Sincerely yours,

Philip A. Draganov

Artistic Director of Youth Classics

Dear music lovers and young musicians!


It is a great pleasure for me to draw your attention to a unique week of music, now for the third time featuring masterclasses, workshops, and concerts.


Youth Classics was founded in 2011, and its International Music Festival and Masterclasses continue the Successful work of the International Music Week Montepulciano in 2010 and 2011.


The Youth Classics’ International Music Festival and Masterclasses is more than a music course. It is cultural exchange between different nations. In addition to their valuable work on music, participants establish contacts and make friendships that often continue after the course.


The course, which in 2012 will be held at Hallenburg Castle in Hesse, Germany, is intended for advanced students who intend to study music and students already on the university level. The subject matter of the lessons includes technical basics, the interpretation of works, and/or preparation for competitions, exams, and auditions. The participants should be challenged musically and personally in an atmosphere of intense work.

 

Once again, fantastic instructors will teach and pass on their experience. Just meeting these extraordinary musicians will make the course unforgettable for the participants.

Participants have to opportunity to choose from various courses. They can take the complete course, inclusing solo and chamber music lessons or just take the solo course.Details can be found on the pages that follow. Individual instruction will be supplemented by afternoon workshops in groups, which are included for all participants in the solo and chamber music courses and will be an enriching experience. For example, participants will attend workshops dealing with improvisation and the Feldenkrais Method for musicians.

 

Public concerts by participants are an important component of the course. The concerts will be held at Hallenburg Castle but also in other locations, to which the participants will travel in groups, in some cases. These courses can become a “dress rehearsal” for important exams, competitions, or auditions. We would like to give as many participants as possible the opportunity to give a public concert.

In addition,internationally renowned artits will perform at the festival.

 

Our participants and instructors come from all over the world: Germany, Switzerland, Russian, the United States, Austria, Slovenia, Ukraine, Georgia, Romania, Croatia, South Korea, France, and so on. Most of the people who support our music week come from Switzerland. We are deeply grateful to them! Hence the circle will be brought to a close in Zurich in November, where a gala Youth Classics concert will be held with selected students.

 

Beginning in 2012, the Youth Classics Sponsorship Award will be awarded to a young artist who stands out among the participants. A CD will be produced of the concert and released.

 


I offer you a warm welcome to the third Youth Classis International Masterclasses and would be please to greet you at Hallenburg Castle on 21 April 2012.