Welcome to Orchestra Europa and I am delighted that you are interested in joining the ranks of this pioneering organisation. The orchestra first came together in early 2008 for a pair of concerts in the historic city of Oxford where we were invited to perform alongside soloists James Bowman and David Owen Norris. Back then the orchestra was the size of a modest chamber group with only around 30 players. Even though that was little over a year ago, the group has grown and transformed from that early fledgling team of musicians into a full symphony orchestra of a standard that could easily rival many of the great professional orchestras of the world. We now have over 50 fellows who play with us regularly and a large team of associates who augment the orchestra for the more substantial repertoire items. The success of Europa lies in the skills and dedication of our fellows and associates and we are extremely fortunate to have a highly talented and committed group of young musicians with us at the moment.
However, due to the changing nature of an organisation like Europa which focusses on giving young people opportunities we are always on the lookout for gifted musicians to add to our ranks. We are committed to helping young musicians by placing them in a supportive environment where they are encouraged to flourish and grow before sending them off into the international music world. We already have musicians playing in some of the country’s top orchestras and it is extremely satisfying for us to know that we might have played a very small part in that success. As our membership becomes increasingly international drawing musicians from further and further afield, we soon hope to see Europa alumni playing in leading orchestras across the globe.
The following pages contain details of just some of the benefits that we are able to offer young musicians who want to work with Europa. However, the life of a Europa fellow or associate involves much more than just playing in a series of high-profile concerts, so check out the information on our Classical Futures and Europa Juniors projects which make life with Europa so enriching and rewarding. Please do get in touch with us if you want to know more, otherwise we look forward to receiving your application.
Scott Ellaway
Founder & Artistic Director
