Prizewinner of the International Trumpet Guild (ITG) Solo Competition in 2013, Lau Wen Rong, 24, has been serving as the Principal Trumpet of the Singapore National Youth Orchestra since 2007, and is one of the founding members of the award-winning brass ensemble, Brass Polish (Singapore).

 

Wen Rong is currently pursuing his Bachelor of Music (Hons) Degree at the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music, National University of Singapore, under a full merit scholarship. His competition successes includes 2nd place in the Pan-Asian soloist competition at Brass Explosion 2012, finalist for the Singapore Ensemble Competition 2011 (Brass Polish), 2nd place in the prestigious Norman Cooper Chamber Music Competition held in Aberdeen (Brass Polish), and 1st place at the Singapore International Band Festival (Orchestra Collective).

 

Wen Rong has appeared with the Singapore Symphony Orchestra, Pacific Music Festival Symphony Orchestra Yong Siew Toh Conservatory Orchestra, Peabody Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra of the Music Makers, Singapore Lyric Opera Orchestra, The Philharmonic Orchestra Singapore, The Philharmonic Winds, Rogers & Hammerstein Broadway Musical “Cinderella”, Singapore Armed Forces Central Band, Singapore Wind Symphony, National University of Singapore Symphony Orchestra, The Summertimes Big Band (Singapore), Raffles Winds, Maris Alumni Band, Windstars ensemble, Orchestra Collective and Singapore Youth Wind Orchestra. He has also participated in music festivals such as the Pacific Music Festival (PMF), Young Euro Classic in Berlin, Florence International Music Festival, Aberdeen International Youth Festival, Australian International Music Festival, Military Tattoo Festivals in China, Japan and Germany and 2011 WASBE in Taiwan. Wen Rong has collaborated with conductors such as Leon Fleisher, Eiji Oue, Robert Spano, Jun Märkl, Douglas Bostock, Bundit Ungrangsee, Darrell Ang, Lim Yau, Chan Tze Law, Jason Lai, Robert Casteels, Timothy Reynish, Joshua Tan Kang Ming and Peter Selwyn. He has also participated in masterclasses by Joe Burgstaller, Mark Inouye and Tamas Velenczei.

 

As an active chamber musician, he has performed with award winning brass ensemble, Brass Polish (Singapore) and various brass quintets in Singapore, taking part in outreaching activities and bringing the joy of music to the public.

 

Wen Rong is currently under the tutelage of Mr. William Theis, co-principal trumpet of the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra. He has just completed a semester as an exchange student at the Peabody Institute of The Johns Hopkins University where he studied with former-Canadian Brass member Joe Burgstaller and David Fedderly.

 

Programme notes by Wen Rong:

 

Alexander Arutunian’s Trumpet Concerto in A-flat major was composed in 1950. Contrary to popular belief, this concerto was not commission for the great Timofei Dokshizer. Arutunian, who was an Armenian composer, has always loved the sound of the trumpet and hence it was natural for him to compose a trumpet concerto that incorporated the characteristics of Armenian folk music. The concerto is a single movement work, which consists of five major sections. The five major sections are as followed:

 

• Andante—Allegro energico

• Meno mosso

• Tempo I

• Meno mosso

• Tempo I - (Cadenza) Coda

 

This is one of my favorite pieces ever written for the trumpet, as it is extremely challenging, exciting and contains many beautiful lyrical and catchy passages. I hope you will enjoy this piece as much as I do.