“The European Union Youth Orchestra, which this year celebrates its 40th birthday, is to cease operations from September 2016 due to a lack of funding from the European Union,” reads an unsigned Thursday (5/12) article in The Strad. “The orchestra currently includes members from all 28 EU member states. Founded in 1976 by philanthropists Lionel and Joy Bryer and conductor Claudio Abbado, the EUYO was funded for 38 years as a European Union cultural ambassador. However, in 2014 EU backing was withdrawn … [and] only those projects falling under the umbrella of the new Creative Europe programme would receive support. The orchestra duly applied for funding from Creative Europe and received some support during the 2014-16 season. However in April 2016 that funding also ceased…. The orchestra will honour its summer touring commitments” in Wrocław, Poland, and Grafenegg and Vienna, Austria. “Marshall Marcus, CEO of the European Union Youth Orchestra [called it] ‘a sad day for the EU.’ The orchestra has now launched a campaign to secure its future, asking supporters to write to the European Union, to post messages on social media or to donate to an appeal fund.”
Posted May 13, 2016
