Asia Pacific Saxophone Academy

Post APSA withdrawals are hitting hard!! 🙃😭

3 weeks since APSA ended, and we're all still riding the highs and momentum from our 10th anniversary!

There were so many wonderful pictures and highlights from this year's APSA, and we'd like to remind you of some of them over the next couple of weeks!

We hope everyone had a blast at this year's camp, and we're looking forward to seeing you next year! ☺️



📸: .au

Day 4 wrap-up!!

The days just keep getting better! 🌞

We were once again treated to a day full of awesome performances! A number of our faculty performed jaw-dropping solos during selmer time, including one by our featured guest artist, Professor Daniel Gauthier!🔥

We then had our last studio performance of the camp by the studio of Junichi Sato! And to end of the night, we were all treated to a combined encore performance by all the Japanese students and faculty! ❤️

Can't wait for the last day of APSA 2024!!!!

📸: .au

Day 3 Wrap-up!!

What a treat!!! Probably one of the most highly anticipated events of every APSA is our Big Band Concert. We were absolutely blown away by the thrilling performances by the band and our 3 soloists!! 🔥🔥

We also have reassured a continued partnership with Rangsit University with whom we have worked with for so long and will continue to do so in the future! Go APSA!!!!! 🇹🇭

We're waiting with bated breath for day 4!

📸: .au

Day 2 wrap-up!!!

What a day!! We were spoiled by so many activities and wonderful performances! 😆

The day kicked off bright and early with many students had the chance to learn from our featured guest, Professor Daniel Gauthier!

We were then treated with a number of jaw-dropping performances by our world-class faculty, as well as the studios of Shiro Hatae and Joseph Lallo!

We also caught a sneak peak of the big band rehearsal for the 3rd night of camp, and all we can say is, prepare to have your socks blown off! 🤭

See you all in day 3!!!

📸: .au

Day 1 of APSA is a wrap!

What a way to kick off APSA 2024!
Lessons, presentations, and our famed Gala Concert!

We were awestruck by the superb performance put up by our faculty in the Gala Concert! 🤩 Bravo to Dr. Sean Xue, Dr. Junichi Sato, Pieter Pellens, and our featured guest artist of the year, Professor Daniel Gauthier! 👏👏👏👏

See you in Day 2!!

Registration Day! 🥳🎉

Day 0 of APSA 2024! It’s a heartwarming sight to see faces old and new gather once again at our registration booth.

It’s a special feeling to see the smiles on the faces of excited newcomers and the embracing of old friends reuniting after a year!

The night of Day 0 also marks the first official activity of APSA 2024, the Opening dinner, where all the faculty, staff, and participants gather together to eat, catch up, and have a good time before camp proper begins!

Bring on day 1!!!

New Faculty Spotlight!

Dr. Junichi Sato is one of Japan’s most highly sought after saxophonists in Japan, specialising in contemporary music.

He is currently serving as an associate professor at Hokkaido National University of Education as well as lecturer at Sapporo Otani University and Hokusho University.

His successes have led to him being invited to teach and perform at prestigious venues around the world such as the National Conservatory of Paris, Manhattan School of Music, and the National Taiwan University of Arts among many others.

Come and learn from Dr. Junichi Sato and other world class professors at APSA 2024!

New Faculty Spotlight!

Dr. Chemie Ching is one of the most well recognised and versatile saxophonists in Hong Kong. Currently serving as Music Director of The La Sax Saxophone Ensemble, and the baritone saxophonist in Opus a la carte quartet and the Partick Lui Jazz Orchestra, she has made significant impacts on the larger saxophone scene in Hong Kong.

Her pursuit of excellence has seen her winning numerous competitions abroad such as the North American Saxophone Alliance (NASA) Saxophone Quartet competition, and the Coltman Chamber Music Competition.

As one of the most highly sought after up and coming saxophonists now, we are privileged to welcome Dr. Ching to APSA’s 2024 Faculty!

One of the many learning opportunities offered here at APSA is masterclasses for pre-formed quartets!

We are very fortunate to have faculty who are active participants in world renowned quartets such as H2 Quartet, Fukio Quartet, Amigo Quartet, the Australian Quartet, and many more!

We encourage participants to form quartets beforehand and take advantage of the wealth of knowledge available for quartets here at ASPA 2024!

APSA’s Jazz Feature Concert is one of the camp’s most highly anticipated event!

A staple of APSA’s program, the Jazz Feature Concert during the camp has entertained and inspired many aspiring saxophonists. Last year’s concert featured the Rangsit University Big Band along with soloists from our diverse faculty!

There’s always something for every saxophonist regardless of level and genre!

The Young Artist Programme which was started in 2019 and has since become a key part of our summer camp.

The program aims to let students experience and participate in the creation of a multi-faceted contemporary performance which includes music, set-design, choreography, speech, and many more. Lead by one of our faculty, Joshua Hyde, who has spearheaded numerous new music initiatives such as soundinitiative in Paris, we are fortunate to have his expertise in leading this APSA-exclusive program!

“I really loved the young artist programme i felt it was something very fresh and new to me and pushed me to get out of my comfort zone and loosen up a lot. I felt very impacted and inspired by the programme and continued to explore and create performances like this back home!”
- Marc Yee, Young Artist Program 2023 participant

Come join us and be part of this creative experience at APSA 2024!

The APSA Mass Ensemble was first introduced in the second iteration of the camp and has been a yearly staple ever since. It’s a rare opportunity to have so many talented saxophonists in one place, and we thought it would be a wonderful chance to have a huge saxophone ensemble not found anywhere else! This year’s mass ensemble will be conducted by our esteemed faculty Hugo Loi!

This year, one of our artistic directors, Dr. Wong Tak Chiu will be premiering an original work at APSA 2024!
« This piece is written for saxophonists of all levels and backgrounds in mind. Not only is it beautiful to listen to, but it tackles many facets of saxophone playing and can also be used as an incredible tool for saxophone education! It pays tribute to many of the great composers who have contributed to our repertoire, and you can hear hints of their influence in this piece. I am thrilled to be presenting this wonderful piece at APSA! »

Come check out the world premier of a brand new saxophone piece and be part of our mass ensemble!

Sign up for APSA 2024 now! 🎷🎷🎷
Link in our bio!

The APSA Mass Ensemble was first introduced in the second iteration of the camp and has been a yearly staple ever since. It's a rare opportunity to have so many talented saxophonists in one place, and we thought it would be a wonderful chance to have a huge saxophone ensemble not found anywhere else! This year's mass ensemble will be conducted by our esteemed faculty Hugo Loi!

This year, one of our artistic directors, Dr. Wong Tak Chiu will be premiering an original work at APSA 2024!
"This piece is written for saxophonists of all levels and backgrounds in mind. Not only is it beautiful to listen to, but it tackles many facets of saxophone playing and can also be used as an incredible tool for saxophone education! It pays tribute to many of the great composers who have contributed to our repertoire, and you can hear hints of their influence in this piece. I am thrilled to be presenting this wonderful piece at APSA!"

Come check out the world premier of a brand new saxophone piece and be part of our mass ensemble!

Sign up for APSA 2024 now! 🎷🎷🎷

https://apsa-sax.com/registration

The Amigos was first conceived as a quartet through friendships formed through various international events. Through the years, more and more members have played with the Amigos and the group has since turned into a collective. The core members of which are regular faculty at the APSA.

Since it's first iteration, APSA has transformed and refined itself to become a holistic event for all saxophonists. APSA features 4 lessons with our world renowned faculty, masterclasses, and quartet coachings. It also has multiple recitals, concerts and presentations about all things saxophone in all genres.

APSA is in our opinion, one of the best places in the Asia-pacific to make lifelong friends, and level up your saxophone!

Happy Easter to all!!

While some of us may have been searching for the Easter Bunny's eggs in this time of year, we're reminded of things that are hard to find; true friends and memorable experiences.

Over the years, the core purpose of APSA has remained, forming genuine connections with people from across the world and sharing unforgettable experiences together!

"We first had the idea for a saxophone summer camp in Asia-pacific because we wanted our students to have a platform to form good relationships with the international community and potentially start ventures of their own like how we did with the Amigos."

Words by Artistic Directors
Leslie Wong and Tak-chiu Wong

Introducing this year's featured guest artist, Daniel Gauthier!

Currently serving as the professor of saxophone at Hochschule für Musik und Tanz Köln, he has overseen the growth and development of many soloists and ensembles such as the Fukio Saxophone Quartet.

He has held numerous leadership positions in the international saxophone scene such as being an elected member of the International Saxophone Committee in 2000 and 2006.

As an avid performer as a soloist and part of the Alliage Quintett, he has performed in prestigious venues across the world with world-class ensembles and orchestras.

APSA is proud to have Daniel Gauthier as our featured guest artist this year! Masterclasses with Professor Gauthier are available through registration for an additional fee. Follow the link below to register and find out more!