EU revives its baroque orchestra
OrchestrasAfter four years of suspension, the European Union Baroque Orchestra has renewed operations and found a base in Italy.
First concert tomorrow night in Ravenna (pictured).
Really good to see a baroque renewal.
The European Union Baroque Orchestra was founded in 1985 by Paul James and Emma Wilkinson as part of European Music Year, marking the 300th anniversaries of Bach, Handel and Domenico Scarlatti.
More here.
A thoroughly misleading headline. The EU has and had nothing to do with the EUBO beyond the name. It was a private venture in the UK: so is the new Italian version.
In the past there was certainly funding for EUBO from the “Creative Europe” programme of the EU, and I have vague memories from some years ago of reading that EUBO had received other EU monies too: though, as with most EU cultural programmes, maybe this was “delegated” money sent via one of the cultural programmes that were nonetheless funded (at least in part) at the top of the tree by the EU.
Whatever, EUBO in the past seems to have been a worthwhile project in providing useful “early-years” experience to many instrumentalists (and mixing musicians from a good number of countries) who have subsequently gone into the profession.
But for the newly reincarnated version it seems that the EU doesn’t seem to have much (anything?) to do with it – and, reading the article, this new manifestation has not auditioned and selected a new training orchestra, but has instead regrouped instrumentalists from recent years.
This private adventure must be deprived of public funds. The products of this people in the years is evident to be a substandard education. Judging from poor ratings to any video of the former EUBO supposed pupils they have also difficulty with the public, and in the cruel world of traffic this alone should make them doubt about their real future possibilities in the music world. The self reference, entitlement and circle of friends will not help this time, well, now the so called baroque musician could ask friends for bread money, not concerts. I do not want this pseudo musicians to form and eventually teach in Italy, music is a serious matter and we have already enough of them here.
Saluti carissimi dall’Italia