Third European Festival of Young Musicians, hosted groups:
Philippinum Orchester
Weilburg (Germany)
The Philippinum-Orchestra was established in 2004 as Symphony-Orchestra of the Gymnasium Philippinum, in Weilburg. Together with the choirs and vocal groups of the school it is responsible for the music program of this second oldest gymnasium in the state of Hesse (1543). In 2013 the Orchestra was awarded with a 2nd Prize at the State Competition of School-Orchestras in the broadcasting-hall of the Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra. The Orchestra is conducted by Martin Weinbrenner, from the music-department of the school; Friederike Kremers (head of strings at Kreismusikschule Oberlahn) is responsible for the string section and thus the whole orchestra benefits from the cooperation between public school and music school. The repertoire of the orchestra is a mixture between popular movie- or musical-classics as well as classical pieces, mainly from the symphonic repertoire of the 19 century (Mendelssohn, Brahms, Dvorak…).
Rainbow Children Ensemble
Bucharest (Romania)
The project of the Rainbow Children Ensemble started in the spring of 2018, when a group of music loving students from the Middle Art School no.5 from Bucharest, playing in different small chamber ensembles, thought it would be a good opportunity for them to reunite and to form a larger group, allowing them to approach a much consistent repertoire and giving them the chance to work together as a a team. They are guided on their musical formation path by three enthusiastic teachers: Viviana Ionescu, Lorena Topcsov and Mircea Ionescu, who try to maximize the students' potential and to bring forward their most important musical qualities, playing side by side with them and encouraging them to become better musicians.
The members of this young chamber orchestra are gifted students aged 13 – 17 years who are are very appreciated instrument players, awarded as soloists in national and international music competitions although not all of them intend to have a professional musical career. They joined the ensemble guided by their love for music and they are willing to explore different genres, such as the music written for film soundtracks, musicals, jazz or symphonic pop, an opportunity not at hand when you study classical music as a begginer student. Making music together also leads to knowing yourself and the others better, making you more empathic to the others and helps you create bonds and friendship relations othewise inaccessible when you practice alone everyday in your music room. With their dynamic and open-minded spirit, the Rainbow Children Ensemble players are highly creative and energetic when expressing themselves through music, bringing colors into their performance and sharing the audience the well-grounded confidence within themselves.
Armagh Pipers Club
Armagh (Northern Ireland)
Iskola Thury György
Várpalota (Hungary)
The music school, which has been part of the Thury György high school for 10 years, was founded in 1965, with courses for only 4 instruments. Today 15 different instruments are taught, with 15 theachers and 272 students. Its activities are shared also with the surrounding towns and the primary schools, with introductory musical projects for the youngest. The school has various orchestras and ensembles, mainly composed of strings, winds and guitars. Every year some musical events are held in Várpalota, and every three years the school organizes the International Cello Contest Poppoer Dávid, with musicians from all over the world, from China to Australia.
Mikrokosmos Orchestra
Casalgrande (Italy)
The Mikrokosmos Orchestra is born in 2011 from a project by the Scholastic Institute of Casalgrande (RE) in collaboration with local administration. This program aimed to engage children and teenagers in music activities, both in and out of school hours.
Starting in June 2013, the Mikrokosmos Orchestra enters the Sistema Orchestre e Cori Giovanili e Infantili in Italia, an association reuniting young Italian orchestras and choirs. In September 2015 a group of devoted parents give birth to the Mikrokosmos Association, which now manages all activities, together with the school and municipal administration.
Since 2013 the Mikrokosmos Orchestra has performed various shows and concerts, such as The Magic Flute by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, the suites Water Music and Music for the Royal Fireworks by George Frideric Handel, The Four Seasons by Antonio Vivaldi. In 2014 the Orchestra joined an event in remembrance of Fabrizio De André, performing some melodies written by the Italian songwriter. On the 24th of April 2015 the percussion and the woodwind sections played a selection of traditional pieces from the Italian Resistance, on the occasion of its 70th anniversary. Both in January 2017 and 2018 the Orchestra performed at the De André Theatre of Casalgrande to celebrate Remembrance Day. In 2014 and 2015 the group took part in the Orchestrando festival at the Valli and Ariosto Theatres of Reggio Emilia. On the 7th of May 2016 the Orchestra joined the W il Sistema show at the Municipal Theatre of Modena. In December 2018 the Orchestra performed a Christmas concert at the C.O.R.E. Hospital of Reggio Emilia.
In the latest years a smaller formation has emerged, composed by kids aged between 11 and 14 years old, now completely integrated in the original performing group.
