Ulster Youth Orchestra stars tune up to perform at prestigious Young Euro Classic Festival in Berlin, supported by the National Lottery

For both performances, the Ulster Youth Orchestra will present a captivating programme blending Irish musical poetry and Russian passion including, Armagh composer Sam Kane’s, "Journey to the Otherworld", which will receive its UK, Irish and German premiere, Hamilton Harty’s, “The Children of Lir”, featuring local soprano Rebecca Murphy, and Rachmaninov’s, “Symphonic Dances, Op.45”. For the third time, the orchestra will be led by renowned conductor Jac van Steen.

Whilst in Berlin, the orchestra will also hold their annual 10-day summer course where the young musicians will have the extraordinary opportunity to receive training and mentorship with course tutors from the great orchestras, opera houses and universities of Berlin. They also plan to take part in some outreach workshops with children from schools in East Berlin.

Paula Klein, General Manager, at the Ulster Youth Orchestra, said, "We are absolutely thrilled to have been invited to perform at the prestigious Young Euro Classic festival at the Konzerthaus in Berlin this summer. Prior to the concert, our musicians will have the exceptional privilege to learn from tutors drawn from the world-renowned Berlin Philharmonic and the many other acclaimed orchestras and ensembles that anchor the city's rich musical landscape.

It marks the very first time a national youth orchestra from these islands has held its residential training course abroad and this unparalleled experience will provide a defining moment in the artistic development of our young players. Creating opportunities and providing access to excellence is at the core of what UYO does for young talented players and we are incredibly proud to bring a brand-new commission by Sam Kane, a celebrated composer and former UYO leader himself, to the Festival.

It is a bespoke educational and cultural experience that is simply unmatched. We are deeply grateful to the Arts Council of Northern Ireland for their continued support, which has made this historic journey possible."

The Ulster Youth Orchestra is regarded as one of the jewels in the crown of the NI arts sector, with a reputation for excellence in all its performances. Established in 1993, the Ulster Youth Orchestra continues to flourish as the premier showcase youth orchestra in Northern Ireland, it is funded by the National Lottery through the Arts Council of Northern Ireland.

Jamie Thompson, Arts Development Officer in Music, Arts Council of Northern Ireland, added, “The Arts Council is proud to be principal funder of the Ulster Youth Orchestra thanks to the National Lottery players. Our vision is to develop and champion the arts in Northern Ireland through investment, and this opportunity in Berlin serves to grow artistic talent, develop the next generation of exceptional musicians and shines a light on the talent that is inherent to NI on an international stage. It is also terrific to see two of our BBC/ACNI Young Musicians’ Platform Award recipients, soprano Rebecca Murphy and composer/violinist Sam Kane, feature in the programme.

The orchestra’s Summer Concert is an annual highlight which serves to showcase the incredible training, development and work that this award-winning company do to support our finest young, classical musicians. Audiences can expect an afternoon of tremendous classical music at the Ulster Hall, and I would encourage everyone to go along and enjoy!”

To learn more about the work of the Ulster Youth Orchestra visit uyo.org.uk

For tickets to the Ulster Youth Orchestra Summer Concert at the Ulster Hall on Sunday 16 August visit www.waterfront.co.uk/what-s-on/ulster-youth-orchestra-summer-concert/