National Youth Orchestra to Play First Concert Next Week

The Orchestre National des Jeunes (ONJ) has joined the Luxembourg orchestral scene and is playing its first concert at the Mierscher Kulturhaus on Saturday 6 and Sunday 7 November 2021.

Founded in 2021, the ONJ promises its young participants an educational insight into the world of orchestral music from its first season with three large-scale projects, starting with a concert with renowned cellist Johannes Moser on 6 and 7 November 2021. Then, on 17 April 2022, pianist Joseph Moog will take centre stage in a varied concert programme. The finale will be a co-production with the Mierscher Kulturhaus: a new production of the opera "Bluebeard's Castle" by Hungarian composer Béla Bartók.

An independent and impartial institution bringing together young musicians from across the Grand Duchy and the Greater Region: this is the mission of the ONJ. The new youth orchestra brings together young musicians at different stages of their musical education and gives them the opportunity to gain experience by meeting professionals. The ONJ is intended to be complementary to music education in public schools and universities, serving as a transitional element between education and professional life. 

Awakening a passion for orchestral music in young musicians is one of the main objectives of the ONJ. Collective music practice is considered an important part of in-depth music education and contributes significantly to the acquisition of essential skills. Younger participants will benefit from the experience of older musicians. Over the course of a week of the project, this group of individuals, guided by their conductor, will gradually transform into a cohesive orchestra.

Participants in the projects are young musicians pursuing or having continued their musical studies either in Luxembourg or abroad. Their musical level is somewhere between a "2e Prix" and a graduate diploma (Bachelor or Master). The age limit for regular participants is 30 years old.

A particularity of the ONJ lies in the emergence of networks among Luxembourg and foreign participants. These networks are expected to contribute significantly to strengthening the Luxembourg classical music scene. The direct exchange between music students at different levels is particularly important for the ONJ. Networking between young musicians is encouraged by the composition of the orchestra bringing together pupils, students and professionals from Luxembourg and abroad.

In terms of musical training, one of the main objectives of the ONJ is to give young musicians an overview of the professional functioning of an orchestra through professional programming methods as well as professional practice of the different stages of work. Moreover, the ONJ is committed to helping young Luxembourg professionals who have completed their higher education abroad upon their return home. They can thus acquire additional experience in the orchestra, take on the role of tutor, form new networks and meet performing professionals.

In principle, the ONJ will organise two projects per year, consisting of a week of rehearsals followed by one or more concerts. An extended information campaign preceding each project will be set up for the recruitment of musicians. In order to ensure the smooth running of the recruitment phases, the ONJ will work closely with conservatories and music schools. After receiving the applications, a selection committee will decide on the final composition of the orchestra by referring to the predefined selection criteria and principles. For non-resident musicians, accommodation is organised either with host families or in a youth hostel.

As part of its efforts to support young artists in their professional career, the Mierscher Kulturhaus, within the "Neistart Lëtzebuerg - Kultur" programme of the Ministry of Culture, is offering the ONJ a permanent artist residence. 

Tickets for the ONJ's first concert are available online at tickets.luxembourg-ticket.lu/31933 (for the performance on 6 November) and at tickets.luxembourg-ticket.lu/31933 (7 November). Further information about the ONJ is available at www.onj.lu.