On September 6th, the 2024 Annual Meeting for International Relations Coordinators of the European Association of Conservatories (AEC) will be enriched by a performance of the Erasmus Orchestra.
This project, initiated by the Erasmus+ Italian National Agency INDIRE (since 2023 in collaboration with AEC), has been bringing together Erasmus students from all over Europe since 2017 to promote the opportunities offered by the Programme for the Higher Artistic and Musical Education sector. The Erasmus Orchestra represents an extraordinary example of cooperation and cultural exchange, offering young musicians the opportunity to collaborate and grow together, performing in concerts that celebrate cultural diversity and artistic excellence.
The concert will be the social highlight of a three-day event hosted at the prestigious Royal Academy of Music (RIAM) in Dublin from September 4th to 7th, centred around the theme “The Space Between: Educating Citizen Artists Through Global Cooperation.”
The Orchestra will be composed of over 50 students from RIAM and various conservatories in Erasmus+ countries and will perform classical pieces by Beethoven, Donizetti, Puccini, Fauré, and Verdi.
The conference will explore the role of the International Relations Coordinator as the “space between” many factors and actors: the lubricant between the internal mechanisms of Higher Music Institutions, the mediator between students and institutions, the facilitator between documents, IT systems and people, and the bridge between education and society.
As part of the program, Maria Salzano, an expert from the Erasmus+ INDIRE Agency, will be one of the speakers at the workshop “Erasmus evaluation as a tool for quality enhancement.” Her presentation will offer valuable insights into how the evaluation of the Erasmus+ program can be used to improve the quality of higher education, helping institutions monitor the quality and impact of mobilities.
Parallel sessions will be the heart of the conference, covering vital areas such as global collaboration, sustainability, power relations, and inclusion. Participants can expect in-depth discussions, sharing of best practices, and networking opportunities.
Erasmus Orchestra
The Erasmus Orchestra is the first and unique musical ensemble made up of students of European Conservatoires and Music institutes that participated or are taking part in an Erasmus international mobility experience.
The Erasmus Orchestra was created in 2017 to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Erasmus Programme, under the initiative of the Erasmus+ Italian National Agency INDIRE. The Erasmus Orchestra holds a symbolic meaning and aims to spread the values of the “Erasmus Generation” – open, dynamic, and supportive – and those of Europe, utilizing music as a metaphor for integration, encounter, and the development of skills beyond any linguistic, geographical, or cultural barriers.
The Orchestra also aims to promote the numerous training and mobility opportunities offered by Erasmus+ for students in the sector of Higher Education for Art, Music and Dance.
The initiative also intends to contribute to enhancing the talents and excellence of European Conservatories and Music institutes by fostering collaborations and partnerships that provide internationalization opportunities and professional experiences for young musicians.
Since its debut in 2017 at the Festival of Europe in Florence, the performances of the Erasmus Orchestra have obtained great success with audience and interest from media and institutions, beyond the national level. This has led the INDIRE’s Erasmus+ Italian National Agency to invest further in the future of the project.
In 2023, the project expanded to include students from Conservatoires across all Erasmus+ countries, with over 220 students from 22 countries and 60 Conservatoires involved in the project. For this new development, the Agency started an international collaboration with the European Association of Conservatoires – AEC.
The Orchestra will be composed of over 50 students from RIAM and various conservatories in Erasmus+ countries and will perform classical pieces by Beethoven, Donizetti, Puccini, Fauré, and Verdi.
