2005 INTERNATIONAL TRUMPET GUILD® CONFERENCE
GRAND HOTEL BANGKOK, BANGKOK, THAILAND
TUESDAY – FRIDAY, JUNE 21 – 24, 2005

Conference Coverage Home • Schedule of Events

Tuesday, June 21
2005 ITG Conference Opening Ceremony
Grand Hotel Grand Ballroom
Performance: H.M King Bhumibol’s Royal Trumpet Players, Mahidol University Wind Symphony with the Thailand Festival Trumpet Ensemble

Gary Mortenson, reporter

Joseph Bowman, Conference Host

The 2005 ITG Conference officially began, appropriately, with the King’s National Anthem. After opening remarks by Sugree Charoensook, Director of the College of Music at Mahidol University and an eloquent greeting from the University’s Vice President for student Development Affairs Sriprasit Boonvisut. Remarks continued from ITG President Stephen Chenette, who thanked Joseph Bowman and the entire faculty and staff at Mahidol University for their exceptional efforts on behalf of ITG in putting together the 2005 Conference. Joseph Bowman then addressed the audience thanking the Tourism Authority, Mahidol University, and the Grand Hotel for all of their support in making this event possible.

The first group to play was the His Majesty the King’s Royal Trumpeters, a group of about ten trumpeters and gong that played His Majesty’s Royal Fanfare a short fanfare performed on replicas of a natural trumpet that was given to a past Thai King by the King of France.

This was followed by five selections by the Mahidol Wind Symphony under the direction of Shuichi Komiyama including a spirited performance of Festive Overture by Shostakovich. Formed in 2003, this organization has attained a very fine level of quality in an exceptionally short period of time, a testament to the university’s commitment to advancing wind music.

The second selection, a premiere titled Bugle Parade Variations by Prateep Suphanrojn featured the talents of James Sherry, Lertkiat Chongjirajitra, Thanu Rasaraj, and Viroj Srisunanrat. This extended piece for four solo trumpets and winds began and ended with extended fanfares from the soloists, and contained brilliant contrapuntal dialogue and contrasting stylistic demands between the soloists and the wind symphony. The piece required lyrical and highly florid playing, a most effective use of contrast. Congratulations to Suphanro for this brilliant work, the four soloists for their fine performance, and the Mahidol Wind Symphony for their excellent accompaniment. The balance, intonation, and uniform approach to style were outstanding in every way. Bravo!

The program continued with three fine selections featuring the Wind Symphony. These included The Merry Widow by Franz Lehar as arranged by Eiji Suzuki, River Dance, a highly charged piece featuring brilliant rhythms and technical brilliance, by Bill Whelan arranged by Carl Strommen, and finally Magic Beams by HRM The King of Thailand. How appropriate that the concert should begin and end by paying tribute to the King, a revered Monarch who is himself a fine musician and supporter of the arts! It should be noted that the Mahidol Wind Symphony performed with excellent style, balance, intonation, and most of all, enthusiasm throughout the opening concert…a great beginning to what promises to be a truly memorable conference.

Program

His Majesty the King’s Royal Fanfare - traditional
His Majesty the King’s Royal Trumpeters

Festive Overture Opus 96 - Dmitri Shostakovich (1906-1975)

Bugle Parade Variations (World Premier) - Prateep Suphanrojn (1972 -)

Concerto for Four Trumpets and Wind Ensemble
Thailand Festival Trumpet Ensemble
James Sherry, Lertkiat Chongjirajitra, Thanu Rasaraj, Viroj Srisunanrat

The Merry Widow - Franz Lehar
arr. Eiji Suzuki
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Riverdance - Bill Whelan (1950)
arr. Carl Strommen

Magic Beams - HRM The King of Thailand
arr. Prateep Suphanrojn

Steven Chenette, ITG President