young.euro.classic is unique! You don't agree? Then let me invite you to enjoy a young.euro.classic concert in my company and I'll tell you just why they are so very special...

So, imagine you're standing in front of the famous Konzerthaus in the Gedarmenmarkt Square in the heart of Berlin – a beautiful neo-classical edifice built by the great Berlin architect Karl Friedrich Schinkel. It's a balmy August evening and you and 1,500 other concert-goers are making your way along the blue "Europe carpet" with its yellow stars and up the elegant steps leading to the auditorium. But don't be deceived into thinking that you'll only be surrounded by the worthy and the good - although they, too, will be in attendance. No, the audience will above all be made up of young people, tourists and music-lovers from around the world!

Bienvenido estimado público del festival! – Dobro vecer dragi posjetitelji – Mine damer og herrer, rigtig hjertelig velkommen til vores koncer!

Each evening one member of the featured orchestra offers cordial words of greeting to the audience – in their own language, of course. And even if it is a language we don't perhaps understand, it's a moment that gives us a taste of the cultural context that the young musicians on the stage come from.

Before this, the Festival Anthem – which is specially commissioned every two years – has rung out, setting the highly individual young.euro.classic tone for the concert. And it's often tinged with the flavour of the evening's specific orchestra.
After the anthem and the words of greeting it's time to turn to the evening's celebrity patron – a personality from the fields of politics, culture, the media, or business. He, or she, has the job of presenting the orchestra and giving a personal introduction to the music, the talented young musicians, and the evening's guest country. Past patrons have included the likes of actress and singer Meret Becker, fellow singer Max Raabe, politician Peer Steinbrück and boxing star Henry Maske - who have each brought their very personal insights and verve to the evening's proceedings.

When the concert begins the carefully designed program and the gusto with which it's presented are likely to impress even the most sophisticated and demanding of music observers.

young.euro.classic showcases classical youth orchestras from around the world.
The "euro" in the festival name doesn't only stand for the origin of the orchestras in a geographical sense, but also for the source and core of the European orchestra culture. young.euro.classic aims to demonstrate the profound impact this culture of the symphony orchestra has had on the world and how it is reflected in the various different national musical colourations. Mozart, for instance, sounds very different in Chinese or Omani interpretations from the way it might be played in Germany or our close neighbour Poland. The national culture and temperament of the musicians always makes itself heard and felt. And that's what makes young.euro.classic concerts so special. Outstanding conductors like Gerd Albrecht, Vladimir Ashkenazy, Muhai Tang, Herbert Blomstedt, Ingo Metzmacher, Krzysztof Penderecki, Christoph Eschenbach or Lothar Zagrosek are always delighted to be performing with the youth orchestras. And - just like our enthusiastic audiences - they are well aware that it's the youngsters who bring the "buzz". With their highly professional approach, great passion and a palpable joy in their musicianship, they ensure that the atmosphere at the festival is truly beyond comparison, and that the music is of the very highest quality.

The musical focus of the concert program is on contemporary music. A typical young.euro.classic concert includes a symphonic highlight from the 19th or 20th centuries, a representative work from the featured country, and in very many cases either an international or German premiere of a new piece. Given these priorities, it is remarkable indeed that young.euro.classic concerts are so often met with standing ovations. The passion and enthusiasm of the musicians are clearly contagious. Many festival fans attended a whole number of concerts each summer. One senior member of the famous Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra even went so far as to tell me that he hadn't missed a single young.euro.classic concert since the festival began: a total of 135 concerts and counting!

And, after the concerts, the fun continues for both the musicians and our partners. They're invited to shared receptions that are also attended by our patrons, diplomats and other guests. The receptions, which generally take place in embassies, company HQs, or other prestigious locations, are the ideal way to round off the evening. And our general audience also gets to join in. Each year they're invited to our "Bergfest" – a post-concert get-together at the beautiful Gendarmenmarkt Square that takes place in the middle of the festival program. It's all about good music, good food and a chance to dance!

Surely now it's easy for you to understand what a magnet the festival is for audiences!
But there are three other special young.euro.classic features that I must not forget to mention.

Firstly, there's the European Composer Prize. It's a 5,000-euro prize that's awarded by the mayor of Berlin and goes to the best new work to be given its German or international premiere during the festival. The winner is selected on behalf of our audiences by a jury made up of ten non-professional music lovers with the able assistance of a specialist chairperson.

Secondly, we have the Campus Project – an orchestra academy for young musicians from two or more different countries. It allows them to play together, get to know and appreciate each other and share their diverse preferences and approaches. This academy phase of the festival was extended in 2007 and from now on the orchestra goes under the name of the young.euro.classic Festival Orchestra, which – after a rehearsal phase – heads off on a concert tour.

young.euro.connect has since 2005 established itself as an important literary addition to the young.euro.classic music. Each year, twelve young authors from different countries are invited to develop their vision on a European theme. The best six essays are then chosen by a prominent jury and presented in readings involving leading actors.

In short: young.euro.classic – established in Berlin back in the year 2000 – has become a high-profile international young music festival.

Sincerely yours, Gabriele Minz
Director young.euro.classic