Estonian National Youth Symphony Orchestra

The Estonian National Youth Symphony Orchestra was founded in 1995 under the leadership of Jüri-Ruut Kangur, who acts as its chief conductor. Students of the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre, professional musicians as well as students of music schools from all over Estonia play in the flexible project orchestra. The actual number of musicians may vary from 30 to 100 musicians, depending on the project and piece being played.

The orchestra gives almost 25-30 concerts each year. It has performed at several representative events, including the festive concert ceremony of the Republic of Estonia in Estonia Concert Hall, the 10th anniversary of the re-independence of the Republic of Estonia, the opening and closing concerts of the Tallinn Old Town Days, the IX and X youth song festivals and a concert in honor of the visit of the Emperor of Japan at Tallinn Song Festival Grounds. The orchestra's performances have also been broadcast on television and radio.

The Estonian National Youth Symphony Orchestra has participated in international cooperation projects, collaborated with the State Concert Institute Eesti Kontsert and the Tallinn Philharmonic Society, several choirs and guest conductors. The orchestra has been conducted by Eri Klas, Neeme Järvi, Toomas Siitan, Endel Nõgene, Kaspar Mänd, Martin Sildos, Jeffrey Douma (USA), and others. Different singers, from opera singers to pop artists have performed as soloists with the orchestra.

The repertoire of the orchestra includes several large-scale compositions, more than 600 works in total (Maurice Ravel's Boléro, Carl Orff's Carmina Burana, Luis Bacalov's Misa Tango, Ludwig van Beethoven's Symphony no. 5, Edvard Grieg's Peer Gynt, Leonard Bernstein's Chichester Psalms, Antonín Dvořák's Symphony no. 9 and Cello Concerto, Claude Debussy's Petite Suite, Max Bruch's Violin Concerto no. 2). Unique concert programs such as concerts of film music (including James Bond film music gala concert), "Carmina Burana" concert-show, a parody of oratorio, 80's pop music gala Sotspop, a concert of the classical music masterpieces for schoolchildren and the hits from the musicals have gained great success.

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