Pan-Caucasian Youth Orchestra

The Pan-Caucasian Youth Orchestra was created in 2019. It is a full symphony orchestra (between 75 and 85 members) and is the leading training orchestra in the Caucasus region (and beyond), open to musicians between 18 and 28 years of age. It is the resident orchestra and as such an essential part of the Tsinandali Festival, Georgia. At its foundation, the PCYO accepted participants born in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Russia, Turkey, Ukraine and Kazakhstan. In 2023, Turkmenistan was added officially, while in 2024 Moldovia and Uzbekistan follow. The Music Director Gianandrea Noseda, one of the leading Maestros of our time, ensures the artistic level and conducts two concerts each summer.

Every year live auditions are held in all participating countries, in which Assistant Music Director Claudio Vandelli chooses the most promising and talented young musicians. 

After their arrival in Tsinandali in mid-August, the PCYO players go through an intense preparation period of two weeks, when they are trained by coaches coming from international top-orchestras from all over the world. They have sectional rehearsals, individual lessons and full orchestra rehearsals to prepare the programs of the Festival’s concerts. Once the Festival opens, the PCYO works like a professional orchestra: two rehearsal days are followed by one concert, conducted by the most famous conductors of our time. Usually, four to five concerts are performed by the Youth Orchestra during the Festival period. Between 2019 and 2023, the PCYO shared the podium with conductors such as Charles Dutoit, Lahav Shani, Vasily Petrenko, Jukka-Pekka Saraste and Oksana Lyniv and soloists like Yuja Wang, Mischa Maisky, Renaud and Gautier Capuçon, Yefim Bronfman, Augustin Hadelich and others. The orchestra performed major repertoire of different epochs, including symphonies by Beethoven, Schumann, Brahms, Berlioz, Tchaikovsky, Shostakovich and concertos by Dvořák, Prokofiev, Rachmaninoff, Beethoven, Bruch and others.    

This orchestra is meant to add a musical and personal experience of immense value to the education and career of the young musicians. The concerts they play are of the highest professional level. Throughout the Festival period, the orchestra members have the possibility to attend rehearsals of other concerts and be in personal exchange with the best artists of all instruments. 

For the participation at auditions and in the orchestra, no fee needs to be paid by the young musicians. Furthermore, the Tsinandali Festival covers expenses for accommodation and meals.

François Leleux
Conductor

Edgar Moreau
Cello