The Camerata Junior – The Friends of MusicYouth Orchestra was founded in 2010 as part of the Society’s educational activities, with the aim of cultivating students’ musical abilities, developing the spirit of cooperation and educating them in a group musical action discipline.
The first teacher and conductor was violinist Dimitris Semsis (now an honorary director), who made it a nursery for future artists, teaching and encouraging young people. In October 2018, the distinguished teacher and conductor Nikos Haliassas, took over as teacher and conductor of the Orchestra.
The Orchestra numbers 80 young people, aged between 8 and 25 years old, and operates on two levels, as it trains a children’s and a youth section. Its composition is constantly renewed, as new members are added after auditions, while older members evolve professionally. Membership is free and the classes are hosted at the Athens Concert Hall, where the Orchestra holds its annual spring concert every year.
Camerata Junior has also performed in the Thessaloniki Concert Hall, the Kalamata Dance Hall, the Stavros Niarchos Cultural Foundation, the Municipal Theatre of Piraeus, the Film Club of Ilioupoli, the International Festivals of Nafplion and Andros, in Argos, Trikala, Larissa etc. The Orchestra has performed works specially written for it by Giorgos Kouroupos and Apostolos Darlas, while its rich repertoire includes many first greek and international performances.
The Orchestra has collaborated with the Friends of Music Musica Choirs, the Children’s Choirs Rosarte and Friends of Music Thessaloniki and with leading soloists such as M. Petersen, D. Blumenthal, Ch.. Dimaras, D. Vamvas, D. Kitsos, Sp. Mourikis, A. Hadjinikolaou, St. Karapanos, S. Kyanidou, M. Sygeniotou etc.
From 2017 to 2022, Camerata Junior was supported by donations from the Spanish Foundation “World in Harmony” and the Alekos Goulandris Family. Since 2022, the Orchestra’s major sponsor is Mrs. Fotini Livanou.
