Bucharest hosts the Annual Conference of the European Federation of National Youth Orchestras the first time in Romania between 16^th-19^th May, 2013.

The event is organised by the Romanian Youth Orchestra, a member of the federation since 2011, supported by 'Serafim Antropov - The Friends of Music' Foundation and the Lanto Communication Association. Among the participants there will be heads and managers of national youth orchestras from Austria, Germany, France, England, Italy, The Netherlands, Spain, Portugal, Switzerland, Poland, Cyprus, the Baltic States, Iraq, Moldova, as well as representatives of the 'Culture Action Europe' organisation in Brussels. On the closing day of the event, the National Youth Orchestra, conducted by Cristian Mandeal, will have a concert at the Romanian Athenaeum, with soprano Irina Iordăchescu and tenor Teodor Ilincăi as soloists. Marin Cazacu, the 'soul' of the Romanian Youth Orchestra, speaks to us about all of these:

How did the idea of organizing this conference in Romania occur to you and how important is it to our country?

First of all, the Romanian Youth Orchestra became a member of the European Federation of Youth Orchestras in November, 2011. A year before, we did not even know that such a federation existed, although we had established the Romanian Youth Orchestra. When we found out about this federation, we applied for membership, presented our orchestra in Brussels, the year the general assembly took place there, in 2011. The presentation was very successful and we were admitted in the federation. Last year the assemblies were organised in Helsinki and in Amsterdam, and after Amsterdam they asked who could organise the following one, so they chose Romania, because they found out about our success in Berlin and they said our orchestra might be the most brilliant of those that had been founded recently and that they would be honoured if we could organise such a conference in Bucharest. And now Bucharest will host all the heads and managers of youth orchestras in this European federation.

What are some of the main topics that will be discussed these three days?

To begin with, there will be an election for the new board of the Federation. Aside from that, we will discuss everything that concerns the collaboration between orchestras and our relation with the European Union, because most of the orchestras, with the exception of ours, are financed by the states they represent; there are many things, new members will be admitted, in fact, Romania even suggested that the Republic of Moldova, with the Moldovan Youth Orchestra, should apply for membership now, in Bucharest.

What did you prepare for the concert at the Romanian Athenaeum on 18^th May?

During this span of four days that the members of the federation will spend in Bucharest we have organized a concert of the National Youth Orchestra on Saturday, with a rather attractive programme, we believe, namely Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, which inspired Tchaikovsky, Gounod and Prokofiev. Maestro Mandeal, who has been with us since the beginning and who is already associated with our orchestra, is one of the great Romanian conductors who will remain with the orchestra. Soprano Irina Iordăchescu and tenor Teodor Ilincăi will be the soloists that evening. On Sunday, 19^th May, we will go on a trip to Sinaia, where they will visit the Peleş Castle, the 'George Enescu' Museum and the Casino in Sinaia, because that is where the Romanian Youth Orchestra began its activity and where it keeps performing its concerts.