LinkedIn.com dated 15 October 2024
New NATIONAL YOUTH ORCHESTRA in The Netherlands
Introduction
At publishing my previous posting announcing our latest initiative called the National Youth Concert Band NL (NYCB.nl), there was a certain idea about responses coming our way. What happened? Well, let’s call it a storm! I was quickly asked for an English translation. Allow me the short version.
What’s up?
The potential ending of Government funding for talent development in classical music, as published in July 2024 by cutting subsidies for a.o. the National Youth Orchestras and the World Music Contest, is mindboggling. This will bring great harm to music students at the Conservatories of Music in The Netherlands. They simply need the experience as offered.
Action & reaction
When I read this for the first time, I said to myself: enough is enough! Let’s see what we can do. At second glance, I was struck by the absence of the National Youth Wind Orchestra (NJHO). Very succesful from 1985 until 2010 and officially relaunched in 2017, but nowhere to be seen.
Initiative from core business: rationelle
Over the years, I have founded several orchestras and ensembles. I simply know how to do that.
As a music student, I have played in the Wind Band which evolved into the NJHO. I am aware of the role this has played in my own development both as an orchestral musician and a soloist.
Looking at demand versus supply a.k.a. the market for professional musicians, I noticed something interesting. Although the Conservatories of Music still focus on the Symphony Orchestras, the number of jobs for wind and percussion players in the Military Bands is higher than those in all Symphony Orchestras combined. There are professional civil Wind Bands in several countries as well. Spain being the largest job market in Europe. All the more reason to prepare for those jobs.
With this in mind, we decided to use the existing structure of Stichting Sousa Tribute Band in order to found a junior orchestra in the Sousa Academy. Objective, approach and content are similar to those of the NJHO.
Call for your support
We ask all professionals in classical music for their direct or indirect support. Please make your music students aware of this new opportunity. Leave a comment, repost, etc. Let’s make some noise!
Please have a look at https://nycb.nl.
Stanley E. van Wel MM – Music Director