PRESS RELEASE
2. 3. 2015
The students of the Belgian Royal Conservatory of Music in Mons are preparing a concert in Pilsen, the European Capital of Culture 2015
The Belgian Royal Conservatory of Music has taken part in an international student project which will culminate in Pilsen (Czech Republic) in October 2015. In this year Pilsen and Mons are the European Capitals of Culture.
The project“5 Rivers”is being prepared in the collaboration of the association Svět podle Jakuba (The World According to Jakub), the Pilsen Conservatory of Music and other institutions. Five composers from Pilsen have been asked to compose a new musical piece for their city on the theme of five Pilsen rivers. Each river has its name, its mood, its history of the surroundings it flows through, each has its task. All this influenced the composers work which has been recently finished.
The idea of European Cities of Culture became the inspiration for the project's organisers giving them the chance to put together an international student orchestra which would come here to study and perform this new musical work. "We think that nothing contributes more to the recognition and understanding between nations than acquaintance and collaboration of young people," says Marek Roštík from the association Svět podle Jakuba.
Director of Royal Conservatory of Music Mr. Michel Stockhem to the cooperation says: „The idea that they introduced to us is of course fully in the spirit of EU, which has linked our both cities in the same bright fate for 2015, that is being European Capital of Arts and Culture.
Of course, as head of a higher school for the arts, and especially as director of the Music Department, known as Royal Conservatory of Music (one of the six we have here in Belgium), I am enthusiastic about letting our students participate to international projects, and this, as much as possible. It would be still more interesting, besides one-shot events, which are the sign of those yearly celebrations, if projects have a long-term effect, as we all believe.“
Other schools and students involved in the 5 Rivers project include, apart from the Pilsen Conservatory, also Music Conservatory in Košice and JazepaVitola Academy of Music in Riga. The Karol Lipinski Academy of Music in Wroclaw will be the last school to add their students to the European student orchestra.
The complete orchestra will meet in Pilsen probably on 9.10.2015 to study the compositions together with a choir under the leadership of the Latin-American conductor Norman Gamboa. On 15.10.2015, this new musical work will be performed in the Great Synagogue in Pilsen. On 18.10.2015, it will have its second premiere in the Světce u Tachova Riding School. The Pilsen Synagogue is the second largest synagogue in Europe. The national heritage building of Světce riding school is located nearby one of the rivers and it is also the second biggest among European buildings of similar original purpose.
Contacts:
Michel Stockhem
Directeur
Royal Conservatory of Mons
Rue de Nimy 7
7000 MONS
Belgium
tel. +32.(0)65.34.73.77
gsm +32.(0)471.38.65.29
MirkaReifová, PR Manager of Pilsen 2015
+420 606 090 801
Svět podle Jakuba, z.s.