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YOUNG ORCHESTRAS
Our History
Foundations and Early Development
European Youth Music Week (EYMW) began life as the Anglo-German Youth Music Week, a project dedicated to bringing young musicians together through shared orchestral experience and cultural exchange. Over more than 30 years, the course grew in scale and reputation, supported by both the Internationaler Arbeitskreis für Musik (IAM) and the former National Association of Youth Orchestras (NAYO).
EYMW was originally delivered under NAYO. However, when NAYO closed in March 2010, it became necessary to establish a new organisation to ensure the continuation of these valued musical opportunities.
The Formation of Young Orchestras
On 1 April 2011, Young Orchestras began operating as YoungOrchestras.com, formed as a Community Interest Company (CIC). Its initial purpose was to safeguard the future of European Youth Music Week and to continue the work of its associated alumni ensemble, The Rochford Ensemble.
From the outset, the founding Board of Directors recognised that the organisation could grow beyond its original remit. Alongside preserving EYMW, Young Orchestras began to explore new opportunities to expand access to music-making for young people across different backgrounds and communities.
The Rochford Ensemble
Running alongside EYMW, The Rochford Ensemble served as an important alumni orchestra, bringing together former participants for continued music-making. The ensemble met annually in Hay-on-Wye, typically over the first weekend of October. These gatherings formed part of the Hay-on-Wye Music Festival, combining intensive rehearsals with a public performance. The weekends became well-known not only for their musical quality but also for their strong social and community atmosphere, uniting past and present members of EYMW.
The final Rochford Ensemble concert took place in 2016, conducted by Jeff Babb, the original founder of the Anglo-German Youth Music Week, at the age of 89. Jeff’s contribution to youth music was immense, and his legacy continues to shape the organisation. He sadly passed away in March 2020.
Continuing Musical Opportunities
Beyond formal programmes, many current and former EYMW musicians continue to engage in musical activities led by EYMW staff, ensuring that the spirit of the course extends well beyond the annual event.
Expanding Inclusion: Refugee Choirs
In 2018, Young Orchestras launched the European Youth Music Refugee Choir (EYMRC). This initiative brought young refugees and asylum seekers into the EYMW course, where they performed choral works alongside the symphony orchestra. The project marked a significant step in broadening access and using music as a tool for inclusion and connection.
Building on this success, the choir was re-established in 2019 in Ede, Netherlands, as part of that year’s EYMW course. The ensemble went on to perform at several notable events, including Amnesty International’s Midlands Conference, The Royal Society of Arts’ “Change Stories” initiative and The Bristol Refugee Festival.
These performances highlighted the role of music in fostering understanding, resilience, and community among young people from diverse and often challenging backgrounds.
Community Choirs and International Expansion
Following the success of the refugee choir initiative, Young Orchestras launched the European Youth Music Community Choirs in 2020. This programme aimed to involve local communities directly in EYMW, expanding participation beyond visiting musicians.
Plans were developed for EYMW to be hosted in Famalicão, Portugal, in partnership with the international organisation BTUIN. The vision included young people from the local Portuguese community performing alongside the EYMW orchestra.
However, due to the global COVID-19 pandemic and resulting international restrictions, the 2020 and 2021 courses were unable to take place.
50 Years of EYMW: A Landmark Celebration
In 2022, Young Orchestras celebrated 50 years of international friendship through high quality music-making. The anniversary course was held at Oakham School, England, marking the first EYMW event since the pandemic.
This special celebration included a reunion of past participants spanning the full history of the course, from recent members back to those involved in the original Anglo-German Music Week. There was also a celebratory performance featuring returning players conducted by former EYMW Course Director Keith Horsfall. The event highlighted both the longevity of EYMW and its enduring impact on generations of musicians.
Eurovision 2023: Music and Solidarity
In April 2023, the European Youth Music Refugee Choir took part in a high-profile performance at the Liverpool Everyman Theatre, supporting the Eurovision Song Contest 2023, which the UK hosted on behalf of Ukraine.
Highlights for our young refugees included a special performance they gave alongside Sonia, the UK’s 1993 Eurovision runner-up, singing “Better the Devil You Know”. Our young refugees and asylum seekers came from different countries including Ukraine, Afghanistan, and Syria. The funding support came from The National Lottery, via Arts Council England and the National Lottery Community Fund, enabling the project to support integration and skill development
Together, these events demonstrated the unifying power of music, particularly during times of global challenge, and reinforced Young Orchestras’ commitment to inclusion, collaboration, and cultural connection.
Looking Ahead
We are looking forward to EYMW courses in the Netherlands and Germany in 2026 and 2027 and we are working hard to secure funding to run the course in England in 2028.
From its origins as a bilateral youth exchange to its current role as a broader platform for international and inclusive music-making, Young Orchestras continues to evolve. Its work remains rooted in the belief that music can connect people across cultures, backgrounds, and generations, creating not only exceptional performances, but lasting friendships and life-changing experiences.
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Thoughts from a Founding Director
"Through its current main European Youth Music Week project, Young Orchestras offers unique experiences for young musicians from across the globe. Its founding principles of international friendship and understanding combined with the highest quality of music making sets it apart from other summer music courses. These principles are key to everyone involved and to the design and implementation of our projects.
Long standing international partnerships, and friendships, with organisations and people are thus embedded in the way that Young Orchestras operates.
Such sentiments drive our planning to extend the founding principles of the original Anglo-German Youth Music Week to a contemporary setting, involving young refugees from around the world to establish a European Refugee Youth Choir.
Music can be the most wonderful and effective catalyst for bringing people together. I am very proud to work with my fellow Directors of Young Orchestras, colleagues based in other countries and, of course, the young people themselves."
Keith Horsfall