The São Paulo State Youth Orchestra

A renowned orchestra for its successful pedagogic plan as well as for its attentive artistic curatorship; the São Paulo State Youth Orchestra is a synonym of musical excellence in Brazil. Since it has been reformulated in 2012, the Orchestra has had Cláudio Cruz as its main conductor and musical director, which has meant a major quality leap.

Currently, the orchestra presents a memorable sound identity and, its solid internal cohesion allows for the building of repertoires that are increasingly challenging both technically and style wise.

The Orchestra thrives and it is the result of the comprehensive pedagogic activities, which educate and inspire young instrumentalists. At EMESP, scholarship students have classes focused on the group’s season and, which work from instrumental practice to the history of music. Labour intensive rehearsals follow the very model of the festival, with preparation of instrumentalist groups, immersion in the repertoire, solid interaction with soloists and guest conductors.

Another determining factor is their success was the creation in 2012 of the Ernani de Almeida Machado Award in partnership with the Law Firm Machado Mayer. Aimed at Orchestra scholarship students, it awards the one major winner and four runner-ups and, all the money received must be invested in their musical development or funding for musical instruments or programmes in foreign institutions.

Aware of the importance of one’s international experience towards education of young musicians, the Orchestra has regular world tours. With praised performances by audiences and internationals critics, the group has performed in very important music halls world wide, such as Lincoln Center/New York, Kennedy Center/Washington and Konzerthaus/Berlin – it has also participated as resident orchestra in the Berlioz Festival in the home town of the French composer, La Côte-Saint-André, interpreting the “Fantastic Symphony”.