The ITF is thrilled to sponsor the ninth annual Composers Workshop, to take place in Riga, Latvia, July 29-Aug 1, 2026. This year’s artist-composer is the renowned Johan DeMeij, equally known to trombonists for his epic, programatic works for wind band and orchestra, as for his dynamic solo pieces. For decades, MeMeij has been a friend to trombonists around the world, writing expressive music that showcase our instrument to its fullest potential! We are thrilled to welcome him to ITF 2026!
2026 ITF Composers’ Workshop
Johan de Meij
Dutch composer and conductor Johan de Meij (Voorburg, 1953) received his musical training at the Royal Conservatory of Music in The Hague. His award-winning oeuvre has garnered him international acclaim and have become permanent fixtures in the repertoire of renowned orchestras throughout the world, such as The Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, The New York Philharmonic and The Tokyo Philharmonic. His Symphony No. 1 The Lord of the Rings was awarded the Sudler Composition Prize in Chicago and has been recorded by myriad ensembles including The London Symphony Orchestra and The North Netherlands Orchestra. He has written five symphonies including Symphony No. 2 The Big Apple and Symphony No. 3 Planet Earth, and ten solo concertos, including T-Bone Concerto (trombone)and Casanova (cello). De Meij has conducted in prestigious venues such as the Philharmonie-Berlin, Carnegie Hall-New York, Suntory Hall-Tokyo and the Esplanade-Singapore. He received thirty-one awards and nominations, including 1st Prize at the International Composition Competition of Corciano – Italy for Casanova, the Dutch Wind Music Award, the Buma Classical Award and the Buma Wind Music Award.
Before devoting his time exclusively to composing and conducting, Johan de Meij enjoyed a successful professional career as a trombone and euphonium player, performing with the major orchestras and ensembles in The Netherlands. He currently maintains posts as principal guest conductor with The Simón Bolívar Youth Wind Orchestra, The New York Wind Symphony and The Kyushu Wind Orchestra in Fukuoka, Japan. Johan is founder and CEO of his own publishing company Amstel Music, established in 1989.
When not traveling, Johan divides his time between his Hudson Valley home and Manhattan & Amsterdam apartment with his wife and muse Dyan and their cats Lenny & Lulu.
Selected composers and works
Ye-chong Jeon
Tides for Trombone OctetJeon is a composer whose work investigates the ways language, sound, the senses, and memory shape human experience. Born in South Korea, she grew up playing piano, violin, and cello. She earned her bachelor’s degree from Seoul National University and later completed her master’s degree at Indiana University Jacobs School of Music in the United States. Her compositions have been featured in Electronic Music Midwest Festival, She Scores, RED NOTE New Music Workshop, New Voices in Michiana, Vienna Contemporary Composers Festival, and Zodiac Music Festival by Ensemble Dal Niente, Ensemble PHACE, Ensemble CONCEPT/21, Ensemble Switch~ and Ensemble for These Times. She has also composed for Korean traditional instruments, juvenile dramas, musical theater, monodrama, and short film. Additionally, she was the regional artist working with the Bucheon Cultural Foundation, Gyeonggi Cultural Foundation, and Incheon Foundation for Arts & Culture.
Umberto Galante
Northern Landscapes for Tenor Trombone and Piano
Umberto Galante is an Italian composer and clarinetist. He graduated in Clarinet, Composition, Band Instrumentation, and Music Education from leading Italian conservatories, studying composition with Luca Cori and refining his skills with Alberto Colla. His works have been awarded in several national and international competitions and performed at festivals across Europe and the United States. In addition to composing for solo instruments, ensembles, and choirs,he is active in audio production. He currently teaches in Turin (Italy) while pursuing an active career as a composer.
Tomas Friberg - Karyōbinga
迦陵頻伽 for Trombone and PianoA member of the Swedish Society of Composers, Tomas Friberg studied private composition with Eberhard Eyser 1983-1985, and at The Royal College of Music 1986-1990 primarily with Daniel Börtz. After this, various summer courses and festivals with some composition lessons for among others Louis Andriessen, Tristan Murail and Brian Ferneyhough. His music has been performed in the USA, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Singapore, the Philippines, Japan, England, Austria, Italy, Finland, Denmark, and Sweden. Currently he resides in Stockholm. https://tomasfriberg.se
David Lancaster
Rude Mechanicals for Trombone QuartetDavid Lancaster’s music has been performed, recorded and broadcast internationally. Originally from Wigan (UK), David studied at York and Cambridge universities and was for three years Composer-in-Residence at Charterhouse. He is Associate Professor of Composition at York St John University and Musical Director of York Railway Institute Band; his music is published by UYMP. Recently his music has been performed in Singapore (Unity, for choir and orchestra), Osmose Festival, Belgium, (Jump Cut, for clarinet), and throughout the UK including premiere performances of ‘Compendium of Ingenious mechanical Devices’ (bass clarinet, percussion and dance) and Montmartre’ (piano). Forthcoming CD releases include his song settings of Dylan Thomas and ‘Montmartre’ and ‘Allegro Strangolato’ (saxophone quartet).
Ian Schwalbe
Hardrada for Trombone and PianoIan Schwalbe is a composer and trombonist from Alpharetta, Georgia. A graduate from the University of South Carolina, he is currently studying as a graduate assistant for his M.M. in composition at Florida State University. He often draws inspiration from his own love of photography and is an avid believer in the power of storytelling. He is the 2023 and 2024 winner of the British Trombone Society composer’s competition and has had chamber music works performed or recorded by Decoda, the Wet Ink Ensemble, the AtlanticMusic Festival Contemporary Ensemble, the Collective at USC, the MAGE Tuba-Euphonium Quartet, FSU’s Polymorphia Ensemble, and large ensemble works performed by several brass bands across the Southeastern US.
Cynthia VanMaanen
Three Gossips for Six TrombonesAmerican composer Cynthia VanMaanen currently serves as faculty at the Interlochen Arts Academy. In the spring of 2023, she was Artist-in-Residence for the San Francisco Conservatory TACS program. Her catalogue includes music for theatre, dance, chamber ensembles, soloists, orchestra, and wind ensembles. Her most recent orchestral commission, Mercury: Bringing Dualities into Harmony, was premiered by the Toledo Symphony Orchestra as part of a multi-composer work called ...of the spheres... Cynthia’s works for wind band have been performed around the United States by groups including: Texas State University, Florida State University, and Texas Woman’s University. Her chamber music has been performed by members of the Houston Symphony, Houston Ballet, Houston Opera Orchestras and by other professional and collegiate performers around the country. One of her most recent works is a PBS online series entitled ‘Songs About Buildings and Moods’, Seth Boustead producer. Dr. VanMaanen is published through ADJ•ective New Music.
Kyle Henkel
The Witching Hour for Trombone and PianoAmerican composer and flautist, Kyle Henkel, has had compositions performed in the United States as well as France, Ukraine, and Australia. His brass ensemble AWAKE! was selected by the Dallas Winds for their Fanfare Competition. He received numerous commissions including the Zodiac Music Academy Festival, the Acoustic Frontier, and as the 2nd annual Tetractys New Works Commission prize. Henkel’s works have been performed by the Videri String Quartet, members of the Corvus, the Phoenix Ensemble, the Neave Trio, and Ensemble Offspring. His Masters degree in Theory & Composition is from the University of Texas at Austin, where he studied under Dr. Donald Grantham and Dr. Yevgeniy Sharlat. He received his Bachelors in Theory and Composition from Stephen F. Austin State University with Dr. Stephen Lias and Dr. Charles Halka.
Max Kielly
Afterlife for Solo TromboneA Naarm-based composer and pianist, Kielly writes contemporary concert music that blends themes of fragility, improvisation, and liminal spaces, drawing on a variety of stylistic influences from Jazz to contemporary minimalism, and pop. His music focuses on capturing and responding to specific experiences – longing, nostalgia, and queer identity. Most recently, he has been commissioned by the Australian National Academy of Music (ANAM) for the 2026 ANAM Set. He has also written a wide range of solo, chamber, and large ensemble works that have been premiered at the World Piano Teachers Australia (WPTA), the Melbourne Chamber Choir at the Abbotsford Convent, the World Saxophone Congress in Harbin, China, and by Ensemble Liaison at the Athenaeum Club. Currently, he studies at the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music with Elliott Gyger, Melody Eötvös, Christine McCombe, and Robert Constable AM.
John Danziger
Lake Effect Theme for Trombone OctetFrom East Lansing, Michigan in the U.S., John Danziger is a multi-instrumentalist and composer from He studies bass trombone with Professor Kenneth Thompkins and Composition with Dr. Zhou Tian at Michigan State University. His compositions have been performed by many universities around the country including Columbus State, Boston, University, Texas A&M, Iowa State, Colorado State, Texas at Austin University, Texas Rio Grand Valley, Stephen F. Austin University, Michigan State, University of Illinois, University of Arkansas Fort Smith, Florida State and more. In addition to festival and university performances, John has had other performances including the Réz Körút Brass Septet from Hungary, Principal Trombone of the Grand Rapids Symphony, Chris Houlihan, and other solo/chamber works.