▁brought ▁together ▁music ▁academ ies ▁in ▁an ▁effort ▁to ▁advance ▁all ▁the ▁students ’ ▁technical ▁and ▁art istic ▁ab ilities ▁in ▁Western ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁Asian ▁music . ▁In ▁April ▁ 2 0 0 4 ▁he ▁conducted ▁the ▁Shang hai ▁Conserv atory ▁Youth ▁Orchestra ▁and ▁the ▁N anning ▁Sym phony ▁in ▁a ▁three ▁con cer to ▁evening ▁with ▁student ▁solo ists ▁from ▁Shang hai , ▁N anning ▁and , ▁Ju illi ard . ▁ ▁He ▁is ▁currently ▁compos ing ▁a ▁new ▁evening ▁length ▁cross - c ult ural ▁bal let , ▁" Focus ▁of ▁the ▁Heart " ▁for ▁the ▁Chinese ▁people ▁with ▁an ▁original ▁story ▁written ▁by ▁his ▁partner ▁Howard ▁K ess ler . ▁The ▁score ▁util izes ▁both ▁full ▁Trad itional ▁Chinese ▁and ▁Western ▁orch est ras . ▁ ▁It ▁was ▁scheduled ▁to ▁be ▁premier ed ▁Fall ▁ 2 0 0 9 ▁in ▁Be ij ing . ▁ ▁Since ▁ 2 0 0 3 ▁Dr . ▁Thomas ▁has ▁lect ured , ▁taught , ▁and ▁performed ▁in ▁Korea ▁at ▁a ▁music ▁festival ▁that ▁he ▁co - direct ed . ▁This ▁festival , ▁The ▁Se oul ▁Music ▁Festival ▁and ▁Academy ▁brings ▁together ▁Western ▁and ▁Korean ▁teachers ▁to ▁perform ▁and ▁to ▁teach ▁advanced ▁String ▁and ▁P iano ▁students . ▁ ▁He ▁conducted ▁two ▁programs ▁with ▁the ▁Prime ▁Sym phony ▁Orchestra , ▁and ▁one ▁with ▁ ▁the ▁Su won ▁Phil harm onic , ▁then ▁another ▁program ▁for ▁the ▁Korean ▁Sym phony ▁Orchestra , ▁including ▁his ▁con cer to ▁for ▁mar im ba ▁and ▁or chestra ,