Saturday, April 25, 2026
7:00 PM
Georgia State Convocation Center
Robert J. Ambrose, conductor
Khaen
Viskamol Chaiwanichsiri | B. 1995
Khaen is a bamboo free-reed mouth organ from Northeast Thailand and Laos, deeply rooted in the region’s musical heritage. This composition brings the Khaen’s distinctive timbre—drone-like textures and rhythmic ostinatos—into the wind ensemble setting, blending Southeast Asian traditions with Western instrumentation. Structured in multiple contrasting sections, the piece highlights the essential characteristics of the Khaen: resonant open chords that evoke its rich harmonics, lively ostinato figures inspired by traditional accompaniment patterns, energetic dance-like passages, and a lyrical, nostalgic slow section. Each segment explores a different facet of the instrument’s expressive range through different musical textures by the ensemble. Building towards its climax, the piece culminates in an explosive, high-energy dance, driving forward with rhythmic intensity!
Symphonic Metamorphosis
Paul Hindemith | 1895–1963
I. Allegro II. Turandot, Scherzo III. Andantino IV. March
Symphonic Metamorphosis was premiered by the New York Philharmonic on 20 January 1944, Artur Rodzinski conducting. It has since become one of Hindemith's more popular and enduring works. It was inspired in part by choreographer and dancer Léonide Massine, who suggested to Hindemith that he compose a ballet based on Weber’s music. However, after watching one of Massine’s ballets and discovering that Massine intended to use sets and costumes designed by Salvador Dali (an artist whom Hindemith disliked), Hindemith decided to part ways with Massine, and the project was dropped. A few years later, Hindemith decided to salvage the music and write a set of variations or metamorphoses instead. The suite is in four movements: I. Allegro – A confident and aggressive march with East European flavour. This movement is based on Weber’s Huit Pièces pour le pianoforte à quatre mains (Op.60), No. 4, composed in 1818. II. Turandot, Scherzo – A whimsical and delicate movement with a distinct oriental flavor. The theme is based on the overture to Weber's Turandot (which is itself based on an original Chinese song). The middle section features the brass, woodwind, and percussion sections in turn. III. Andantino – This slow movement is based on Weber's Six Pièces pour le pianoforte à quatre mains (Op.10), No 2, composed in 1809. The movement closes with an elaborate bit of counterpoint for the flute, which has been said to resemble bird song. IV. Marsch – Possibly the best known movement, it opens with a set of fanfares. Like the first movement, this one is also based on Huit Pièces pour le pianoforte à quatre mains, this time focusing on No. 7. The original theme was meant to be a funeral march; Hindemith doubles the tempo to give the previously morbid tune a jaunty, catchy feel. The transcription was completed at Hindemith's request by his Yale University colleague, Keith Wilson.
- Program Note by Nikk Pilato
ENSEMBLE
Program to be chosen from the following:
Valkyries Rising
Chris Pilsner | B. 1986
English Folk Song Suite
Ralph Vaughan Williams | 1872–1958
I. March — “Seventeen Come Sunday” III. March — “Folk Songs from Somerset”
Ancient Flower
Yukiko Nishimura | B. 1967
Spirit of Joy
World Premiere
Viskamol Chaiwanichsiri | B. 1995
Pas Redoublé
Camille Saint-Saëns | 1835–1921
Robert J. Ambrose
Conductor Robert J. Ambrose enjoys a highly successful and diverse career as a dynamic and engaging musician. His musical interests cross many genres and can be seen in the wide range of professional activities he pursues. Dr. Ambrose studied formally at Boston College, Boston University and Northwestern University, where he received the Doctor of Music degree in conducting. Dr. Ambrose currently serves as Director of Bands and Professor of Music at Georgia State University a research institution of over 53,000 students located in Atlanta.
Dr. Ambrose is in constant demand as a guest conductor and has performed on four continents. Recent engagements include performances in Australia, Canada, Finland, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Taiwan as well as across the United States. In 2016, Dr. Ambrose was invited to spend ten days on tour as a guest conductor with the United States Army Field Band. Ambrose is the only civilian in history to be invited to guest conduct a premiere American military band on tour. This engagement led to the formation of the National Chamber Winds, a professional wind dectet based in Washington, D.C. for which he is Founder and Music Director. Ambrose is also the Founder and Music Director of the Atlanta Chamber Winds and Ensemble ATL, ensembles comprising musicians from the Atlanta Symphony, Atlanta Opera, and Atlanta Ballet Orchestras.
Dr. Ambrose is Founder and Principal Guest Conductor of the Metropolitan Atlanta Youth Wind Ensemble (MAYWE), a highly-select high school honor ensemble consisting of musicians from throughout the Atlanta area. During his nine-year tenure as Music Director, nearly 1000 high school students participated in the MAYWE program and the ensemble was invited to perform at Carnegie Hall on two occasions.
Dr. Ambrose has strong ties to the Finnish music community. He is frequently engaged in that country as a guest conductor, teacher, master clinician, and lecturer. Recent guest conducting appearances include the Finnish Navy Band, the Helsinki Police Band, the STM Summer Music Festival Wind Orchestra, the Rauma Wind Band, and the youth wind bands of Kokkola, Kotka, and Rauma. He has taught conducting workshops in Tampere, Rauma, Kuopio, and Kokkola, and has served as a guest lecturer at the Central Ostrobothnian Conservatory and the Sibelius Academy.
Ambrose is a prolific arranger with nearly two dozen publications to his credit. His transcriptions and editions are published by Presser Music, Murphy Music Press, C. Alan Publications, Fennica Gehrman (Finland), and Edition Tilli (Finland). His transcriptions appear on several state lists and have been performed around the world.
Viskamol Chaiwanichsiri
Viskamol Chaiwanichsiri (b.1995) is a Thai composer, conductor, and music educator recognized internationally for blending traditional Thai soundscapes with versatile contemporary styles. His works have earned acclaim across Asia, Europe, and the United States, establishing him as a leading figure among emerging Asian composers. Viskamol’s compositions have been performed by esteemed ensembles such as the Thailand Philharmonic Orchestra, Siam Sinfonietta, Tacet(i) Ensemble, Cory Band (Treorchy, United Kingdom), Meiden High School Symphonic Band (Japan), University of Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC) Conservatory (Kansas City, MO), Georgia State University Symphonic Wind Ensemble (Atlanta, GA), Lawrence University Symphonic Band (Appleton, WI) and featured at international major festivals, including the RNCM International Brass Band Festival 2025 (UK), Asia and Pacific Band Directors’ Association (Singapore, 2025), Asian Saxophone Congress (China, 2024), World Association Of Marching Show Bands World Championship (Thailand, 2022), World Saxophone Congress (Croatia, 2018; France, 2015), International Trumpet Guild (US, 2023), International Viola Congress (Thailand, 2023), International Double Reed Society (Thailand, 2023), Thailand New Music and Arts Symposium (2020), and the International Festival of Wind Orchestra Prague (2020). Most of his works are self-published under Viskamol Music, while select pieces are globally distributed through Star Music Publishing (Germany), Nexuss Music Publishing (Japan), Restel Mil Japan/Bravo-Brain Music (Singapore/Japan), ArrangeMe (US) and J.W. Pepper (US). Viskamol is the recipient of the Bandworld Magazine Top 100 (2025), J.W. Pepper’s Editors' Choice (2025), ARTZenter Institute Emerging Composer Completion Grants (2025), the 2024 James E. Croft Grant for Young and Emerging Wind Band Composer, winner of Austin Symphonic Band’s third annual Young Composers’ Contest (2024), Young Thai Composer Commissions (Thailand Music and Arts Organization, 2020), Call for Score (Princess Galyani Vadhana Institute of Music Youth Orchestra, 2018), and First Prize in the Young Thai Artist Award (Siam Cement Group Foundation, 2016). As an orchestrator and copyist, Viskamol has prepared music for the Thailand Philharmonic Orchestra under conductor Thanapol Setabrahmana, contributing to significant projects such as the 2024 Symphonic Anime Concert tour in Thailand and North America and the Stardew Valley: Symphony of Seasons (2025) and Stardew Valley: Festival of Seasons Global Concert Tour (2024). As a conductor, Viskamol has led a wide variety of ensembles, from wind ensembles and orchestras to choirs and contemporary groups. He served as Choir Director for the Mahidol Pre-College Choir and conducted the Bangkok Brass Band (Japanese Expatriate Wind Ensemble). Additionally, he has guest conducted for the Million Wind Philharmonic, Mahidol Brass Band, Siam Huqin Orchestra, and Tacet(i) Ensemble. As Assistant Conductor of the Thailand Philharmonic Orchestra, he has contributed to projects including a recording of Bruckner’s Symphony No.9 (2022) and the Anime and Film Concert series (2023–present). As an educator, Viskamol has worked with the Yala City Municipality Youth Orchestra, served as faculty for band festivals, and founded ensembles such as the Musica per Tutti Symphony Orchestra (2017–2018) and We Wind (Community) Orchestra (2018–2022). He initiated the Thai Conductors Forum, which organized conducting workshops in Bangkok (2019–2022), and established Thai Wind Composers (2024–present), an online resource for compositions by Thai wind composers, as well as workshops and activities to support Thai wind music. His former teachers include Sukanya Techawaro, Panlop Jeepsuwan, Bundit Chuenmaiwai, Dr. Woraket Tagosa, Wasawat Vanapitakvong, Dr. Julia Bozone, Dr. Pamornpan Komolpamorn. He holds bachelor’s (composition) and master’s (conducting) degree at the College of Music, Mahidol University where his primary teacher was Valeriy Rizayev (composition) and Dr. Thanapol Setabrahmana (conducting). Viskamol Chaiwanichsiri taught at College of Music, Mahidol University and served as Affiliated Education Program Coordinator and Project Leader. He is a member of ASCAP and is pursuing a doctorate degree in composition at University of Missouri - Kansas City under tuition of Dr. Yotam Haber, Dr. Zhou Long, Dr. Chen Yi and Dr. Paul Rudy and second area in wind conducting with Steven D. Davis and Dr. Joseph Parisi. He is currently in Kansas City, Missouri where he is completing his DMA while enjoying cooking different dishes from whatever ingredients he can track down in the city.