Side-by-side projects between young musicians and professional orchestras exist in many countries. What makes the Czech example particularly interesting is the way it is embedded in a wider system: not as a one-off outreach activity, but as a long-term cooperation between the Czech Philharmonic and AZUŠ ČR, the national association representing elementary art schools.
The Joint Orchestra has been running since 2014. Each year, the project works with pupils from a different region of the Czech Republic. This way the opportunity does not remain concentrated in Prague or in a small circle of already visible young musicians. Over time, it moves through the country and creates access for pupils from different local contexts.
The structure is simple, but strong. Around sixty pupils from music schools prepare the programme over several months, together with their teachers and with musicians of the Czech Philharmonic. The process includes rehearsals, sectional work and artistic guidance, and it culminates in a concert in the Dvořák Hall of the Rudolfinum in Prague.
For the pupils, the experience is not only about performing with a professional orchestra. It is about entering a professional musical culture for a short but very intense period of time. They sit next to Philharmonic musicians, rehearse with them, hear how they speak about sound, phrasing, listening, discipline and responsibility. They experience a glimpse into the professional life of an orchestra musician.
This is also where the project becomes relevant beyond the individual participants. The young musicians return to their schools and regions with an experience that can radiate further: into their ensembles, their peer groups, their lessons and their local music school communities. The impact is not limited to the final concert in Prague. It travels back with them. And they remain role-models for their colleagues at home.
The project also gives teachers new impulses. They accompany their pupils, but they also observe and take part in a professional rehearsal culture. In this sense, the cooperation supports pupils, teachers and schools at the same time.
What stands out is the combination of care and professionalism. The project is organised with great attention to the young musicians, but without lowering the artistic expectations. It takes pupils seriously as musicians. That is perhaps the strongest message of the Czech model: music schools are not only places of preparation for something that may come later. They are already part of the country’s musical life.
Through this cooperation, AZUŠ ČR and the Czech Philharmonic create a visible bridge between public music education and a leading national cultural institution. For the European music school community, this is a powerful example of how advocacy can work in practice: through quality, continuity, access across regions and a partnership that allows young musicians to experience what musical excellence can feel like from the inside.
Links
Czech Philharmonic – Joint Orchestra of Music School Pupils
Video: Joint Orchestra of Music School Students (1)
Video: Joint Orchestra of Music School Students (2)
Project Poster presented at the EMU General Assembly 2024 (member exclusive content)
