Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra Academy welcomes new intake

Last week, the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra Academy welcomed students from Austria, the USA, Chile, Spain, Germany, Latvia, Hungary and Romania to begin their training in Vienna.

Chairman Daniel Froschauer and CEO Michael Bladerer explain that, ‘The primary goal is the artistic training of young musicians, aged 18 - 27, through individual lessons, chamber music, orchestral playing, and audition preparation. Members of the Vienna Philharmonic accompany the academy students as teachers and mentors. The students have the opportunity to experience first-hand the orchestra's specific style of playing, its long-standing traditions, variety of interpretation and distinctive sound while working with the greatest conductors and most renowned soloists and performing on tour. During the two-year training program, the young musicians are familiarized with all facets of the profession.’

As well as performing several chamber music concerts, the academy students will become familiar with the way the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra operates, including the ‘Philharmonic Idea’ of self-governance, the guest conductor system, and other artistic areas as well as gaining access to Performing Arts Medicine, the Vienna Philharmonic medical program. They will also attend lectures, discussions and meetings with outstanding personalities from the fields of culture, politics, business, science and sports to provide further exposure to Viennese culture with a special emphasis on music and social responsibility. During the training program, academy students will take a trip to Theresienstadt in order to develop an understanding of the humanitarian responsibility of artists and musicians.

Michael Bladerer, the academy’s art director and Vienna Philharmonic CEO, said, ‘The Academy should provide give and take. Our orchestra can benefit from the energy of the young, and the young can in return learn from our experience.’

For more information, please visit the Vienna Philharmonic website.