Western Balkans Youth Orchestra: Accelerando

Supported by the Ernst von Siemens Music Foundation, the Accelerando project intends to develop the Western Balkans Youth Orchestra (WBYO) into a long-term institution that supports young musicians and promotes regional cooperation and reconciliation. Launched in 2023 with co-funding from the European Union, the project offers orchestral training and professional performance opportunities to young musicians from six non-EU Western Balkan countries: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia. By bringing together musicians from diverse backgrounds, WBYO uses music as a platform for cross-border dialogue and collaboration.

Over four years, Accelerando will deliver eight international training residencies, 37 concerts across the Western Balkans and the EU, and masterclasses led by established professional musicians. A cultural journalism program, developed in partnership with Deutsche Welle, will train young journalists and expand public awareness of the orchestra and its artists. The project also invests in partnerships with leading European orchestras.

Further Information:
thinkyoung.eu

Dates

August 4, 2025
Pjaca Od Kina, Kotor, Montenegro

August 6, 2025
Sarajevo National Theater, Bosnia and Herzegovina

August 8, 2025
Synagogue, Novi Sad, Serbia

August 10, 2025
Palace of Youth and Sport, Prishtina, Kosovo, Belgium

August 12, 2025
North Macedonian Philharmonic, Skopje, Macedonia