florence-youth-festival

2018 – 20° INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL OF YOUTH ORCHESTRAS

25 June > 08 August

Partecipating Orchestras

Florence-Youth-Festival

Ungdomsblokkfløytistene Uranienborg – Uranienborg Flutes Ensemble

(Norway, 16 musicians)

Ungdomsblokkfløytistene Uranienborg (UBU) is the youth-ensemble of Blokkfløytistene Uranienborg and was separated from Blokkfløytistene Uranienborg in 2006 as an own organization. Blokkfløytistene Uranienborg was founded by Svein Egil Skotte in 1989 as a recorder school based at Uranienborg school in the centre of Oslo.

The recorder school’s objective is to work with the recorder as a serious instrument  for both ensemble and individual playing. Today Ungdomsblokkfløytistene and Blokkfløytistene Uranienborg together has as many as 60 young pupils. UBU is a part of “Oslo musikk- og kulturskole”. In addition to the classical recorder repertoire UBU work with folk music from Norway, South-America and the Balkans and have had several interesting projects and recorded a CD with this music.

The ensemble has taken part in both Oslo International Chamber Music Festival and Oslo International Church Music Festival and has performed at the Medieval Festivals in Hamar and Oslo. The last years they have also performed in the Norwegian Opera & Ballet.

Svein Egil Skotte conductor

Cleveland Youth Wind Symphony

(USA, 100 musicians)

The Cleveland Youth Wind Symphony (CYWS) was founded in 1989 by Dr. Gary M. Ciepluch and Robert McAllister and is now in its 29th season. 1995 – 96 marked the initial season for the CYWS Group II, and a second Group II was added in 2009. Sponsored by the Cleveland Institute of Music, the program was established to provide a musical venue for the most outstanding high school woodwind, brass, and percussion musicians throughout Northeast Ohio.

Rehearsals run from mid-September through early May each Saturday morning at The Cleveland Institute of Music and at Case Western Reserve University.  The mission of the group is to perform the most significant wind band repertoire, and to provide the opportunity for outstanding young musicians to rehearse and perform together on a weekly basis.  Selection in the Cleveland Youth Wind Symphony is determined through auditions held each May for the following fall. Every year, approximately 400 students audition for selection into one of the three ensembles.

In addition to the concerts they perform each season in Severance Hall, the home of the world renowned Cleveland Orchestra, the groups have performed numerous times at conventions and festivals, and in concert halls throughout the United States and abroad. In 1992, the Cleveland Youth Wind Symphony was invited to perform at the Music Educators National Conference held in New Orleans, Louisiana.  CYWS Group I has performed 8 times at the Oho Music Education Association State Convention.

In June 1994, the group began a series of international concert tours. They have performed in Germany, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, Italy, Australia (two times), New Zealand, Scotland, England, Ireland, France, Spain, Portugal, Poland, Hungary, Lunemburg, Austia and the Netherlands.

Daniel Crain  conductor
Melissa Lichter conductor
Darren Allen conductor

Florence-Youth-Festival
Florence-Youth-Festival

Brno Youth Symphony Orchestra

(Czech Republic, 57 musicians)

The Brno Youth Symphony Orchestra (BYSO) born in 1994 from a shared idea of all of the directors of Brno’s primary art schools. The orchestra provides the opportunity for the students and graduates of art school to develop a warm relationship to classical music and to experience the atmosphere of a symphonic ensemble.

The orchestra performed hundreds of concerts in almost all central-European countries, participating in many foreign international music festivals and collaborated with famous artists, choirs and conductors. One of the aims of the BYSO is to pay attention to high musical quality compositions that are often unjustly neglected by professional orchestras.

At the competitions announced by the Ministry of Education for the playing of symphonic orchestras, the orchestra received the highest awards many times. The orchestra is conducted by Chief Conductor Gabriela Tardonova and Tomas Krejci.

Gabriela Tardonovà conductor
Tomaš Kerj?í conductor

Huntingtower String Orchestra

(Australia, 40 musicians)

Huntingtower is a co-educational primary and secondary school interested in promoting performance excellence in music. There are orchestras, ensembles and choirs available for student participation at all levels. Huntingtower orchestras and ensembles have won many first prizes in ensemble sections at several large Melbourne Eisteddfods.

Members of the orchestra are holders of the Glen Prior Award, the Murray Sharp Award, the Olwen Game Award (all coveted awards for chamber music) and the George Logie-Smith Perpetual Trophy for Performing Excellence. They have also won the Victorian Secondary Students’ Chamber Music Award for ten years. The Huntingtower String Orchestra has performed with soloists Prudence Davis (flute), Jeffrey Crellin (oboe), Geoffrey Payne (trumpet), Julie Payne (trumpet), and Eric Bramble (french horn) – all principal players with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra.

The orchestra has also been conducted on several occasions by world renowned conductor Professor John Hopkins. The Orchestra toured Europe in 2012 and 2014, New Zealand in 1997, 2004 and 2010 and it has also toured Tasmania and South Australia on four occasions during which live broadcasts were given for ABC Radio. In 2014 the Huntingtower String Orchestra was awarded first prize “with outstanding success” in the Summa Cum Laude International Youth Music Festival in Vienna.

Prudence Davis flute
Jeffrey Crellin oboe
Lynley Bramble
 conductor

Florence-Youth-Festival
Florence-Youth-Festival

Hamburg State Youth Orchestra & Hamburg State Youth Jazz Orchestra

(Germany, 85 musicians)

The Landesjugendorchester Hamburg (Youth Orchestra of the City of Hamburg) is the representative orchestra of the city of Hamburg and is one of Germany´s oldest Youth Orchestras. During its 50-year-old history many successful musicians emerged from the Landesjugendorchester Hamburg. The main focus of the orchestra is the musical promotion of young talents on a very high level as well as the social responsibility to enable the young people to develop their talents even further. Since 2016, the Landesjugendorchester Hamburg is conducted by Justus Tennie and supported by Ministry of Culture Hamburg.

Ingolf Burkhardt (1963), is one of the most known and busy trumpet players and a member of the famous NDR Bigband (German Radio Bigband, Hamburg), he has been working with Greats such as Al Jarreau, Stefano Bollani, Wayne Shorter, just to name a few. Ingolf Burchardt released 10 albums under his own name and can be heard on more than 100 recordings. He is a YAMAHA artist and is teaching trumpet clinics all over Europe. “Spectrum” is a piece written for him by reknown composer Jörg Achim Keller. 

The Landesjugendjazzorchester Hamburg is one of the most excellent Youth Jazz Orchestras in Germany. Next to Bigband standards it is focusing on contemporary German jazz music. It consists of some of the most extraordinary young jazz musicians in the Hamburg region as well as whole Germany. Most members are studying jazz music as major at College of Music Hamburg or other Colleges of Music in Germany. Our young artistic director, Lars Seniuk, is an outstanding conductor and composer for Bigband. The orchestra is sponsored by Hamburg Music Council and Hamburg Office of Culture and Media.

Ingolf Burkhardt trumpet
Justus Tennie conductor
Lars Seniuk 
conductor

Haydn Jeugd Strijkorkest – Haydn Youth String Orchestra

(The Netherlands, 45 musicians)

The Haydn Youth String Orchestra HJSO was founded in 1989 and consists of young players aged 12 – 19 from the north of the Netherlands that have the opportunity to develop a specific string-ensemble-sound and the founders of the orchestra have received a royal decoration for their work. Every year the HJSO travels abroad to give concerts around the world.

The HJSO is associated with institutes like the Prince Claus Conservatoire Groningen, the Amsterdam Sinfonietta, the North-Netherlands Orchestra and the Accademia San Felice Florence. The orchestra is conducted by Jan-Ype Nota, cellist of the North-Netherlands Orchestra and teacher at the Prince Claus Conservatory Groningen and the Royal Conservatoire The Hague.

Azra Rustempaši? conductor
Jan-Ype Nota conductor

Florence-Youth-Festival
Florence-Youth-Festival

Symphonieorchester der Musikschule Dortmund DOJO & Chamber Orchestra Juvenalia Espoo & Orchestra of Käpylä Helsinki

(Germany, 75 musicians & Finland, 30 musicians)

Dortmunder Jugendorchester DOJO The Dortmunder Jugendorchester DOJO, was  formed in Dortmund 2010 in collaboration with the Dortmund Music School. The school offer to almost 60 young students, the opportunity to play in a proper symphonic orchestra. Since 2012 Achim Fiedler ist the conductor.

In 2016 DOJO started a project with two music schools from Finland, the Music Institute Juvenalia in Espoo (conductor Janne Hanhijärvi) and the Music Institute Käpylä in Helsinki (conductor Ahti Valtonen), performing in the Tapiola Hall in Espooo and in the amazing Temppeliaukion Kirkko in Helsinki. In 2017 both Finnish orchestras has being invited to perform in the Dortmund Orchesterzentrum NRW.

The Juvenalia Chamber Orchestra (from Espoo, Finland) was founded in 1982. Orchestra consists of the most advanced students within the Music institute Juvenalia. During the years the orchestra has performed in several European countries and in South-Africa and USA.

The Käpylä Orchestra Helsinki is a chamber orchestra from Käpylä Music Institute Helsinki. The orchestra has travelled a lot. Full size of the orchestra is 20 players and the age range is from 13 to 25 years. Ahti Valtonen has been the conductor of the orchestra throughout its 15 year history.

Matthias Fiedler  cello
Juho Valtone  violin
Janne Hanhijärvi  conductor
Ahti Valtonen  conductor
Achim Fiedler conductor

Jugend Sinfonie Orchester Konstanz

(Germany, 40 musicians)

Originally a string ensemble, the Jugendsinfonieorchester Konstanz has been continuously expanded into a symphonic orchestra since 1992, and has since played in various formations. Students in the orchestra play from the age of twelve up to high school, some of the orchestra members also come from other Konstanz grammar schools.

The orchestra has already participated several times in the Baden-Württemberg Orchestra Competition and was awarded a prize in each case. In January 2006, the orchestra received a second prize at the Handel Competition in Karlsruhe and the invitation to the prizewinner concert in the Badisches Staatstheater.

Since 2006 the orchestra has been a member of “Jeunesse Musicales Deutschland”. From 2017 the orchestra is conducted by Till Schwarz (1984).

Till Schwarz conductor

Florence-Youth-Festival
Florence-Youth-Festival

Almere Youth Symphonic Orchestra

(The Netherlands, 86 musicians)

Almeers Jeugd Symphonie Orkest AJSO was founded by Hans Welle in 1987. At the beginning it was “The Muppets”, but after the 10th anniversary it changed its name to AJSO. The AJSO, is a symphony orchestra of about 80 elements with an age around 20/22 years.

The orchestra performs with 10 concerts a year on various occasions, including institutional ones. Every 5th anniversary is celebrated with an important event, last year the orchestra performed in the beautiful and important hall of the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, with 1,900 people present. AJSO regularly travels abroad, has participated in competitions and festivals in Prague, Vienna, London, Barcelona, this year will be in Italy for the first time.

Joachim van Dijk violin
Daan Welle trombone
Hans Welle conductor

Panta Rei Symphonic Band

(Belgium, 46 musicians)

Harmonieorkest Panta Rei Leuven is a wind orchestra established in 1995 and consists of about 40 talented and enthusiastic musicians, with almost everyone having studied at the music academy.

Panta Rei offers its musicians the chance to discover their musical identity within a group of like-minded people. Not only is Panta Rei a wind orchestra of high standard – they find themselves among the top wind bands – it is also a place to learn other skills like friendship, co-operation and responsibility.

Musicians are actively encouraged to engage themselves in the organisation of Panta Rei-specific events. They help to organize the six monthly concerts, the annual concert trip, many social events.

They have visited France, England, Hungary, Austria, the Netherlands, Greece and Spain. 2018 marks their first concert trip to Italy, accompanied by the soprano Emilie De Voght. The orchestra is conducted by Jo Schelkens (1978), clarinettist and conductor.

Emilie De Voght soprano
Jo Schelkens conductor

Florence-Youth-Festival
Florence-Youth-Festival

YMCA Gwangju Dream Youth Orchestra

(South Korea, 66 musicians)

The Gwangju YMCA “Dream” Orchestra started in Guangju in South Corea in 2008, with the aim to teach to young people “armony and respect” through the pleasure to play together.

The orchestra plays a wide repertoire, from classic to film and traditional Corean music. The orchestra have regular performances for the YMCA Community and tour in their own Country payng a special attention to places like hospitals and hospices.

In 2015 YMCA participated to the 17th Florence Youth Festival in Italy, and performed for the YMCA Centenary, under the project “to give to young people a dream and to bring peace and union among all Countries”. Since many years, the orchestra is conducted by Kang Jae Jin.

Kim Shin Hyeok trumpet
Kang Jae Jin conductor

Festival Partnerships

  • MusicaRiva Festival
  • Francigena International Arts Festival
  • Musica dal Mondo Festival
  • Prato Estate Festival
  • Gioie Musicali
  • Cremona Summer Festival
  • Società Concerti Sorrento
  • Ultrapadum Festival

Full Program

Principal festival’s venues:

Loggia dei Lanzi (Florence), Biblioteca Lazzerini (Prato), Terme Tettuccio (Montecatini Terme), Piazza Duomo (San Gimignano).

25th June 18,15 | Chiesa di San Carlo
Ungdomsblokkfløytistene Uranienborg
program:
G.F. Händel, E. Grieg, J.S. Bach, A. Vivaldi, G.B. Pergolesi, Norwegian folk music
conductor: Svein Egil Skotte

26th June 21,15 | Loggia dei Lanzi
Cleveland Youth Wind Symphony
program: G. Gershwin, A. O’Toole, Y. Fukuda, R. V. Williams, J. Swearingen
conductors: Daniel Crain, Melissa Lichtler, Darren Allen

27th June 20,30 | Loggia dei Lanzi
Brno Youth Symphony Orchestra
program: G. Verdi, J. Brahms, A. Dvorak
conductor: Gabriela Tardonova, Tomaš Krejí

09th July 20,30 | Loggia dei Lanzi
Huntingtower String Orchestra
program: A. Vivaldi, E. Grieg, J. Rutter, B. Britten, A. Salieri, P.I. Tchaikovsky, G. Holst, L. Anderson
conductor: Lynley Bramble

11th July ore 20,30 | Loggia dei Lanzi
Landesjugendorchester Hamburg  
program: G.Verdi, R. Schumann, J.A. Keller
trumpet: Ingolf Burkhardt
conductor: Justus Tennie Landesjugendjazzorchester Hamburg 
program: G.Marks/S. Simon, S. Nestico, T. Jones, S. Nestico
conductor: Lars Seniuk

15th July 20,30 | Loggia dei Lanzi
Haydn Jeugd Strijkorkest
program: P. Locatelli, J.S. Bach, D. Shostakovich
conductor: Yan-Ype Nota

18th July 20,30 | Loggia dei Lanzi
Jugendorchester der Musikschule Dortmund DOJO
Chamber Orchestra Juvenalia Espoo & Orchestra of Käpylä Helsinki
program A. Dvorak, H. Eller, J. Sibelius, N. Rimsky-Korsakov
cello: Matthias Fiedler
conductor: Achim Fiedler, Janne Hanhijärvi, Ahti Valtonen

21th July 20,30 | Loggia dei Lanzi
Jugend Sinfonie Orchester Konstanz 
program: C. Debussy, G. Stein, F. Schubert, E. Presley
conductor: Till Schwarz

25th July 20,30 | Loggia dei Lanzi
Almeers Jeugd Symfonie Orkest
program: A. Luigini, C. Saint-Saëns, P. Mascagni, J. Brahms, A. Piazzolla, J. Kander, E. Morricone, H. Zimmer, A. Marquez
violin: Joachim van Dijk
trombon: Daan Welle
conductor: Hans Welle

31st July 20,30 | Loggia dei Lanzi
Harmonieorkest Panta Rei Leuven
program: E. Morricone, B. Picqueur, J. Fuik, N Piovani, J.van der Roost, V. Bellini, G. Verdi, G. Puccini, W. A. Mozart
soprano: Emilie De Voght
conductor: Jo Schelkens

8th August 20,30 | Loggia dei Lanzi
YMCA Gwangju “Dream” Youth Orchestra
program: F.V. Suppe, L.v. Beethoven, W. A. Mozart, C. Saint-Saëns, J. Hurwitz, Y. Ryo Between, C. S. Hwan
trumpet: Kim Shin Hyeok
conductor: Kang Jae Jin

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