Jury 2026

Music Director Dr. Frank Elbert completed his studies in instrumental performance (Diplommusik, artistic training) and instrumental pedagogy (Diplommusiklehrer) with a major in saxophone at the University of Music in Würzburg, where he also successfully graduated from the postgraduate performance program with the Concert Diploma. After completing his studies for teaching at grammar schools and his teacher training (Referendariat), he has been teaching as a senior teacher (Oberstudienrat) at the Spessart-Gymnasium in Alzenau since 2008. In 2018, he earned his PhD (Dr. phil.) from Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz with a dissertation entitled “Wind Classes in Primary Schools – Studies on Starting Age, Instrumental-Didactic Approaches, and Effects.”

Since 2006, Dr. Elbert has held teaching appointments at the University of Music in Würzburg for Subject Methodology, Didactics and Teaching Practice (Saxophone) as well as Saxophone Literature. Since 2014, he has also been teaching Wind Orchestra Practice and Rehearsal Methodology as well as conducting in the master’s degree program in Wind Orchestra Conducting. In 2009, he was appointed lecturer for saxophone at Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg. In addition, he has given lectures in the field of music education, among others at the University of Music in Weimar.

Since 2007, he has served as Association Conductor of the Vorspessart Wind Music Association, and in 2012 he was elected State Conductor of the Bavarian Wind Music Association (BBMV). In the same year, he was appointed by the Bavarian State Ministry for Science, Research and the Arts as Chair of the Examination Committee for the State Certification of Leaders in Amateur Music-Making. Since 2014, he has been a member of the Literature Committee of the BDMV (German Federal Association of Music Associations), and since 2016 he has served as Deputy Federal Music Director (BDMV). In addition, he has been a member of the Presidium of the Bavarian Music Council since 2017.

Dr. Frank Elbert regularly serves as a juror at a wide range of national and international competitions (including Jugend musiziert, wind class, orchestra and chamber music competitions, and selection orchestra competitions). He conducts various selection orchestras and gives courses and workshops, particularly in the fields of instrumental pedagogy and orchestral practice. Numerous publications in professional journals, encyclopedias, and monographs document his extensive experience in these areas.

Isabelle Ruf-Weber completed her studies in orchestral conducting in 1989 with honours and, in the same year, also obtained her teaching qualification in the flute at the Lucerne Conservatoire. She then went on to study at the University of Michigan (USA), specialising in conducting. She also took additional courses, attended masterclasses and completed a postdoctoral programme in orchestral conducting in Zurich.

Her artistic activities are characterised by remarkable versatility and openness; she conducts a wide variety of orchestras, including the FM Neuenkirch Wind Orchestra, the Sursee Orchestra and the Malters Orchestra Association, the Landesblasorchester Baden-Württemberg, and she was musical director of the renowned Landwehr Fribourg Wind Orchestra. Isabelle Ruf-Weber works as a guest conductor and music teacher in various project orchestras. She is involved in the training of both conductors and jury members. In this role, she is a guest lecturer at the Bundesakademie in Trossingen (Germany) and at the Baden-Württemberg Music Centre in Plochingen (Germany).

She is also a much sought-after jury member at conducting and music competitions. In May 2017, she was awarded the Stephan Jaeggi Prize in recognition of her services to Swiss wind music.

‍www.isarufweber.ch

‍

Shea Lolin is a leading figure in contemporary classical music, renowned for his visionary approach as a performer, conductor, producer, and champion of new repertoire. A graduate of Colchester Institute, Shea’s multifaceted career spans over two decades, marked by his commitment to artistic excellence and innovative programming across the UK and internationally.

He has collaborated with distinguished ensembles – including the Czech Philharmonic, Janáček Philharmonic Orchestra, and the London Woodwind Orchestra – developing long-term recording partnerships that have drawn international acclaim, with contracts for major labels such as Sony Classical and Divine Art. His leadership has seen the commissioning of over 400 new works and arrangements, working closely with some of the foremost contemporary composers to expand the horizons of wind and orchestral music.

A sought-after director and consultant, Shea has helmed large-scale productions and curated projects that bring together musicians from diverse backgrounds, championing the growth and professional development of wind music. He continues to advocate for new music and education as Chair of BASBWE (British Association of Symphonic Bands and Wind Ensembles), further shaping the future of performance practice and repertoire in the UK.

In 2023 Shea co-founded Mastertrack, an audio production and label offering world-class orchestral recording, mastering, and creative solutions for a broad client base. His work is regularly recognised by cultural organisations, such as the Czech Centre London, underlining his international reach and collaborative ethos.

Dedicated to embracing new media, Shea integrates audio and visual storytelling as vital extensions of his musical practice, reflecting his belief in the transformative power of music across platforms and audiences.

www.shealolin.co.uk

Born in Helmond, The Netherlands. He studied Music Education (with Cor de Man) and French Horn (with Herman Jeurissen) in Tilburg.

He played frequently as a horn player in Dutch professional symphony orchestras and ensembles such as the Residentie-Orchestra in The Hague, the Radio Orchestras in Hilversum and several Wind Orchestras. He also played in wind quintet 'Fiati' for many years, with which successful foreign performances took place and radio recordings were made. He also did numerous solo performances, including works by Mozart and Haydn.

He currently works as a cultural education specialist at the LKCA, the National Knowledge Institute for Cultural Education and Amateur Art in Utrecht. As a conductor he is associated with the Sancta Maria Music Association. He is also teacher and coordinator at AMPA  - Academy of Music & Performing Arts at the Fontys School of Fine and Performing Arts in Tilburg. Formerly he has worked at national level successively at the NIB - National Dutch Institute of Wind Music, Unisono - the National Support Institute for Amateur Music and at Kunstfactor - the National Sector Institute of Amateur Arts.

He acted/will act as independent jury chairman at the WMC - World Music Contest in Kerkrade (2009, 2011, 2013, 2017 and 2022) as well at ECWO - European Championship for Wind Orchestras (2016, 2018, 2022) and at the National Dutch Contest for Youth Symphony Orchestras (2013, 2015, 2018, 2022).

‍