Professor Theodora Pavlovitch is a choral conductor and pedagogue. She had been the Head of Department of Conducting and Composition at the National Academy of Music in Sofia from 2016 to 2024 and was elected Chairperson of the General Assembly of the Academy in 2020. Conductor of Vassil Arnaoudov Sofia Chamber Choir and Classic FM Radio Choir in Bulgaria, she has also been a guest conductor, lecturer and member of juries at the prestigious events in 28 European countries, USA, Japan, South Korea, Russia, Israel, China, Hong Kong and Taiwan.

In 2007/2008, she conducted the World Youth Choir honoured by UNESCO with the title “Artist for Peace”. Over the years she has also conducted concerts and masterclasses with many famous choirs such as The Youth Choir of Japan Choral Association, Taipei Philharmonic Chamber Choir, the Chamber Choir of the Moscow State Conservatory “P.I. Tchaikovsky”.

Since 2012, Professor Pavlovitch has been the representative of Bulgaria in the World Choral Council and in 2021, she was appointed Honorary Member of the Council. For her achievements in music and the international choral life, she has been awarded many special prizes by the International Federation for Choral Music, the European Council of Scientific and Cultural Societies, Ministry of Culture of Bulgaria, the Union of Bulgarian Musicians, Classic FM Radio and other professional institutions.

Gao Wei is a young conductor and a Sanxian virtuoso. He graduated from the Central Conservatory of Music and the Xi’an Conservatory of Music, having studied under Professor Tan Jianlong, Associate Professor Zhou Yuguo and Professor Lin Yousheng, and received tutelage from renowned conductors such as Hu Bingxu, Professor Yan Huichang, Zhang Lie, Wang Fujian and Liu Sha.

Over the years, Gao garnered numerous accolades, including Outstanding Conductor Award and Outstanding Gardener Award in the “Shaanxi Ethnic Instrumental Competition” in 2015, Outstanding Instructor Award in the inaugural “Chinese Music Cup” in 2022, and the highest award for excellent courses in the “8^th National Exhibition of the Chinese Musical Instruments Education for Youth and Children of China” organised by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism in 2024.

Gao has been selected for the “Programme to Develop Conductors of Chinese Orchestral Music” organised by the China National Arts Fund and has conducted touring performances of Morning Star Lilies Forever at the National Centre for the Performing Arts and in the “Shanghai Spring” International Music Festival. He was also the conductor of many other concerts, such as “Culture for the People of Shaanxi Province”, “Shaanxi Province New Year Concert”, “Bringing High Arts into Schools of Shaanxi Province”, “Silk Road International Art Festival” and “Chang’an Meets Rome”. With a distinctive style of conducting, Gao is able to offer unique insights into the interpretation of Chinese orchestral works.

Gao is now the Associate Head, Associate Professor and graduate students’ supervisor of the Department of Chinese Music of the Xi’an Conservatory of Music. He also serves as the Vice-President of the Professional Sanxian Committee of the China Nationalities Orchestra Society.

Dr. Anthony Spain has been Music Director of the Northwest Symphony Orchestra (NWSO) since 1987. He graduated in 1990 with a Doctorate Degree in Music from the University of Washington, and has received numerous awards and honours including a Grammy nomination in vocal jazz performance. His innovative programming of northwest American composers first came to national attention in 1996 with a mention in a front-page Wall Street Journal article regarding up and coming arts groups. Since then both he, and the NWSO, have garnered eight National American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers awards for “Programming of Contemporary Music,” been awarded an American Prize in Orchestral Programming, and been featured several times on National Public Radio.

Dr. Spain has guest conducted orchestras and choirs throughout America and in Europe. He has conducted the Orfeo International Orchestra with the choir of L’UNESCO (the cultural branch of the United Nations) in Paris, France as well as the Bath Philharmonic in Bath, the UK. The Bath Chronicle exclaimed of Dr. Spain “He has a type of charisma, which extends to the far orchestral corners.” He has been a guest conductor with the Seattle Symphony Orchestra, a cover conductor with the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra, and guest conducted the National Philharmonic Orchestra of Honduras.

Dedicated to education, Dr. Spain is an active clinician and adjudicator, and works regularly with students throughout the Seattle and Highline area, as part of the NWSO’s “Symphony for Students” programme. He has been a guest speaker at conferences such as the American Symphony Orchestra League’s National Convention, and Conductor’s Guild National Conference.

Guo Pan obtained her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the Composition and Conducting Department of Shanghai Conservatory of Music under the tutelage of Dai Luqing, Wang Yongji, Professor Yan Huichang and Professor Lin Daye. She won the Second Runner-up and Best Interpretation of Works of Hong Kong in the 4^th International Conducting Competition for Chinese Music, being the first female conductor to make her way to the top three of the competition.

Guo has appeared as a Guest Conductor for the Shanghai Workers Cultural Palace Jasmine Philharmonic Orchestra, and has conducted for the Shanghai Conservatory of Music’s Chinese Chamber Orchestra. In 2021, Guo took part in the performance of Chinese chamber music concert “Let the Music Endure” held at the Shanghai Opera House. She has been a member of the Shanghai International Choir League, rehearsing and performing the Symphonic Suite Lord Nelson. During Guo’s tenure as conductor of the Chinese Orchestra of Shanghai Ocean University, the orchestra won the first place in the Shanghai University Students’ Arts Exhibition under her baton.

Guo has collaborated, to much acclaim, with many exceptional orchestras in China, including the Shenzhen Symphony Orchestra, Hangzhou Philharmonic Orchestra, Macao Chinese Orchestra, and Shaanxi Broadcasting Chinese Orchestra. She has participated in the Shanghai International Conductor’s Master Class, the Hangzhou Philharmonic Orchestra Future Conductors’ Concert Series and International Master Classes on Chinese Music Conducting hosted by the Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra and has received instruction from domestically and internationally renowned conductors such as Panula, Yang Yang, and Lü Jia.

Guo is currently Assistant Conductor of the Wuxi Chinese Orchestra.

Internationally renowned cellist and educator, Chu Yi-bing was the first Chinese cellist to win a major international competition. He studied under French master Maurice Gendron at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique de Paris, graduating with a Premier Prix as the first Chinese recipient of this honour from the institution.

Chu served as Principal Cellist for both the Basel Symphony Orchestra and the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, while also being one of the six cellists of the Cologne Philharmonic. He taught at the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing and the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique de Paris, where he became the first Chinese professor since the establishment of this institution in 1795.

Leading the cello ensemble he founded, Chu toured extensively throughout China during its twenty-year history. In 2013, he premiered China’s first concert for one hundred cellists at the National Centre for the Performing Arts. He has also released three albums. From 2016 to 2022, he founded and directed the “Super Cello Festival” in Beijing—China's first cello festival in recent years and largest of its kind in Asia, attracting hundreds of international cellists.

Dr. Ralph Hultgren is a renowned composer and conductor having held tenured positions at Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University (QCGU) and the Queensland University of Technology, where he lectured in Composition, Conducting, Music Education and Instrumental Music Pedagogy. He also holds an adjunct position at QCGU supervising Doctoral and Masters candidates in composition and Music Education.

Dr. Hultgren was admitted as a Member of the General Division of the Order of Australia (AM). This esteemed national honour sits alongside his professional awards that include being Patron of the Queensland Music Education Conference, recipient of the Midwest Clinic – Chicago International Award and the Australian Band and Orchestra Directors’ Association’s (ABODA) Citation of Excellence which joined with Life Membership in ABODA. Dr. Hultgren is a member of the World Association for Symphonic Bands and Ensembles, a full writer member of the Australasian Performing Right Association and the Australasian Mechanical Copyright Owners Society.

His compositional output ranges from educational and amateur performing groups to the professional studio and stage, and his conducting credits are equally broad. He continues to conduct, by invitation, across Australia, the Asia Pacific region and North America.

Dr. Ralph Hultgren is currently the Artistic Director of the Australian International Music Festival (Sydney).

Wong Cheuk-yin is a graduate of the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts with a Bachelor of Music degree. Wong majored in Suona under the tutelage of Wu Chun-hei, Assistant Principal Suona of the Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra (HKCO), and minored Guan under Lo Wai-leung, Principal Guan of the HKCO and Qin Jitao, Guan virtuoso. He worked as a full-time Suona virtuoso with the HKCO after graduation.

During his studies, Wong was awarded the Environmental Education Scholarship, and received guidance from renowned Suona masters such as Liu Ying and Wang Zhanzhan. In 2024, Wong won the second prize in the Chinese Wind Concerto Professional Class of White Magnolia International Music Competition. He has also performed with various orchestras in Germany, Belgium, Austria, Switzerland, Singapore, Japan and Macao.

Wong is currently Assistant Music Officer of the Chinese Music Section of the Music Office, and conductor of the Music Office Junior Chinese Orchestra.