Cologne Youth Symphony Orchestra
The Cologne Youth Symphony Orchestra was founded in 1976 by Maestro Egon- Joseph Palmen, at that time head of the operatic department at Rheinische Musikschule Köln. Within 40 years the orchestra developed to one of the most important Youth Orchestras in North Rhine Westphalia with regular concerts in Cologne and in Germany. Many of its alumni are today members of well-known and highly renowned orchestras such as Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, Gürzenich Orchester Köln, WDR Radio Symphony Orchestra Cologne, Vienna Symphonic Orchestra, Deutsche Oper Berlin.
Every year the Cologne Youth Symphony Orchestra rehearses and presents three different concert programs conducted by Egon-Joseph Palmen and his son Alvaro Palmen and is special guest at the Jeunesse Musicale Academy in Weikersheim (Germany). Thus Cologne Youth Symphony Orchestra performed more than 100 works of musical history since its foundation in 1976. Its repertoire includes the works of W.A. Mozart as well as the symphonies of the romantic repertoire and composers of the 20th century such as Debussy, Ravel, Stravinsky, Poulenc, Pärt und Bernstein. Every year’s highlight is the cooperation concert with the Gürzenich Orchester Köln. In these concerts the young musicians of Cologne Youth Symphony Orchestra and the experienced professionals of the Gürzenich Orchestra Köln play together in one joint orchestra under the direction of the chief conductor of Gürzenich Orchestra Köln, now Maestro Francois Xavier Roth.
Cologne Youth Symphony Orchestra performed in the world famous Kölner Philharmonie as well as in many concert halls throughout Europe and became popular for a wider public by several appearances in the German National Television. In 2016 the Cologne Youth Symphony Orchestra had its debut in Beijing / China with music from Richard Wagner, Camille Saint-Saëns and Robert Schumann and is now official partner of the Junior Orchestra of the Middle School affiliated to the Central Conservatory of Music in China. The Concert at the Megaron Thessaloniki will be its debut in Greece.