News
Posted by: JM Norway
Tags: JM Norway, Classical, Norway
April 20, 1974, at Majorstua School in Oslo, orchestra representatives from Oslo, Bergen and Trondheim met and founded the Norwegian Youth Orchestra Association. The tradition of organizing orchestra festivals and summer music courses was already years old by then, thus lacking the administrative capacity to organise these programmes. As a result of this, the association was founded, aiming to strengthen the conditions for youth orchestras in Norway.
Towards professionalization
The following years, the association grew continuously, a secretariat was employed, and a growing number of orchestras joined the association. The number of members, the activities and the economy increased, and the association joined the Norwegian Music Council, the Norwegian Children and Youth Council and several other umbrella organisations, where UNOF lobbied for the needs of its member orchestras. The association got financial support from the ministry, and money was fundraised for the projects and its members.
35 years with orchestral music
The last years, the association has been modernized. Through a clear strategy plan, the lobby activity of the federation has been professionalized. As a direct result, the conditions for the orchestras and the orchestra activities has been strengthened, the secretariat has expanded, the board has been increasingly stronger and more active, and financial support has been offered the member organisation. The federation has redesigned its profile and launched a new web site. UNOF closely cooperates with a wide range of organisations (among them Jeunesses Musicales Norway), which helps ensuring UNOF’s ability to reach its aims and objectives. The reasons for celebrating are many, reaching from UNOF’s daily work for the orchestras’ youngest members to its successful events as orchestra festivals and TV-programmes.
The largest orchestra association in Norway
Today, UNOF is Norway’s largest orchestra federation, with 4000 active members in 125 member orchestras. From the early beginning with 4 summer music schools, the association has grown enormously, currently organising 12 summer schools all over the country every year, a national youth symphony orchestra, and has a professional secretariat with two full time employees. The expertise and knowledge of UNOF ensures the association’s role as a serious and professional organisation.
UNOF works for ensuring instrument-education for everyone, focusing on development of ensembles. Furthermore, the association focuses on establishing more youth orchestras and strengthening the possibilities for youth participation through and in music.
Jeunesses Musicales Norway congratulates our network partner with the 35 years, and look forward to continue our cooperation with UNOF in the coming 35.
Photo: Sindre Lyslo (UNOF)
