With the foundation of the orchestra academy in 1997, the ORF Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra took on a pioneering role that it still plays today. It offers particularly gifted young musicians the opportunity to play with the Vienna RSO.
Supported and accompanied by the musicians of the RSO, they extend their repertoire of contemporary music at the daily rehearsals and in numerous concerts. This ensures that the young orchestra musicians become familiar not just with traditional playing techniques, but also with unconventional ones.
Furthermore, encounters with internationally renowned composers are part of everyday life in the orchestra whose repertoire consists primarily of modern works. Involvement in festivals such as Wien Modern, musikprotokoll and many others also provides new career opportunities for the prospective orchestra musicians.
Part of the training at the Orchestra Academy are master classes with internationally renowned soloists, audition trainings, where the young musicians have the opportunity to prepare for upcoming auditions and performances, as well as mentoring and coaching programmes.
In all, ten positions are available in the string sections for young musicians. If they pass the audition, the musicians are given six-month contracts. In many cases, academy membership can be extended to a total of three and a half years. Many of those who successfully completed their academy training have been rewarded with chairs in leading orchestras, while some have qualified for the Vienna RSO itself.
With this programme, the ORF contributes hugely to the training of the next generation of musicians.