As a result of the restrictions in place to protect against the spread of Covid-19, the Mediterranean Youth Orchestra adapted and developed new online training programs in order to continue to carry out its mission of training and accompanying young musicians in their professional development. Country borders currently pose a challenge to an artist’s mobility and so it becomes important to create new workspaces and meeting places which allow for the preservation of the vital links and intercultural dialogue at the heart of these programs. The training programs were created through a process of reflection and ongoing exchange with the artists and pedagogical experts who were initially involved in training sessions that were scheduled to take place in Aix during the 2020 edition of the Festival d’Aix. Through these newly adapted programs, the MYO continue to defend its values which include artistic excellence, innovation, the expression of cultural diversity, and activities which promote social inclusion.

This year’s July session took place in a completely revisited format. As always, the session gathered eleven young artists specialised in improvisation led in their intercultural composition by Fabrizio Cassol. Five of these artists took part in the training session from the Camargo Foundation in Cassis. They were joined by six musicians online from Bulgaria, Italy, Greece, Lebanon and Turkey. Together they took on the challenge of composing collectively in an intercultural ensemble while taking into consideration the online element of the session that was at the heart of the creative process.