National Youth Orchestra of Germany
Germany
Founded in 1969 by the German Music Council, the Federal Youth Orchestra is among the most important youth orchestras in the world. Here, the best young musicians in Germany prove their abilities on concert tours led by conductor personalities such as Kurt Masur, Gerd Albrecht and Kirill Petrenko. The young musicians, aged 14 to 19, must pass an audition before a professional jury in order to join the Federal Youth Orchestra. Compared to professional orchestras, the orchestra experiences a great fluctuation of members – members remain in the Federal Youth Orchestra for two years, on average – which leads to ever-new, freshly rehearsed interpretations, far from the routine of the music business. Many former members of the Federal Youth Orchestra play in professional orchestras or enjoy careers as well-known soloists today.
