Get ready for the next auditions!

By Emilia Campagna - December 1, 2023

Theresia is organising new auditions that will take place in Paris on January 19 and 20 and will focus on string instruments, with conductor Giovanni Antonini joining the examining board.
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New year, new opportunities!

Theresia has launched a new set of auditions that will take place in Paris on January 19 and 20 and will be dedicated to string instruments: we are particularly looking for violin, viola and double bass players to join our orchestra for the period between March 2024 and September 2025.

As a youth orchestra, we are always on the lookout for talented young musicians who we can offer the chance to gain real professional experience in a classical orchestra that plays according to historical practice. For the second time round, auditions will be held in Paris thanks to the partnership with the Conservatoire à Rayonnement Régional de Boulogne-Billancourt, which is both a prestigious and convenient location from a logistical point of view. The deadline for the submission of applications is Thursday 14 December 2023.

An exciting addition to this round of auditions is the presence among the examiners of conductor Giovanni Antonini, one of the most highly regarded conductors on the international scene. Antonini conducted Theresia for the first time in this year’s initial residency as the start of a new partnership. Thanks to his confidence in our project, four of our musicians recently joined Il Giardino Armonico on a European tour.

Download the full audition guidelines here

Who can apply?

First of all, you have to meet some mandatory requirements: you need to be born after 1 January 1996 (we are a youth orchestra, folks!), and be a citizen of one of the Countries of the European Union or of the European Economic Area. Non-EU citizens can apply if they have a residence permit for study in one of the Countries of the European Union. As a HIP orchestra, we require in-depth knowledge of performance practice on authentic instruments, the use of a classic bow and a period instrument (or a copy).

How to apply?

Simply fill out the application form and send it along with a video of a live performance: due to the high number of expected applications, the Board of Examiners might make a pre-selection on the basis of the CV and the video recording. Only a limited number of musicians will be invited to the audition sessions in Boulogne-Billancourt.

What to expect during the auditions…

These are not the classic “make it or break it” auditions: in recent years we have perfected a method that allows us to get to know the candidates not only through solo performances, but also to test their ability to work with colleagues through ensemble rehearsals: the auditions will be held as chamber music workshops under the supervision of the Board of Examiners; as a consequence, candidates are required to attend the entire event. We also try to understand motivation and attitude towards teamwork through an interview.

…and what to expect after.

Selected musicians will become part of Theresia: they will receive a grant of 3500 euros to take part in five orchestral or chamber music projects during the period March 2024 – September 2025. This means participating in in the scheduled concerts and recording activities, but also in the learning and artistic activities of the Theresia Academy, including capacity building sessions, soft skills development, and co-creation workshops.

Those who won’t get selected may still have a second opportunity: a candidate may qualify for the Theresia Orchestra talent pool reserve list without receiving one of the full scholarships, if the jury evaluates him/her positively after the audition. The qualified candidates will be placed on a reserve list of musicians who may receive a scholarship for their instrument in the event a grantee drops out or withdraws. In addition, eligible musicians will be added to a list of candidates who may receive invitations to join Theresia for specific productions. They will also have the opportunity to participate in online activities related to Theresia Orchestra’s learning cycle, including musicological webinars and other educational activities designed for young professional musicians.

Download the full audition guidelines here

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Welcome back, EUBO!

By Emilia Campagna - November 25, 2022

After four years of stop, EUBO starts its activity again thanks to the philanthropic and financial support of ICONS. Let's find more in this interview with Mario Martinoli, President of ICONS and Founder and Artistic Director of Theresia Orchestra
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After four years of inactivity, EUBO is back!

The European Union Baroque Orchestra was founded in 1985 by Paul James and Emma Wilkinson as a major initiative of European Music Year to celebrate the 300th anniversaries of three great baroque musicians: Johann Sebastian Bach, Domenico Scarlatti and George Friedrich Handel. Since then, it had been the leading training initiative in the field of Historically Informed Performance. The success of the project, under the direction of the world’s leading baroque musicians, could be measured in the number of ex-EUBO members who would play in Europe’s leading baroque orchestras. Then, in 2018, all activities stopped. Now, EUBO starts to play again and moves its headquarters to Italy thanks to the philanthropic and entrepreneurial support of ICONS. We talked with Mario Martinoli, President of ICONS and Founder and Artistic Director of Theresia Orchestra, to know more about this heartwarming story.

Mario Martinoli, after 10 years of the life of Theresia Orchestra, it seems like you started a new adventure, going to the rescue of EUBO: why did you decide to go for this venture?

The reasons are more than one: on one hand, there was the opportunity (EUBO has been inactive for the past four years, and it seemed like no activity was to come), on the other, we wanted to extend the cultural patronage model that gave birth to Theresia Orchestra. Furthermore, many of our musicians demanded to expand the orchestral repertoire to include Baroque music: but Theresia is focused on classical repertoire, and we never intended to change its artistic mission. We realized that EUBO could be the answer to many questions, and we decided to try and restart it.

How come that EUBO stopped its activity?

It was a matter of unfortunate coincidences: first, Brexit compelled Paul James and Emma Wilkinson, founders and managers of EUBO, to move the administrative headquarters (but also the musical archive and the instruments) to a country of the European Community. They moved to Antwerp, Belgium. That was probably a big deal, together with a different system of funding adopted in that years by the European Commission. Then, Covid happened! And it was probably too much.

So what happened? How did you contact EUBO?

The activities were entirely suspended, but the trademark is alive and well, tied to its creator, Paul James, whom I contacted, offering to finance and manage the orchestra. He answered enthusiastically, and we started to work together toward a new beginning.

What will the role of ICONS be, and will there be continuity with the previous management?

ICONS will ensure everything related to organization, financial support and ethics. EUBO becomes part of the European HIP Orchestral System run by ICONS, and in a sense, it is now Theresia Orchestra’s sister. The artistic direction is in my charge, and Paul James assists me as an advisor.

What are the differences and similarities between EUBO and Theresia?

It must be said that we were inspired by EUBO’s training model when we started Theresia, especially with regard to the residencies. That said, apart from the different repertoire, there are some differences: for example, EUBO changes its members every year, whilst Theresia, even organizing annual auditions, gives longer grants, so that the renewal of the organic is more gradual. We have differences also in the auditions: in Theresia, we introduced a first-step selection based on a video, for example. I think we’ll think of all the best practices from each project to improve the management of both orchestras.

“If Theresia is a Ferrari, EUBO is a vintage luxury car: it has a glorious past, but has been still for a while. We want to get the engine back to its perfection and put it back on the road!”

EUBO is going to perform under the baton of Alfredo Bernardini in Ravenna: why did you choose this town for this new beginning?

It sort of happened by chance. In June, I called Romano Valentini, artistic director of the “Angelo Mariani Society” that organizes the main concert season in Ravenna, telling him my news about EUBO and us. He was immediately interested and offered to host the orchestra. He managed to involve the city at many levels, including the local administration and important members of the cultural and economic system of this community. I was impressed, that was partly unexpected, and I have reasons to believe that the relationship between EUBO and Ravenna will go further: just for starters, we are going to be in Ravenna for the auditions which will be planned in May 2023.

Speaking of auditions, how did you find the musicians for this kick-off concert?

We didn’t have the time to set up auditions, so we invited members of the last editions of EUBO concerts.

What about the musical program of the concert?

It is a sort of European celebration through baroque music: we are starting with Concerto Grosso op.6 n.4 by Arcangelo Corelli, who by the way was born in Ravenna; then another Concerto Grosso, op.3 n.2 by Georg Friedrich Haendel, a composer who moved from Germany to London after having been in Italy for some years; we will hear Hypochondrie ZWV 187 by Jan Dismas Zelenka, whose Bohemian roots were transplanted in Dresden, Germany. The concert will end with Ouverture Suite BWV 1066 by Johann Sebastian Bach, who from Germany looks to Italy and France.

What are the next steps?

Apart from the auditions, we are working on a residency in Belgium in October 2023. We are thinking of Antwerp as a venue for residencies, considering the strong connection with EUBO, but we are still working on it, so stay tuned for more news to come soon.

Ten years ago, you would say that you had founded an orchestra instead of buying a Ferrari. To keep the equation, if Theresia is a Ferrari, EUBO is….

A vintage luxury car: it has a glorious past, but has been still for a while, closed in a garage. We want to get the engine back to its perfection and put it back on the road!

EUBO’s concert will be held on Monday 28 November, Teatro Alighieri, Ravenna, 9 p.m. More info and tickets available here

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Empower, we are ready to go!

By Emilia Campagna - March 31, 2022

The chamber music residency in Ossiach wasn’t only the chance to study and perform wonderful music under the guidance of Chiara Banchini: during the five-day stay, our musicians were told about the new important European project involving Theresia, EMPOWER.
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As we have announced recently, a 3-years grant has been awarded to Theresia Orchestra by the Creative Europe Programme to develop excellence in orchestral learning and soft skills acquisition by our young artistic talents. Thanks to this achievement, Theresia Orchestra has entered into the group of the leading European youth orchestras, together with EUYO – The European Union Youth Orchestra and other few acknowledged ensembles.

The Chamber Music Residency in Ossiach was the first initiative developed within EMPOWER, involving a selected group of string players. As you know, they studied and performed string quartets by Haydn, Mozart, and Boccherini with a final concert at Kultur Forum Amthof

During the residency, we scheduled a meeting to explain the project to the people who will be the most involved ones: our musicians. We especially focused on one of the branches of activity, the Ambassador Program and Audience Development, which aims to engage new audiences in part thanks to some of our musicians acting as testimonials (Ambassadors). As Charlotte Michi, Project Manager of Empower, explained to us, “Empower is strongly devoted to promoting engagement, so we didn’t want to explain the whole thing giving our musicians a traditional speech. After a brief introduction, we started a role game to find out together which may be the characteristics both of an Ambassador and of a new member of the audience.”

Theresians were enthusiasts, and together they pictured the ideal ambassador and the possible new member of the audience: “Words that came up frequently to describe the ambassador were open-minded and emphatic (meaning able to listen to others and not just to teach). Regarding the audience, foremost they should be young, as people over 50 are already part of their audience, a thing that can be seen in concert halls and YouTube demographics. They should be interested in music, but preferably in other genres. One of the musicians stated that it is easier to approach someone who is interested in jazz, for example, instead of someone who already listens to classical music.” The problem of how to expand the audience seemed very important to our musicians: “Some noted that Sometimes it is easier to bring music to the people instead of expecting people to go there. They pointed out that it would be interesting to play in “unusual” locations, because classical musicians usually play in beautiful places, but it is difficult to reach new audiences there”.

Young musicians are especially keen on using social media to promote themselves and their activity, and Tommaso Toni offered to narrate the experience of Ossiach through a “take over” on his Instagram channel: you can find it here.

The project was so welcomed that we had three self-candidatures for being ambassador. The next step will be a workshop in Lodi to train them and plan their first actions. We are looking forward to it!

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Bolzano, the joyful invasion of youth orchestras

By Emilia Campagna - August 11, 2016

European Union Youth Orchestra, Gustav Mahler Jugend Orchester, European Union Baroque Orchestra and, last but not least, our Theresia Youth Baroque Orchestra: find more about the "magnificent" four, the youth orchestras that are going to invade Bolzano in the next two weeks
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It will be a real invasion: in a couple of weeks, more than two hundred young musicians will arrive in Bolzano and perform as a member of a youth orchestra. European Union Baroque Orchestra, European Union Youth Orchestra, Gustav Maler Jugend Orchestra and Theresia Youth Baroque Orchestra are the “magnificent four” that audience shall listen to since 17th till 25th August. And this is all thank to Bolzano Festival Bozen, who has at its heart the special section “Orchestras, music and youth”: as a matter of fact, every year the two main European orchestras (EUYO and GMJO), both of them founded by Claudio Abbado, make a stop in Bolzano during their summer tour. And till 2013, also TYBO has been invited by BFB every year. This year, in the special occasion of the 25th birthday of Antiqua, EUBO will be present too.

Musical programs are more than sumptuous: EUBO will perform on 17th August in Castel Mareccio playing music by “Handel and his London colleagues”; EUYO and GMJO will both play a lot of Mahler (on 19th and 20th August) together with the monumental 9th Symphony by Anton Bruckner.

The TYBO’s program is very special too: for the very first time the orchestra will be conducted by Alfredo Bernardini and the program is entirely devoted to “Sturm und drang”. The concert will be held on 24th August in Castel Mareccio. Read the interview to Alfredo Bernardini and find more about the music!

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Good news for EUYO, Europe is going to save it

By theresia - June 1, 2016

Europe is going to find an immediate and sustainable solution in favor of the European Youth Orchestra funding
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Good news for EUYO: as reported by Italian press agency Ansa, the European Commission has accepted a proposal from Italian Minister of Culture to resume funding for the European Union Youth Orchestra. As declared by Italian Minister Dario Franceschini, the Board of the EU Ministers of Culture has adopted the proposal submitted by the Italian Government to stabilize funding for the European Union Youth Orchestra and as reported yesterday in the midday press briefing, the President of European Commission has asked to Commissioners Georgieva and Navracsics to find an immediate and sustainable solution in favor of the European Youth Orchestra funding.

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Theresia premia Assen Boyadjiev

By theresia - November 5, 2012

Assen Boyadjiev, trentaduenne fortepianista bulgaro, si classifica terzo al Premio Ferrari ma sbaraglia tutti nell’esecuzione del Concerto K271 “Jeunehomme” di Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. A lui infatti è andato il Premio Speciale che “Theresia” ha istituito per la migliore esecuzione del concerto mozartiano: Mario Martinoli, fondatore di Theresia – Project, spiega che “l’interpretazione di Assen è stata certamente la più aderente al testo ed allo spirito mozartiano del concerto. Assen, unico tra i finalisti, è inoltre riuscito a creare un dialogo molto convincente tra il solista e l’orchestra, qualità fondamentale per comprendere appieno la natura concertante, e non puramente solistica, di questa splendida partitura”. Particolarmente applaudita anche dal folto pubblico presente alla Finale la sua esecuzione, ricca di spunti vivaci e in forte intesa con la Theresia Youth Baroque Orchestra diretta da Claudio Astronio.

Assen Boyadjiev è nato a Sofia nel 1980: tra le sue affermazioni in concorsi internazionali si ricordano i premi al concorso “Giovani talenti in musica” (Sofia, 1989) e al concorso “J. S. Bach” (Lipsia, 2006).

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Mario Martinoli: “Vi presento Theresia”

By theresia - October 28, 2012

Theresia Youth Baroque Orchestra è il primo e più importante tassello del più ampio Progetto Theresia. Di questo progetto è ideatore e fondatore Mario Martinoli: clavicembalista per passione ed editore per lavoro, ci parla di questo progetto assolutamente atipico sul panorama delle istituzioni culturali. Cos’è Theresia? “Theresia è uno spazio a disposizione di chi crede […]
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Theresia Youth Baroque Orchestra è il primo e più importante tassello del più ampio Progetto Theresia. Di questo progetto è ideatore e fondatore Mario Martinoli: clavicembalista per passione ed editore per lavoro, ci parla di questo progetto assolutamente atipico sul panorama delle istituzioni culturali.

Cos’è Theresia?

“Theresia è uno spazio a disposizione di chi crede che la cultura oggi debba trovare nuove forme di finanziamento e di interazione tra il pubblico e il privato. Un gruppo di persone unite dal desiderio di impiegare tempo e risorse nella costruzione di un nuovo modello di gestione della cultura, che non passa attraverso la ricerca di finanziamenti pubblici.”

Concretamente come si realizza?

“Ad esempio finanziando nuovi progetti, supportando realtà esistenti, assegnando borse di studio a giovani talenti. La differenza rispetto ad altre forme di finanziamento privato è il fatto di credere fortemente in questi progetti ed anche di esserne coinvolti direttamente. E’ una cosa diversa rispetto al finanziamento corrente dei privati della cultura anche perché non c’è dietro un discorso di sponsorship, di marketing: è proprio un desiderio di partecipazione attiva, e di responsabilità sociale ed economica nella costruzione di un modello culturale diverso. Diverso e sostenibile, perché in questo momento di crisi che la cultura necessita di maggior sostegno: visto che il pubblico non riesce più per motivi di bilancio a sostenere completamente iniziative di rilivevo sul territorio, i privati hanno un dovere etico e sociale nel far questo, interpretando al meglio l’idea di mecenatismo culturale.”

Come è nata l’idea di Theresia?

“Nella mia formazione e per storia personale e lavorativa ho imparato a far circolare idee e risorse: non ho una cultura accentratrice della ricchezza, e penso che le risorse umane ed economiche acquisiscano valore solo quando vengono messe a disposizione della collettività. A lungo ho ragionato su questi temi in relazione alla mia passione musicale e a un certo punto ne è nato il progetto dell’Orchestra Giovanile Barocca.”

Parliamo della Theresia Youth Baroque Orchestra (TYBO). Tra pochi giorni ci sarà il debutto, sotto la guida di Claudio Astronio:

“L’orchestra debutta nell’ambito del prestigioso Premio Ferrari come orchestra di servizio. E’ un momento importante perché caratterizza il repertorio dell’orchestra, che si dedicherà al preclassicismo e al classicismo. E’ stato molto bello vedere come il direttore permanente dell’orchestra, Claudio Astronio, ha sposato il progetto, in quanto crede molto fortemente nelle sue finalità, che sono quelle di dare uno spazio ai giovani (non solo giovani professionisti ma anche studenti che vogliono avvicinarsi alla prassi barocca) con uno strumento accessibile, territoriale perché fortemente radicato nella regione storica dell’Euregio, capace di dare loro l’occasione di suonare.”

Perchè proprio il Premio Ferrari per debuttare? C’è un significato speciale in questa collaborazione?

“L’Orchestra ha una valenza territoriale in quando, come detto, opererà prevalentemente nell’Euregio. Debutta a Rovereto, che è un centro culturalmente importante, e in particolare collaborando con l’Accademia di Musica Antica, che organizza il Premio Ferrari: in città l’Accademia di Musica Antica è l’unico interlocutore possibile per quanto riguarda la prassi esecutiva barocca e Theresia punta su progetti di eccellenza e qualità indiscussa: proprio per questo motivo è nata l’idea di far partecipare l’orchestra al Premio e, se ci saranno i presupposti, la collaborazione andrà avanti anche nelle prossime edizioni.”

Quali saranno le prossime tappe del progetto?

“Nel 2013 di saranno due stages organizzati da Theresia come momento di formazione di nuove risorse orchestrali attraverso bandi sul territorio dell’Euregio e una serie di concerti in fase di avviata negoziazione.”

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