07:00 pm
Nationaal Jeugdorkest Netherlands
RICHARD WAGNER · “Tristan und Isolde”: Prelude and Liebestod WWV 90 (1857-1859)
ANNA MEREDITH · “HandsFree” (2012)
SERGEI PROKOFIEV · “Romeo et Juliet” Op. 64, Excerpts from all the Suites (1935-1936)
The various formations of the NJO, the National Youth Orchestra of the Netherlands, have been regular and popular guests at Young Euro Classic for many years. Whether baroque opera, classical music or symphonic jazz: excellence and versatility characterize the NJO’s ensembles, which build upon the broad range of music education in their homeland. This summer, the “classical” symphony orchestra returns to Berlin, alongside a proven friend of youth orchestras as conductor, the German Elias Grandy. The programme could not be more diverse: it begins with the prelude to Wagner’s Tristan und Isolde, in which the orchestra can prove its ability to shape even the most delicate sounds. The following work offers an intriguing contrast: a work by the Scottish composer Anna Meredith, written in 2012 for the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain – in HandsFree, the orchestra truly is free to use its hands! The second part of the concert features excerpts from Sergei Prokofiev’s ballet music for Romeo and Juliet, lending the heart-breaking love story sensuous melodies, a great orchestra sound and infectious rhythms.
2015 was a decisive year for Elias Grandy: at the time, he won the International Conducting Competition “Sir Georg Solti“ in Frankfurt, which opened the doors to a promising career. He was also appointed General Music Director at the Heidelberg Opera, a position he held until 2023. Since the spring of 2025, the native of Munich has been the chief conductor of the Sapporo Symphony Orchestra; he recently also made his debut with the Vienna Symphony Orchestra, the Orchestre du Capital de Toulouse, the Norwegian Radio Orchestra and the Orchestre National de Belgique. Originally Grandy studied to be a cellist; he was appointed associate principal cellist at the Komische Oper in Berlin in 2007. In 2011, he made his opera debut at the Kammerakademie Rheinsberg, leading Grétry’s opera Das Urteil des Midas. Invitations have taken the conductor repeatedly to the Frankfurt Opera, where he led Massenet’s Werther and Delius’ Romeo und Julia auf dem Dorfe, as well as the Aalto-Theatre in Essen, the Semper Opera Dresden and to Tokyo.
The National Youth Orchestra of the Netherlands (Nationaal Jeugdorkest or NJO) is part of the extensive musical organization dedicated to supporting musical talent in various genres, from a baroque orchestra to an opera company. Its members are students at conservatories in the Netherlands aged 18 to 26. The highlight of its many activities every year is the NJO Music Summer in Gelderland, which also features the Symphony Orchestra in numerous performances before it embarks upon an international tour – this year with the German conductor Elias Grandy. The NJO’s winter tour, on the other hand, is reserved for concerts in the most important cities of the Netherlands. The conductor Antony Hermus is the current artistic advisor and principal guest conductor. Prominent guest conductors have included Philippe Herreweghe, Jaap van Zweden, Iván Fischer and Oliver Knussen. Furthermore, renowned composers such as Steve Reich, John Adams, Kaaja Saariaho and Wolfgang Rihm have been the NJO’s Composers in Residence.