Gustavo Gimeno
(c) Marco Borggreve
The third edition of Concertgebouworkest Young has started. Over seventy talented young musicians aged fourteen to eighteen from all over Europe have travelled to Akoesticum in the Dutch town of Ede, where they will engage in an intensive summer program with sectional and orchestral rehearsals, chamber music, coaching sessions and workshops overseen by professional workshop leaders, and lessons with Concertgebouw Orchestra musicians.
Launched in 2019, the unique youth orchestra Concertgebouworkest Young is meant for ‘hidden’ talented young musicians who have lacked visibility and who could use a little extra support.
The focus is not only on the participants’ musical, but also on their personal, development. A special programme developed in partnership with United World Colleges Nederland uses music to promote a sense of community, democratic ideals and personal development among the young participants. The fact that musicians from the Concertgebouw Orchestra also teach the participants, makes sure they learn something of the orchestra’s performance tradition, with an emphasis on ensemble playing, balance and creating a collective sound.
Concertgebouworkest Young will be performing as part of the Summer Concerts Series at The Concertgebouw on 18 August, and at the Elbphilharmonie in Hamburg on 20 August. The youth orchestra will be conducted by Gustavo Gimeno, former principal percussionist with the Concertgebouw Orchestra whose career as conductor took off in 2013.
