TIYO
Thailand International Youth Orchestra

The best young musicians in Asia don't come from just one country.

Neither do we. Find your musical home in Thailand.

TIYO students at Wat Phra Kaew, Bangkok
TIYO students at Grand Palace, Bangkok
Applications close
15 October 2026

The best young musicians in Asia don't come from just one country.

Neither do we. Find your musical home in Thailand.

About TIYO

A new voice
for youth music in Asia.

Inaugural Season — 14–20 February 2027

Every country in the region has a national youth orchestra, but each accepts only its own citizens, leaving a generation of gifted players, many of them at international schools, with no equivalent path. TIYO was created so that every serious young musician in Asia has an orchestral home, whether or not they are eligible for a national programme.

Faculty are drawn from leading orchestras and conservatoires across Asia and beyond. Instrumentalists of every nationality are welcome, and selection is on musical merit alone.

At a Glance
Founded 2027 (inaugural)
Location Rugby School Thailand
Standard Grade 7 or above
Programme fee ฿45,000 THB
Nationality Open to all
Applications Open August 2026

Be the first to know when audition excerpts are released.

One email. No newsletters, no spam.

By submitting, you agree to receive audition notifications from TIYO.
Key Dates — 2026–2027

From application to performance.

August 2026
Excerpts Released
Audition excerpt files released and applications open.
15 October 2026
Applications Close
Deadline for all video submissions and application fee.
November 2026
Results Announced
All applicants notified of audition results.
14–20 February 2027
Programme & Concert
Residential programme at Rugby School Thailand, concluding with public performance.

Ready to audition for
TIYO 2027?

Applications open August 2026.

News & Announcements

The road to February 2027.

Milestones, appointments and partnerships as the inaugural season takes shape.

23 June 2026 Programme

Pictures at an Exhibition named the centrepiece of TIYO's first programme

Mussorgsky's suite, in Ravel's dazzling orchestration, will anchor the inaugural season: a showcase for every section of the orchestra.

Chonburi, Thailand – 23 June 2026

TIYO has chosen Modest Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition, in Maurice Ravel's celebrated orchestration, as the main work for its inaugural 2027 programme.

Mussorgsky wrote the piece in 1874 as a suite for solo piano, a musical walk through an exhibition of paintings and designs by his friend Viktor Hartmann, composed in tribute after the artist's sudden death. Each movement depicts a single picture, from a medieval castle to children quarrelling in a Paris park to a lumbering oxcart, linked by a recurring "Promenade" theme that carries the visitor from one frame to the next. In 1922, at the urging of conductor Serge Koussevitzky, Ravel reimagined the piano score as one of the most brilliantly coloured works in the entire orchestral repertoire.

Few pieces give so much to so many players, which is exactly why it suits a young orchestra. It opens with a solo trumpet, then features an alto saxophone, rarely heard in the symphony orchestra, in "The Old Castle", a singing tuba in the oxcart, nimble woodwinds in the "Ballet of the Unhatched Chicks", a large and busy percussion section throughout, and a finale, "The Great Gate of Kiev", that builds through bells and full brass to one of the most thrilling closes in all of orchestral music. Nearly every section steps into the spotlight, and Ravel's orchestration is one of the finest lessons a developing musician can have in how an orchestra creates colour.

"It is the perfect first piece for this orchestra. Every section has a moment that belongs to them, and the whole work builds to a finale our players will never forget. Learning how Ravel turns a piano score into all of that colour is an education in itself."

Graeme Norris, Founder & Artistic Director, TIYO

Pictures at an Exhibition will sit at the heart of the programme the orchestra performs at its closing concerts in February 2027.

21 June 2026 Conductor

Jörg-Peter Weigle to conduct TIYO's inaugural season

One of Germany's senior orchestral conductors will lead the first generation of TIYO musicians.

Jörg-Peter Weigle
Jörg-Peter Weigle
Chonburi, Thailand – 21 June 2026

The Thailand International Youth Orchestra has confirmed that Jörg-Peter Weigle will take the podium for its inaugural season, leading the orchestra through its residency and closing concerts in February 2027.

Weigle brings one of the most substantial conducting careers in Europe to TIYO's founding year. A former boy chorister of Leipzig's Thomanerchor, the choir historically associated with Bach, he went on to lead three major German orchestras: Chief Conductor of the Dresden Philharmonic, Chief Conductor and Artistic Director of the Stuttgart Philharmonic, and most recently General Music Director of the Brandenburg State Orchestra Frankfurt. His career has carried him on tour across Europe, the Americas and Japan.

For an orchestra built around the development of young players, his appointment carries particular weight. Weigle has spent decades training the next generation, holding a professorship in Berlin and leading conservatoire orchestras alongside his professional engagements.

"To open our first season under a conductor of Weigle's standing is everything we hoped this programme could be. Our musicians will spend a week making music with someone who has shaped orchestras at the highest level. That is the experience we set out to give them."

Graeme Norris, Founder & Artistic Director, TIYO

Throughout the residency, Weigle will work alongside TIYO's full faculty of professional orchestral musicians, leading the orchestra through to its closing concerts.

25 April 2026 Faculty

A faculty without borders joins the founding season

Principals and players from leading orchestras across Asia, Europe and beyond commit to TIYO 2027.

Chonburi, Thailand – 25 April 2026

TIYO has assembled a faculty of professional orchestral musicians and educators for its inaugural season, with tutors now confirmed across every section of the orchestra.

The 2027 faculty draws from some of the most respected ensembles in the region and beyond, including the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra, the London Symphony Orchestra, the Singapore Symphony Orchestra, the Royal Bangkok Symphony Orchestra, the Thailand Philharmonic Orchestra and the Cologne Chamber Orchestra. Tutors also join from the Tianjin Juilliard School and the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory.

Among them are concertmasters, section principals and conservatoire faculty, each with significant experience guiding young musicians at pre-professional level. They will live and work alongside TIYO's players throughout the residency, leading sectionals, coaching chamber groups and mentoring the orchestra section by section.

"The teaching is what a young musician actually takes home, so it is where we started. Every young musician at TIYO will learn with someone who does this for a living, in a great orchestra. That proximity is how players grow fastest."

Graeme Norris, Founder & Artistic Director, TIYO

The full faculty roster is available on the Faculty page.

28 February 2026 Partnership

Rugby School Thailand joins TIYO as founding Venue Partner

The inaugural season will be hosted on the school's Chonburi campus, home to world-class performing arts facilities and a new concert hall.

Chonburi, Thailand – 28 February 2026

The Thailand International Youth Orchestra is delighted to announce Rugby School Thailand as the Venue Partner for its inaugural 2027 season. The orchestra will be based on the school's campus in Chonburi for its residency and rehearsals, establishing RST as the founding home of TIYO.

The programme is being built and delivered by TIYO's Founder and Artistic Director, Graeme Norris, who leads the artistic direction, faculty, auditions and full operational delivery of the season.

Rugby School Thailand brings world-class performing arts facilities to the partnership, along with the space for a full symphony orchestra to live, rehearse and perform together over a concentrated week. The campus is also home to a new concert hall, the Teepsuwan Auditorium, scheduled for completion in November 2026, which will give TIYO a purpose-built venue for its inaugural season.

"A youth orchestra needs a home, and Rugby School Thailand gives us one of real quality. This partnership lets us focus on what matters: putting exceptional young musicians together with outstanding teachers, and giving them a week they will remember for the rest of their lives."

Graeme Norris, Founder & Artistic Director, TIYO

TIYO's inaugural season runs from 14 to 20 February 2027.

Jörg-Peter Weigle, Conductor
Jörg-Peter Weigle
General Music Director · Professor
Conductor · Inaugural Season 2027

Nearly fifty years
on the podium.

Jörg-Peter Weigle has given much of a career approaching fifty years to working with young musicians. For ten years he was Artistic Director of the Radio Music School Orchestra, now the German String Philharmonic. He has led the university orchestras of Leipzig and Dresden, and conducted the German National Youth Orchestra in Shostakovich's Symphony No. 15.

He has held positions as Chief Conductor of the Leipzig Radio Choir, the Dresden Philharmonic, and the Stuttgart Philharmonic. Most recently, from 2018 to 2025, he served as General Music Director and Chief Conductor of the Brandenburg State Orchestra Frankfurt. From 2003 to 2025 he was Artistic Director of the Philharmonic Choir Berlin, where he specialised in reviving overlooked choral-symphonic repertoire.

Weigle conducted operas in collaboration with Harry Kupfer at the Komische Oper Berlin and the Semperoper Dresden. The 1990 world premiere of Georg Katzer's opera Antigone oder die Stadt (Antigone, or the City) attracted particular attention. His body of work is documented through numerous radio recordings and CDs.

Read the full biography

Jörg-Peter Weigle received his initial musical training with the St. Thomas Boys' Choir (Thomanerchor) in Leipzig. Following his studies at the Hanns Eisler Academy of Music in Berlin under Horst Förster, he attended masterclasses with Kurt Masur and Witold Rowicki in Weimar and Vienna.

Early in his career, he worked as a conductor in Neubrandenburg, and from 1980 served as Director and Chief Conductor of the Leipzig Radio Choir. During this period, he collaborated with renowned conductors and soloists, including Kurt Masur, Colin Davis, Neville Marriner, Marek Janowski, Peter Schreier, Theo Adam, Marjana Lipovšek, and Helen Donath. He also appeared as a guest conductor at the Semperoper Dresden and the Komische Oper Berlin, and with the choirs and orchestras of Bavarian Radio (BR) and North German Radio (NDR).

In 1986, he became Chief Conductor and General Music Director of the Dresden Philharmonic. Highlights of his tenure included his first Beethoven cycle in Madrid (performed on modern instruments) and his conducting of choral-symphonic works during the Dresden Music Festival, such as Franz Schmidt's Das Buch mit sieben Siegeln (The Book with Seven Seals) and Richard Wagner's Das Liebesmahl der Apostel (The Love Feast of the Apostles), featuring the Leipzig Radio Choir and the Dresden State Opera Choir. A particularly significant milestone was his debut with the Bavarian Radio Choir and Symphony Orchestra, conducting Franz Schubert's Mass in E-flat major.

In 1995, he became Chief Conductor of the Stuttgart Philharmonic, touring with them across North and South America and Europe. From 2001 to 2017 he was Professor of Choral Conducting at the Hanns Eisler School of Music Berlin, and its Rector from 2008 to 2012.

Jörg-Peter Weigle has recorded numerous CDs for various labels. In addition to Mozart recordings for Philips Classics, featuring artists such as Iris Vermillion, Juliane Banse, René Pape, and Roman Trekel, and choral music for Eterna, his discography includes the complete symphonic works of Hans Huber (Sterling) and the complete symphonies of Felix Draeseke (cpo). In 2016, a recording of Walter Braunfels's Große Messe (Grand Mass), performed by the Philharmonic Choir Berlin and the Konzerthausorchester Berlin, among others, was released by Capriccio.

An artistic highlight between 2004 and 2007 was his second cycle of all the symphonies of Ludwig van Beethoven, together with the Missa solemnis, performed with Concerto Brandenburg (on period instruments) and the Philharmonic Choir Berlin.

Graeme Norris, Founder and Artistic Director
Graeme Norris
Founder & Artistic Director
Message From The Artistic Director

Open to everyone.
Chosen for your playing, not your passport.

The best young musicians in Asia don't just come from one country. They come from every corner of the world and every background you can imagine. They deserve a stage of their own, and TIYO exists for them all.

Selection is purely on merit, with each seat going to the finest young player who auditions for it, regardless of nationality. Send us a recording and we will listen properly.

TIYO will be a training programme of the highest level, and I have invited faculty from leading orchestras and conservatoires: performers and teachers at the top of their profession.

The inaugural residential course runs from 14 to 20 February 2027, with the first concert at Rugby School Thailand's new 750-seat hall and a season-closing concert in Bangkok. Step forward and become part of the very first TIYO. We look forward to seeing you play!

The Programme

One week of full immersion.
Two public concerts.

TIYO is an intensive residential orchestral programme built around a single goal: preparing young musicians to a professional standard.

The Repertoire

The season is built around Pictures at an Exhibition.

Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition, in Ravel's 1922 orchestration, is the main work of the inaugural programme. It gives every section of the orchestra a moment to shine, from the famous opening solo trumpet and the alto saxophone in "The Old Castle" to the singing tuba, the nimble woodwinds, running strings, and the bells and full brass of "The Great Gate of Kiev".

Format

The programme is held at Rugby School Thailand, Chonburi, with participants accommodated on campus. The fee of ฿45,000 THB covers tuition, accommodation, meals and transport from Bangkok on request. Flights to Bangkok are the participant's responsibility.

Every rehearsal, coaching session and masterclass is oriented towards the two closing concerts.

Instruments Accepted

TIYO accepts all standard orchestral instruments, and the inaugural programme also includes a chair for alto saxophone. Wind applicants are encouraged to audition on doubling instruments. Percussion and timpani applicants prepare a single combined excerpt set, and all percussion instruments are provided during the programme.

Strings
Violin · Viola · Cello
Double Bass · Harp
Woodwind
Flute · Oboe · Clarinet · Bassoon
Alto Saxophone + auxiliaries
Brass
French Horn · Trumpet
Trombone · Tuba
Percussion
Timpani · Percussion
Instrument Hire — TIYO can help arrange rental instruments for participants who need them, including larger instruments such as cello. Contact admin@tiyo.org and we will make the arrangements. All percussion instruments are provided by TIYO.

Closing Concerts

The programme concludes with two public concerts:

19 February 2027
Teepsuwan Auditorium
Rugby School Thailand, Chonburi
For families & school guests
20 February 2027
Bangkok — Venue to be confirmed
Bangkok
Open to the public
Programme at a Glance
Main work: Pictures at an Exhibition
Mussorgsky, arr. Ravel
Season14–20 February 2027
LocationChonburi, Thailand
FormatResidential
StandardGrade 7 or above
Application fee฿1,000 THB
Deadline15 Oct 2026
ResultsNovember 2026

Programme fee: ฿45,000 THB — all-inclusive (tuition, accommodation, meals, transport from Bangkok on request). Flights to Bangkok are participants' responsibility.

Audition Requirements

A set of TIYO-designated orchestral excerpts (the number varies by instrument), recorded in order in a single unedited take.

One own choice piece (3–5 minutes), except Timpani & Percussion. A complete movement is not required.

Excerpt files available for download from August 2026.

Venues & Campus

Rugby School Thailand

Rehearsal Venue & Residential Campus
Rugby School Thailand
Chonburi, Thailand  ·  14–20 February 2027
Rugby School Thailand campus aerial view

Rugby School Thailand is the Southeast Asian campus of Rugby School, one of England's oldest independent schools. Its Chonburi campus has facilities of a standard rarely found outside the world's leading boarding institutions.

Participants live in the school's boarding houses with all meals provided. Rehearsals, sectional coaching, masterclasses and chamber sessions all take place on campus, which lets the week run at the intensity of a professional residency.

Campus type
Full residential boarding school
Location
Chonburi Province, Thailand
Accommodation
School boarding houses, all meals included
Dates on campus
14–20 February 2027
Teepsuwan Auditorium seating
Rehearsal Hall  ·  19 February Concert

The Teepsuwan Auditorium

A purpose-built 750-seat auditorium equipped to professional concert standard. TIYO rehearses here through the week and performs here on 19 February, so participants spend the week working in the hall they will perform in.

750 Seat capacity
19 Feb Concert date
RST Chonburi campus
Closing Concert — Bangkok

Bangkok Concert — Venue to be confirmed

Bangkok, Thailand  ·  20 February 2027

The season closes on 20 February with a public concert in Bangkok. The venue will be announced in due course.

Playing in Bangkok gives families and supporters who cannot travel to Chonburi the chance to hear the orchestra at full strength.

Venue
Bangkok — to be confirmed
City
Bangkok, Thailand
Concert date
20 February 2027
Tickets
Open to the public — details announced with applications
Faculty

Professional musicians.
Dedicated mentors.

TIYO's inaugural 2027 faculty bring together professional orchestral musicians and educators from across Asia and beyond, each with significant experience coaching young musicians at pre-professional level.

Faculty — 2027 Season
Graeme Norris — Violin
Violin
Graeme Norris
Founder & Artistic Director, TIYO
Graeme Norris is the founder and Artistic Director of TIYO. His orchestral career included leadership positions with the West Australian Symphony Orchestra, Associate Concertmaster of the Adelaide Symphony and extensive work with the Malaysian Philharmonic, with guest principal appearances at the Singapore Symphony and orchestras across Asia. As an educator he has served on the faculty of the Malaysian Philharmonic Youth Orchestra, Adelaide Youth Orchestra and West Australian Youth Orchestra, and appears regularly as a tutor at music camps throughout Asia.
Peter Daniš — Violin
Violin
Peter Daniš
Concertmaster, Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra
Slovak violinist Peter Daniš is Concertmaster of the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra. He studied at the Academy of Music in Bratislava under Professor Jozef Kopelman, and later with Dr. Eduard Schmieder. Prior to the MPO he served as Assistant Concertmaster of the Chamber Soloists Bratislava and Principal Second Violin of the Talich Chamber Orchestra. An active chamber musician, he leads the Daniš String Quartet and has performed extensively in the MPO Chamber Music Series, with tours across Malaysia, Japan, China, Singapore and Australia. He appears regularly as violin soloist and leader with the MPO.
Rhys Watkins — Violin
Violin
Rhys Watkins
First Violin, London Symphony Orchestra
Welsh violinist Rhys Watkins has an established career as soloist, recitalist and orchestral leader. A graduate of Chetham's School of Music and the Royal Academy of Music, he joined the London Symphony Orchestra in 2009 and has appeared as concerto soloist with the LSO at the Barbican and LSO St Luke's. He is a member of the award-winning Artea String Quartet, performing at Wigmore Hall, the Purcell Room and the BBC Proms, with frequent broadcasts on BBC Radio 3. At Abbey Road he has recorded for many film scores, including the Harry Potter and Star Wars franchises.
Daniel Keasler — Viola
Viola
Daniel Keasler
Co-Principal Viola, Thailand Philharmonic Orchestra
Florida-born Dr. Daniel Keasler holds a Doctorate from Florida State University and is Co-Principal Viola of the Thailand Philharmonic Orchestra and Lecturer in Viola at Mahidol University's College of Music. He founded the Thailand Viola Society in 2012 and organised the 48th International Viola Congress in Bangkok in 2023 — the first time the congress was held in Southeast Asia.
Jonathan Weigle — Cello
Cello
Jonathan Weigle
Principal Cello, Cologne Chamber Orchestra
Berlin-born Jonathan Weigle has been Principal Cello of the Cologne Chamber Orchestra since 2015 and serves regularly in the same role with the City of Birmingham Symphony, Malaysian Philharmonic, Frankfurt Radio Symphony and Royal Philharmonic Orchestra London. He has appeared with the Leipzig Gewandhaus and Mahler Chamber Orchestra, and in 2021 taught cello students as part of the Mahler Chamber Orchestra Academy.
Nattawut Sungkasaro — Double Bass
Double Bass
Nattawut Sungkasaro
Principal Double Bass, Royal Bangkok Symphony Orchestra
Principal Double Bass of the Royal Bangkok Symphony Orchestra since 2018, Nattawut Sungkasaro studied at the Princess Galyani Vadhana Institute of Music and the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna on a Princess Sirivannavari Scholarship. The Bangkok Post described him as "a genuinely incredible young virtuoso" following his concerto appearance with the RBSO, praising his "awe-inspiring technical facility married to the deepest levels of musicality."
Roberto Alvarez — Flute
Flute
Roberto Alvarez
Flute, Singapore Symphony Orchestra
Born in Asturias, Spain, Roberto Alvarez has been Assistant Principal Flute and Piccolo Soloist of the Singapore Symphony Orchestra since 2007. He has performed with the Barcelona Symphony, Malaysian Philharmonic and Bach-Akademie Stuttgart, and won multiple international prizes. He teaches at NAFA and SOTA in Singapore and at the Princess Galyani Vadhana Institute of Music in Bangkok, and has given masterclasses with the Singapore and Asturias national youth orchestras.
Simon Emes — Oboe
Oboe
Simon Emes
Oboe, Singapore Symphony Orchestra
London-born oboist Simon Emes has held principal positions with the Royal Danish Orchestra, Oslo Philharmonic (under Mariss Jansons), and the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra. As Guest Principal he has toured and recorded with the Chamber Orchestra of Europe, WDR Cologne, the Australian Chamber Orchestra, and the Sydney and New Zealand Symphony Orchestras, with recent Solo Oboe engagements at the Gothenburg Symphony and Swedish Chamber Orchestra. Simon studied at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama with Anthony Camden, David Theodore, and Maurice Bourgue, winning the Gold Medal in 1982.
Vladimir Pavtchinskii — Clarinet
Clarinet
Vladimir Pavtchinskii
Principal Clarinet, Sun Symphony Orchestra Vietnam
Born in Kyiv into a musical family, Vladimir Pavtchinskii has performed at the Musikverein Vienna, Concertgebouw Amsterdam, Royal Albert Hall and Tonhalle Zürich. He has worked under Sir Simon Rattle, Mikhail Pletnev and Teodor Currentzis, and served as Principal Clarinet of the Sun Symphony Orchestra in Vietnam since 2018. He previously collaborated with the Royal Swedish Opera in Stockholm and Hulencourt Festival in Brussels.
Alexandar Lenkov — Bassoon
Bassoon
Alexandar Lenkov
Principal Bassoon, Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra
Section Principal Bassoon of the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra, Alexandar Lenkov trained at the Hochschule für Musik Franz Liszt Weimar and the Hochschule für Musik Köln, and previously performed with the Cologne Chamber Orchestra. He has appeared as concerto soloist with the MPO performing Weber's Bassoon Concerto, and gives masterclasses regularly across Southeast Asia including at NAFA Singapore.
Grzegorz Curyła — French Horn
French Horn
Grzegorz Curyła
Principal Horn, Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra
Polish hornist Grzegorz Curyła has been Principal Horn of the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra since 2015. He began the horn at fourteen and made his solo debut at seventeen with Mozart's Third Horn Concerto, and has since played the major horn repertoire as soloist with the London Sinfonietta, the Zermatt Festival Orchestra and orchestras across Poland. He holds master's degrees with distinction from both the Royal Academy of Music in London and the University of Music in Wrocław, and was made an Associate of the Royal Academy of Music in 2017. At twenty-three he won his first professional orchestral trial, for co-principal horn with the London Philharmonic Orchestra, and has since appeared as guest principal with orchestras and ensembles including the BBC Symphony, the Royal Philharmonic, the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, the Berlin Philharmonic's Scharoun Ensemble, the Konzerthausorchester Berlin, the Bergen Philharmonic and the Sydney and Melbourne Symphony Orchestras.
Sergey Tyuteykin — Trumpet
Trumpet
Sergey Tyuteykin
Trumpet Faculty, Tianjin Juilliard School
A graduate of the Moscow State Tchaikovsky Conservatory, Sergey Tyuteykin served as Principal Trumpet of the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra for seven seasons from 2009, becoming a founding faculty member of the Shanghai Orchestra Academy in 2014. He subsequently joined the Singapore Symphony Orchestra for five seasons and has appeared as guest principal with the Malaysian and Hong Kong Philharmonic orchestras. He has worked under Riccardo Muti, Zubin Mehta and Jaap van Zweden, and now teaches at the Tianjin Juilliard School.
Marques Young — Trombone
Trombone
Marques Young
Trombone Faculty, Yong Siew Toh Conservatory
Trained at The Juilliard School under Joseph Alessi of the New York Philharmonic, Marques Young won the Frank Smith, Eastern Trombone and ITA Van Haney international competitions and served as Principal Trombone of the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra. He has performed with the New York Philharmonic and American Brass Quintet, and shared the stage with Wynton Marsalis and Benny Golson. He now teaches trombone at the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music at the National University of Singapore.
Brett Stemple — Tuba
Tuba
Brett Stemple
Head of Brass, Yong Siew Toh Conservatory
A founding member of the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra, Brett Stemple served as its Section Principal Tuba for nineteen seasons and appeared on over twenty recordings on the BIS, Vox and EMI labels. He holds a doctorate from Indiana University and is Associate Professor and Head of Brass and Percussion at the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music at the National University of Singapore, where he also serves as Vice Dean of Ensembles. He additionally teaches at the Tianjin Juilliard School.
Ema Mitarai — Harp
Harp
Ema Mitarai
Principal Harp, Royal Bangkok Symphony Orchestra
Born in Japan into a musical family, Ema Mitarai studied at the Toho Gakuen College of Music in Tokyo and at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester on a Rotary Foundation grant. Principal Harp of the Royal Bangkok Symphony Orchestra, she has been based in Bangkok since 2005 and runs the RBSO Harp School alongside her orchestral career, producing prize-winning students at international competitions.
Wannapha Yannavut — Timpani & Percussion
Timpani & Percussion
Wannapha Yannavut
Principal Timpani, Thailand Philharmonic Orchestra
Dr. Wannapha Yannavut holds a Doctor of Musical Arts from the University of Iowa and is Principal Timpanist of the Thailand Philharmonic Orchestra and Lecturer in Percussion at Mahidol University's College of Music, where she directs the Integrated Percussion Ensemble. She served as Principal Percussion of the TPO from 2006 and was voted the orchestra's Best Musician in 2010. She has performed and given masterclasses across Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, New Zealand and the USA.
TIYO Faculty Approach
"A week is long enough to change how a young musician hears the world."
Audition Requirements

How to apply
for a place in TIYO.

All applicants submit a recorded video audition. Below is a complete guide to everything required. For questions, contact admin@tiyo.org.

Applications Open August 2026

Be the first to know when audition excerpts are released.

One email. No newsletters, no spam.

By submitting, you agree to receive audition notifications from TIYO.

Key Dates

Event
Date
Excerpts Released
August 2026
Submissions Due
15 October 2026
Results Announced
November 2026

Eligibility

There is no nationality or residency requirement. TIYO is held in Thailand and applications are welcome from anywhere in the world.

Applicants must be available to participate in the full programme season.

The programme is aimed at players roughly aged 12 to 21. This is a guideline rather than a strict cut-off, and exceptions may be made at the discretion of the Artistic Director.

Applicants are typically working at ABRSM or Trinity Grade 7 or above. Grading systems vary across the region — the audition excerpts are the clearest test of readiness.

Piece of Own Choice

All applicants except Timpani & Percussion perform a piece of their own choice, between 3 and 5 minutes. An accompanist is not required, and neither is a complete work: a well-chosen passage of a longer piece is fine.

Choose something that shows both your technique and your musical personality, and discuss the choice with your teacher.

Orchestral Excerpts

Applicants perform the excerpts TIYO selects for their instrument, drawn from the parts that instrument plays in the season's repertoire. The number varies by instrument. Each is provided as a marked part file, with bowings, articulations and fingerings indicated where relevant.

Guidelines for preparing your excerpts:

  • Take time to learn about the background of each work and listen to an orchestral recording to hear your part in context
  • Follow all tempo, dynamic, articulation and bowing markings in the excerpt file
  • Metronome markings are an indication — musical sensitivity takes priority over mechanical accuracy
  • A more demanding excerpt should not discourage less experienced players — play at a comfortable tempo if necessary
  • For passages with extended rests, pause briefly and continue — counting through full rests is not required
  • Seek the guidance of your instrumental teacher in preparing your excerpts

Alto Saxophone

The inaugural programme includes a chair for alto saxophone, which Ravel writes into Pictures at an Exhibition. Saxophone applicants prepare an own choice piece plus the saxophone solo from "Il vecchio castello" ("The Old Castle"), which replaces the excerpt set entirely. The solo is available for download alongside the other excerpt files.

Concertmaster Applicants

Applicants wishing to be considered for the position of Concertmaster must submit the standard audition requirements plus the designated solo excerpts, as a separate video. These feature prominent violin solos from the orchestral repertoire, and are marked as such within the violin excerpt booklet.

These excerpts are required only for Concertmaster consideration. Choosing not to submit them has no bearing on your standard audition.

Recording Your Audition

The following elements must be recorded as separate video files:

  • Own choice piece (except Timpani & Percussion)
  • Orchestral excerpts — recorded in order, in a single unedited take
  • Concertmaster solo excerpts — if applicable, as a separate video
  • Auxiliary instrument excerpt — if applicable, one excerpt per auxiliary

Technical requirements:

  • Record in landscape orientation, minimum 720p resolution
  • Upload as unlisted YouTube videos and provide the links in your application
  • Film in good lighting with minimal background noise
  • Mobile phone recordings are suitable provided they meet the above requirements
  • Do not edit any part of your video

Auxiliary Instruments

Wind applicants are encouraged to audition on doubling instruments alongside their primary instrument. Accepted auxiliary instruments include piccolo, cor anglais, E♭ clarinet, bass clarinet and contrabassoon. One standard excerpt is provided for each auxiliary instrument. No own choice piece is required for an auxiliary.

TIYO recognises that some auxiliary instruments — particularly bass clarinet and contrabassoon — may not be readily accessible to all applicants. If you do not have reliable access to your auxiliary instrument for recording purposes, contact admin@tiyo.org to discuss alternative arrangements. Applicants will not be disadvantaged for making this request.

Percussion and Timpani

There is a single excerpt set covering both percussion and timpani, and the timpanist is chosen from the same set, so we ask you to prepare all of it. It includes the Bach marimba solo, which takes the place of an own choice piece. Excerpts may be recorded separately, on whatever appropriate instrument is available to you, and submitted as an unlisted YouTube playlist. All percussion instruments are provided during the programme.

For any questions about the audition process, please contact us at admin@tiyo.org.

Quick Reference
Excerpts releasedAugust 2026
Deadline15 Oct 2026
ResultsNovember 2026
Application fee฿1,000 THB
StandardGrade 7 or above
EligibilityOpen to all nationalities
What to Prepare

TIYO orchestral excerpts for your instrument, recorded in order in a single unedited take.

1 own choice piece, 3–5 minutes, except Timpani & Percussion. Complete work not required.

Concertmaster applicants: additional solo excerpts, included in the violin booklet.

Excerpts available from August 2026.

Contact

For audition and application enquiries:

admin@tiyo.org

Support TIYO

Invest in the next
generation of musicians.

TIYO offers a range of partnership and sponsorship opportunities for organisations and individuals who share our belief in the transformative power of serious musical training.

Our Supporters

Venue Partner
Rugby School Thailand

Ways to Support

Your support for TIYO, at any level, helps build a regional platform where the most gifted young musicians of Asia can rise.

Various forms of partnership, including in-kind contributions, are welcome. Enquire.

Friends of TIYO Any amount Personal giving from individuals, families, and businesses
Season Partner From ฿40,000 Season partnership for businesses, foundations, and individuals
Concertmaster Chair Enquire A named chair recognising the orchestra's leadership position
Other principal chairs also available by enquiry
Principal Partner Enquire Exclusive headline partnership for the inaugural season
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Friends of TIYO
Personal giving from individuals, families, and businesses
Any amount
Season Partner
Season Partner
From ฿40,000

Season partnership for businesses, foundations, and individuals who wish to be associated with the inaugural season. Partners are recognised on the TIYO website and in the printed concert programme. Further benefits tailored in discussion with the partner.

Enquire about Season Partnership →
Concertmaster Chair
Concertmaster Chair
Enquire

A named chair recognising support for the orchestra's leadership position. The Concertmaster Chair carries the supporter's name on the TIYO website and in the printed programme for the inaugural season.

Named for the inaugural season 2027.

Other principal chairs are also available for sponsorship. Enquire with your preferred instrument or position.

Principal Partner
Principal Partner
Enquire

Exclusive headline partnership for the inaugural season. Includes naming rights on all season branding, logo placement across all printed and digital materials, and named acknowledgement in all press releases. Further benefits tailored in discussion with the partner.

Enquire about Principal Partner →
Audition Application

Apply for
TIYO 2027

Applications are open to young musicians from across Asia. Selected participants will join Thailand's first international pre-professional orchestral programme, hosted at Rugby School Thailand, Chonburi.

Applications Open August 2026

You're early — and that's a good thing.

Audition excerpts release in August 2026. Drop your email here and we'll send the application link straight to your inbox the moment they're available.

By submitting, you agree to receive audition notifications from TIYO.
Excerpts released
August 2026
Application deadline
15 October 2026
Programme dates
February 2027
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Personal
2
Musical
3
Audition
4
Confirm
Personal Details
Please enter your details exactly as they appear on your passport.
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Please check your date of birth
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Valid email required
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Valid email required
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Musical Background
Tell us about your instrument and training.
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Audition Material
Upload your recordings as unlisted YouTube videos and paste the links below. Each element must be a separate video.
Recording Requirements

All recordings must be unedited. Film in landscape orientation, minimum 720p, with good lighting and minimal background noise. A phone camera is perfectly acceptable provided it meets these requirements.

Begin each recording by stating your name and the instrument you are applying for. Upload each recording as an unlisted YouTube video and paste the link into your application.

Your instrument's TIYO excerpts recorded in order, in a single continuous unedited take. Alto saxophone applicants submit the single Pictures solo here. Timpani & Percussion applicants may record separately and paste an unlisted YouTube playlist link; the set includes the Bach marimba solo. Excerpt files available for download when applications open.
Valid URL required
A work or section of a work at your highest level, demonstrating both technical proficiency and musical personality. 3–5 minutes. A complete movement is not required — a carefully selected passage is perfectly acceptable. Discuss your selection with your teacher.
Valid URL required
Required
Violin applicants only. If you wish to be considered for Concertmaster, submit the designated solo excerpt file as a separate video. Concertmaster excerpt files will be available when applications open. Submitting this is optional — it does not affect your standard audition.
Wind applicants only. One standard excerpt is provided for each auxiliary instrument, and no own choice piece is required. Submitting an auxiliary is optional and does not affect your standard audition.
Review & Submit
Please confirm the following before proceeding to payment.
Application Summary
Application Fee

A non-refundable application fee of ฿1,000 THB is due upon submission. Payment instructions will be provided on the next screen. Your application will only be considered complete once payment is confirmed.

Application Received

One step remaining

TIYO-2027-0000

Your application reference number is shown above. Please keep it for your records. Your application will be reviewed once payment is confirmed — this typically takes 1–2 business days.

฿1,000
Application fee — non-refundable
Payment details

Payment details will be made available when applications open. You will be able to pay by QR or by bank transfer.

Application fee ฿1,000.00
Your reference TIYO-2027-0000
Keep this reference. You will need to include it in the payment note or reference field. The fee is ฿1,000 for all applicants. Any bank or transfer charges are payable by the applicant.

After making payment, please send your payment confirmation (screenshot or receipt) to:

with the subject line TIYO-2027-0000 — Payment Confirmation

We will confirm receipt by email. Results will be announced in November 2026.

Questions?
admin@tiyo.org
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