The famous Japanese professional wind orchestra, Osaka Shion, invited Douglas Bostock to conduct a special Regular Concert in Kyoto in October. Having worked with them once previously it was a happy reunion. In the first half of the concert were three works by Gustav Holst, and after the interval "A Cotswold Symphony" by Derek Bourgeoise. The trip also gave Douglas Bostock the opportunity to visit Tsubaki Grand Shrine in Mie-ken, where he has been a member for 17 years, and undertake the purification ceremony "Misogi" again. In addition, it was a chance to meet up with many friends and students in Osaka, Kyoto and Tokyo.
Douglas Bostock conducted his inaugural concert as Principal Conductor and Artistic Director of the Southwest German Chamber Orchestra on 9th October in the Pforzheim Culture Centre. The new Maestro led the orchestra in Grieg's Holber Suite, Mozart's Symphony No.29 and Stravinsky's Pulcinella Suite. An enthusiastic audience gave him a warm welcome in Pforzheim, as the press confirmed: "The Charm of Mellow Matrurity" (Pforzheimer Zeitung 11.10.2019).
Douglas Bostock was Principal Conductor of the Carlsbad Symphony Orchestra in the Czech Republic 1991-1998. At the end of September he returned after a break of seven years to conduct the orchestra in an all-Czech programme of Dvorak, Martinu and Suk, receiving a warm welcome back from both the musicians and audience alike.
