his interests in South America, between 1998 and 2006 he was principal guest conductor of the Orquestra Sinfonica Nacional (Brazil), during the seaons 2002 – 2004 permanent guest conductor of the Orquesta Sinfonica UNT de Tucuman (Argentina). In 2004 he was appointed chief conductor/artistic director of the TKO Chamber Orchestra Thurgau (Switzerland), in 2005 he was also appointed a principal guest conductor of the Thailand Philharmonic Orchestra. His success has led to invitations to give conducting masterclasses in Germany and South America and also to be guest conductor at several music festivals.

His recent conducting repertoire includes the operas, La Boheme, Cosi fan tutte, Don Giovanni, Il Trovatore. In addition he enjoys being innovative in conducting many first performances of both Swiss and foreign composers. He also realized projects combining video installations with contemporary music.

2012 will see the release of a Cd with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra London and a second one with the Orchestra della Svizzera Italiana.

Christopher Hughes

Guest Conductor

Now in his 18th year as a conductor, Dr. Christopher Hughes is Professor of Conducting and Chair of the Conducting Faculty for the College of Music at Mahidol University where he serves as music director and conductor of the Mahidol Wind Symphony, Chamber Winds, and Symphony Orchestra. Hughes guides the master’s and doctoral programs in conducting and administers all aspects of the university ensemble program that boasts ten distinctive ensembles lead by five full-time conductors. In addition to his university responsibilities, Hughes serves as resident guest conductor for the Thailand Philharmonic Orchestra. Prior to this position, Hughes served on the faculties at Lander University and the University of Colorado.

Born on Bloomsday in Aspen, Colorado (USA), Hughes’s interest in the beauty of music began early. He decided to pursue conducting as a profession after experiencing the artistry of many of the great conductors who were in residence at the Aspen Music School. In 2005, Hughes was awarded the Doctor of Musical Arts degree in instrumental conducting and literature at the University of Colorado where he was a student of world-renowned conductor and Distinguished Professor Allan McMurray.

Developing an impressive international profile, Dr. Hughes has lead ensembles in concert on four continents including Europe, Asia, Australia and North America. He is in constant demand as a clinician and engagements have taken him to twelve US states and ten foreign countries including England, Ireland, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Indonesia. In 2009 Dr. Hughes led the Mahidol Wind Symphony in a critically acclaimed performance during the proceedings of the15th World Saxophone Congress. This subsequently led to an invitation for the band to appear as the guest artist ensemble for the 2010 Australian National Ensemble Championships. Hughes conducted the 2010 Southeast Asian Youth Wind Ensemble in Bangkok and the 2011 Honor Band of the Interscholastic Association of Southeast Asian Schools in Jakarta. In 2012 Hughes will conduct the Southeast Asian International Schools Honor Wind Ensemble and will venture to give clinics in New Zealand. Known for his sensitive interpretation of music for large and small instrumental ensembles, Hughes’s conducting has drawn praise from composers and conductors in the United States, Canada and Southeast Asia, and Australia. A champion of new music, Dr. Hughes has conducted numerous world and regional premieres and he has become a conductor of choice for contemporary music.

Dr. Hughes’s scholarly activity includes the authorship of a repertoire manual titled “One Hundred Windows Into The Soul: A Survey of Wind Music With Evocative Inspiration”. Hughes presented his research on the wind band movement in Southeast Asia at the 2011 conference of the World Association of Symphonic Bands and Ensembles. After earning a research grant from Mahidol University to study the instrumental conducting practices of each nation in the ASEAN alliance, Hughes traveled to each of these countries gathering remarkable data regarding the traditions and innovations of wind bands and conductors. During the summer of 2010, he presented in Singapore for the Conn-Selmer Institute. In addition, Dr. Hughes (along with Toshio Akiyama of Japan) chairs a task force for WASBE that investigates the needs of wind bands throughout the Asian region.

Dr. Hughes has, on several occasions, been included in the Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers publication and, since 2003, has been listed in Who’s Who in America. He was recently honored by being selected for the 2010 Who’s Who In The World. Hughes’s affiliations include the College Band Directors National Association, World Association for Symphonic Bands and Ensembles, International Conductor’s Guild, International Trumpet Guild, and Phi Mu Alpha.

Dariusz Mikulski

Guest Conductor

Dariusz Mikulski, the bugler and conductor was born 1973 in Zelow, Poland.

Darius Mikulski works regularly with chamber orchestras and famous musician, such as for example Valery Oistrakh, Radovan Vlatkovic, Ingo Goritzki, and Sergio Azzolini.

As a soloist he played together with orchestras like the Symphony Orchestra of the Northern German Radio, the chamber orchestras from Munich, Warsaw, Stuttgart and Vienna, the Philharmony of Nations, as well as the German Opera in Berlin.

As a conductor Dr. Mikulski has worked together with the Berlin Symphonics, the Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra, the Arthur Rubinstein Philharmony Lodz, and the Silesian Philharmonics from Kattowitz.

Since 2000, Dr. Dariusz Mikulski is known as the founder and leader of the Symphonic Orchestra of the Great Philharmonics Poland.

Ligia Amadio

Guest Conductor

The brazilian conductor Ligia Amadio was the first woman to win a ward in 30 years at the Tokyo International Music Competition for Conducting, in 1997. She won the first prize at the II Latin-American Competition for Conducting in Santiago, Chile, in March 1998. She has received the prize “Best Conductor of the Year” in Brazil, awarded by APCA (São Paulo Association of Critics of Art) in 2001.

Ligia Amadio is the chief conductor of the National Symphony Orchestra, Rio de Janeiro since 1996, when she was elected by the musicians. Previously Miss Amadio was assistant conductor at National Theater Symphony Orchestra, Brasília. Between October 2000 and December 2003 she was also the chief conductor of Cuyo National University’s Symphony Orchestra, Mendoza, Argentina, likewise elected by the musicians.

She began studying piano at the age of five and received her Diploma at the Dramatic and Musical Conservatory of São Paulo. She completed a degree in Bachelor of Conducting and Master Degree in Arts at the State University of Campinas.

Her main conducting teachers in Brazil were Eleazar de Carvalho, Henrique Gregori and Hans-Joachim Koellreutter. She also studied with Ferdinand Leitner, in Siena, Kurt Masur, in São Paulo, Julius Kalmar in Wien, Dominique Rouits in Hungary, Georg Tintner in Czech Republic, Alexander Polishuk and Eugeni Yergemsky in Saint Petersburg, Guillermo Scarabino, in Venezuela and Sir Edward Downes, in the 35th International Kirill Kondrashin Conductors Masterclass, Netherlands.

Her international career begun in 1992. Since then Ligia Amadio has conducted important orchestras in Argentina, Austria, Brazil, Chile, Croatia, Czech Republic, French, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Peru, Russia, Slovenia, United States of America and Venezuela (Orquesta Filarmónica de Buenos Aires, Orquesta Estable del Teatro Colón, Netherlands Radio Symphony Orchestra, Orquestra Sinfônica do Estado de São Paulo, Baden-Badener Philharmonie, Orquesta Sinfónica de Chile, Orquesta Sinfónica Nacional de Peru, Ensemble Contrechamps, Simfoniki RTV Slovenija, Tokio City Philharmonic Orchestra, Savaria Symphony Orchestra, Orquesta Sinfónica de Maracaibo, Orquesta Sinfónica del Estado Mérida, The Congress Symphony Orchestra, Silesian Opera Orchestra, Amazonas Filarmônica, Orquestra Sinfônica do Paraná, Orquestra Sinfônica Petrobrás Pró-Música, Orquestra Sinfônica do Teatro Nacional Cláudio Santoro, Orquestra Sinfônica Brasileira, Arpeggione Städtisches Kammerorchester, Orquestra Filarmônica Nacional da Moldávia).

With the National Symphony Orchestra, Rio de Janeiro, Ligia Amadio recorded a CD with compositions of Heitor Villa-Lobos in 1998. In 1999 she conducted the Slovene RTV Symphony Orchestra recording Rachmaninov. Since 2001, with the Cuyo National University’s Symphony Orchestra she recorded three CDs with argentinian composers.

Mrs. Amadio produced and presented the broadcast “Music and Literature” at Ministry of Culture’s Radio, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil between 2000 and 2003.

Alfonso Scarano

Guest Conductor

Since 2000 Alfonso Scarano is Principal Guest Conductor of the Virtuosi di Praga, historic Czech orchestra with which has performed in Germany (Freiburg Konzerthaus, Saarbrucken Kongresshalle, Heidelberg Stadthalle, Ulm EinsteinSaal), Italy (Milano, Brescia, Bergamo, Verona, Treviso, Trento, Udine), Slovakia (Bratislava Reduta Hall), Greece (Thessaloniki Concert Hall) and Czech Republic (Praha Rudolfinum, Praha Municipal Hall, Pontes Festival).

Starting on 1st January 2012 he will be the new Principal Guest Conductor of the Severočeská Filharmonie Teplice (Czech Republic).

Between 2006 and 2008 he has been Music Director of the Toscana Opera Festival, Italy. In three editions ha has conducted fifty performances by Tosca, Madama Butterfly, La Traviata, Carmen and Il Barbiere di Siviglia.

He won 1st prize in 1993 at the fifth edition of the Bottega International Conducting Competition at the Teatro Comunale in Treviso, Italy (Chaired by Peter Maag), 1st prize in 1997 at the fourth edition of the Franco Capuana European Community Conducting Competition in Rome, Italy (Chaired by Michelangelo Zurletti) and 2nd prize (1st and 3rd not assigned) in 2005 at the first edition of the Luigi Mancinelli International Conducting Competition at the Teatro Comunale in Orvieto, Italy (Chaired by Maurizio Arena). In 2003 he was chosen by Daniele Gatti to participate in the Young European Conductors project of the Scuola di Musica in Fiesole, Italy.

In Czech Republic, besides the decennial relationship with the Virtuosi di Praga and the most recent appointment at the Severočeská Filharmonie Teplice, Alfonso Scarano has conducted the most important orchestras of the country including the Moravskà Filharmonie Olomouc, Český Rozhlas Orchestra Praha, Plzenskà Filharmonie, Filharmonie Hradec Kràlovè, Praha Gustav Mahler Orchestra, Filharmonie Bohuslava Martinů Zlin, Komornì Filharmonie Pardubice.

Among the several orchestras conducted from 1993 until today there are the Orchestra del Teatro Regio di Parma, Orchestra del Teatro Petruzzelli di Bari, FVG Mitteleuropa Orchestra Udine, the Italian ICO orchestras of Bolzano and Trento, Lecce, Bari, the Filarmonia Veneta (Teatro Comunale di Treviso), OTLiS (Teatro Sperimentale di Spoleto), Orchestra Sinfonica del Friuli Venezia Giulia, Milano Classica, Kiev National Radio Television Simphony Orchestra, Cappella Istropolitana and Ensemble Orchestral de Paris. He has collaborated with renowned international artists such as Jorg Demus, François-Joël Thiollier, Alexander Toradze, Anna Kravtchenko, Ivan Martin, Vilmos Szabadi and Mario Brunello.

Alfonso Scarano has conducted the mainstays of operatic repertoire including Nabucco, La Traviata, Rigoletto, Tosca, La Bohème, Madama Butterfly, Carmen, Don Pasquale, La Sonnambula, Pagliacci, Cavalleria Rusticana, Il Barbiere di Siviglia, Gianni Schicchi and Gluck’s opera Le Cinesi in theatres such us Politeama Greco in Lecce, Teatro Sperimentale in Spoleto, Teatro Civico in Vercelli, Teatro Comunale in Treviso, Teatro Manzoni in Monza, Pompei Festival, Anfiteatro Romano di Ostia Antica in Roma, Teatro Nuovo Giovanni da Udine, Stagione Lirica in San Gimignano, Friedrichshafen Theater, Freiburg Theater, Roman Amphitheater in Plovdiv.

A supporter of the contemporary music, he has conducted several works (some in first world performance) by G. Kaufmann, A. Harlap, R. Di Marino, S. Perotti, P. Ugoletti, A. Bonera. In his concert programmes are intensively present composers of the historic twentieth century like R. Zandonai, A. Casella, G. F. Ghedini, R. Dionisi, the rare Respighi (Suite in sol maggiore per organo e orchestra, Rossiniana per grande orchestra sinfonica, Poema Autunnale), S. Laks, G. Finzi, V. Ullmann, E. Schulhoff and many others.

Besides the classic ballets (Swan Lake, Don Quixote, Giselle and Raymonda), Alfonso Scarano has concentrated its attention on the historical twentieth century repertoire conducting La Giara by Alfredo Casella (new production of the Balletto del Sud directed from Fredy Franzutti), Romeo and Giulietta by Prokofiev and Apollon Musagete by Stravinsky. The international dance gala conducted at Mittelfest 2009, 2010 and 2011 was enthusiastically reviewed by the press. He has collaborated with the greatest dancers of the world and particularly with etoiles from Wiener Staatsoper, Ljubljana Ballet, Hamburg Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, New York City Ballet, Ballet du Capitole de Toulouse, Ballet de l’Opèra de Paris and Birmingham Royal Ballet. In 2011 he has conducted the first performance of the ballet “The Death and the Maiden” by Schubert in the version for orchestra by Gustav Mahler, new creation of the Balletto di Roma.

His discography includes recordings for Tactus (first world recording of the Suite for organ and orchestra by Respighi with Milano Classica Orchestra), Lupulus (works of Verdi, Puccini, Donizetti with Virtuosi di Praga and Stefano Secco) and AliasSistemi (Russian Easter Festival Ouverture by Rimsky-Korsakov, Flute and Harp concerto K 299 by Mozart and the first world performance of Et amor by Sandro Perotti for solo, choir and orchestra, with the participation of the world renowned soprano Daniela Dessì).

Alfonso Scarano is graduated in Conducting (summa cum laude from the Conservatorio Umberto Giordano in Foggia), Opera Conducting (Accademia Musicale Pescarese) as well as in Choral Conducting (Conservatorio Niccolò Piccinni in Bari) and Trumpet (Conservatorio Tito Schipa in Lecce).