Orchestra Giovanile Italiana

Italy

The Orchestra Giovanile Italiana (OGI) has been a guest at Young Euro Classic several times – its last appearance took place in 2007. On every one of these occasions, it proved its reputation as the best Italian youth orchestra, combining Mediterranean flair with solid orchestral training. Founded over thirty years ago in Fiesole near Florence, it has been led by the country’s best conductors, including Claudio Abbado, Carlo Maria Giulini, Giuseppe Sinopoli and Gianandrea Noseda. Composers like Sylvano Bussotti and Giorgio Battistelli have written works for the OGI. Extensive tours have taken the musicians to many of Europe’s capitals, to South America and the Far East. In 2010, the Orchestra Giovanile Italiana was invited by the President of Italy, Giorgio Napoletano, to perform at the concert for Pope Benedict XVI on the occasion of the five-year anniversary of his pontificate.