World Association for Symphonic Bands and Ensembles
The World Association for Symphonic Bands and Ensembles (WASBE) is the only international organization of wind band conductors, composers, performers, publishers, teachers, instrument makers and friends of wind music. It is a unique organization completely dedicated to enhancing the quality of the wind band throughout the world and exposing its members to new worlds of repertoire, musical culture, people and places.
The idea to form an organization that would support the band movement crystallized during an international conference for conductors, composers and publishers held in Manchester, England in 1981. WASBE has welcomed over 1200 members, and organizations in more than 50 countries, from throughout the world.
WASBE and its many members strive to:
• promote symphonic bands and wind ensembles as serious and distinctive mediums of musical expression and cultural heritage.
• assist in all ways possible the development of band activities throughout the world.
• encourage the international exchange of conductors, teachers, students, and composers.
• help others recognize the importance of the symphonic wind band and the wind ensemble for international and national communication and understanding.
• encourage the composition of band literature of excellence that reflects national heritages and transcends international boundaries.
The biennial WASBE-Conference is a unique festival of symphonic wind music, hosting the best wind bands and ensembles, conductors, musicians and music experts from around the world. This event has taken place in different cultural centres all over the globe for the last 40 years.
The WASBE Conference Prague 2022 will be a special one, thanks to its link to Karel Husa, the Pulitzer Prize winner and one of the most important composers for symphonic wind, and also because of its unique location on an island in the heart of his beloved Prague.
The Berne Symphonic Wind Orchestra will be the only band representing Switzerland at the WASBE-Conference of this year.