Jeunesse-Oorkaan-Academy
The Jeunesse-Oorkaan-Academy trains young musicians and directors at the beginning of their careers; the focus is on the development of innovative staged concert formats, e.g. for a young audience.
Under the direction of Caecilia Thunnissen, Artistic Director of OORKAAN, the Academy lays the foundation for top-level artistic support of young artists, their scenic-musical work and the development of a new artistic language.
Application Deadline: 25. Oktober 2023
Artistic direction
Since its founding in 2001 at the Koninklijk Concertgebouw (Amsterdam), Oorkaan has collaborated with numerous renowned ensembles. As artistic director of Oorkaan and the Jeunesse-Oorkaan-Academy, Caecilia Thunnissen, who has worked with personalities like Martin Kusej and Andris Nelson, founded the Oorkaan Method. The "Staged Concerts" developed with this method receive invitations to the Elbphilharmonie, the Philharmonie Luxembourg, Baden-Baden or the Salzburg Festival and have received numerous international nominations and awards.
Who is the Jeunesse Oorkaan Academy for?
For directors, choreographers and theatre makers,
- who are interested in and enjoy inspiring audiences with instrumental music from the past and present and from all over the world
- who have training and/or experience as a theatre maker/choreographer
- with curiosity to use the sheet music and scores as the underlying text for a piece development and creative process. (ability to read music is desirable, but not essential)
- who enjoy working with instrumentalists without professional acting and movement experience
For instrumental ensembles (2 to max. 6 persons) playing classical, jazz, world, old music, etc.
- with interest and joy in inspiring young audiences and re-thinking evening concerts
- with a desire to play by heart
- with interest in training for physical acting, movement theatre and body work
- who are not afraid to break up musical scores and create theatrical scenes with it
Applications from individual musicians will be accepted if they are willing to become part of a newly formed ensemble. The commitment is required to proactively search for or arrange suitable pieces for the new ensemble composed of other individual applicants and to independently meet up with the new colleagues two days before the Basic-Masterclass and one day before the Intensive-Masterclass to rehearse musically.
Diversity and inclusion are core values of the Jeunesse-Oorkaan-Academy. We explicitly invite all artists to apply, regardless of origin, cultural and sexual identity, ethnicity, disability or religion!
What does the Jeunesse-Oorkaan-Academy offer?
The Jeunesse-Oorkaan-Academy is composed of a four-part Masterclass in the spring of 2024 and engagement in the Jeunesse format "Triolino" for children ages 3 and up in the 2024/25 season.
The Masterclass will start with a one-day online introduction in January 2024, followed by the first Basic-Masterclass in Amsterdam (NL) in February 2024 and the Intensive-Masterclass in Grafenegg (AUT) in March 2024. The trainings will be complemented by topic-relevant guest lectures. The results will be presented to the public for the first time in June 2024.
In the season 24/25, four Triolino concert productions for children from the age of 3 will be created, each featuring a Jeunesse-Oorkaan-Academy ensemble and a theatre maker. The productions are artistically accompanied and supervised, and - after the premiere in Vienna - they will also be performed in the Austrian provinces. The four Triolino productions will be visited by all Jeunesse-Oorkaan-Academy participants and discussed together.
Previous academists are successful internationally in competitions and auditions and, in addition to the Jeunesse program, are invited to concert halls, theaters, festivals and production houses such as Oorkaan, Slagwerk Den Haag, Muziekgebouw Amsterdam, Wiener Konzerthaus, Musikverein Wien, Brucknerhaus Linz, Kultursommer Wien, Jungle Wien, State Opera Vienna and Festspielhaus St. Pölten.
Overview of the program
The next year of the Jeunesse-Oorkaan-Academy will start in January 2024 - applications are now open!
Dates (open for changes):
- 20.01.2024, 10:00-17:00 Uhr, Online-Introduction
- 24. - 29.02.2024, Basic-Masterclass, Amsterdam (NL)1
Arrival 24.02., Trainings and Rehearsals 25.02.-29.02., Departure 29.02. in the evening - 21. - 29.03.2024, Intensive-Masterclass, Grafenegg (AUT)
Arrival 21.03., Trainings and Rehearsals 22.03.-28.03., Departure 29.03. - 12.04.2024, 2pm - 4pm: Online Lectures, “Elbphilharmonie Hamburg” and „Costumes and Stage Design”
- Musicians: 14. - 16.06.2024, Showing, Grafenegg (AUT)
Theatre makers: 13. - 16.06.20242
Possible further showings in June 2024, tba - September 2024, tba: Online Lecture, „How children listen“
- Saison 2024/25: Engagement in the Jeunesse format „Triolino“ for children from 3 years old, incl. supervisions, lectures and feedbacks
*1: New ensembles declare their willingness to connect with the colleagues straight away after being accepted into the Jeunesse-Oorkaan-Academy and choose music. We recommend meeting at least two days before the Basic-Masterclass and one day before the Intensive-Masterclass to rehearse musically. It is expected that – by the time the Basic-Masterclass begins – the new ensemble is able to play their chosen music by heart – if accommodation is required for an earlier arrival at the Masterclasses, Jeunesse and Oorkaan will cover the additional accommodation costs.
*2: Theatre makers agree to travel to the showcase in Grafenegg a day earlier in order to develop the Triolino concept for the 2024/25 season.
Regie-Coaching: Caecilia Thunnissen
Trainers: Gerindo Kartadinata, Esther Snelder
Up to 6 ECTS points can be credited for the 4-part masterclass in spring 2024.
Costs
The participation in the Jeunesse-Oorkaan-Academy is financed by the Jeunesse and Oorkaan. The costs are covered for:
- Course fees
- Accommodation in double rooms
In case of early, self-chosen withdrawal from the Jeunesse-Oorkaan-Academy, course and accommodation costs will be charged pro rata and subsequently at a rate of €50/day for training costs and €15/day for accommodation and meals.
Travel expense support
Jeunesse and Oorkaan support a climate-neutral journey from other European countries and from overseas with up to 70% of the travel costs, but a maximum of € 100 per person.
This travel allowance can be applied for once for each of the four training blocks (Basic-Masterclass, Intensive-Masterclass, Showing Grafenegg, Triolino engagement in Vienna) retrospectively by presenting the tickets.
The travel expenses for the Triolino-tour through the Austrian provinces following the premiere in Vienna are fully financed by Jeunesse.
Triolino
For the Triolino rehearsal and performance days in Vienna, the organisation of suitable accommodation is the responsibility of the academists. The Jeunesse supports with recommendations and a financial support of €15,-/person/night.
Accommodation during the tour of the Austrian provinces following the premiere in Vienna will be organised and financed by Jeunesse.
The engagements in Triolino 23/24 are financially compensated with Jeunesse-standard fees. Additionally, up to 4 ECTS credits can be credited for rehearsal work, supervision and feedback.
Rehearsal times and performance dates will be discussed individually after acceptance into the Jeunesse-Oorkaan-Academy.
The participants commit themselves to take part in the Jeunesse-Oorkaan-Academy during all indicated periods and to be available for rehearsals and performances of Triolino in Vienna and the Austrian provinces during the season 2024/25.
Review of the Jeunesse-Oorkaan-Academy
Here you can find a review of the pilot edition of the Jeunesse-Oorkaan-Academy.
Application
Applications will be accepted until October 25, 2023. Complete application documents include:
- Application form
- Artistic curriculum vitae (max. length 1 DIN A4 page)
- Application video (see guidelines)
Please feel free to add links to recordings of entire concerts or productions in the artistic CV.
Submissions will only be accepted electronically via WeTransfer (www.wetransfer.com) to academy(at)jeunesse.at.
Selection procedure
All applications will be reviewed by an international jury after the application deadline on October 25, 2023. Successful applicants will be contacted with further information by November 30, 2023.
Number of participants: max. 4 ensembles and 4 theatre makers.
University partners
The university umbrella of the Jeunesse-Oorkaan-Academy is the Musik und Kunst Privatuniversität der Stadt Wien. Students (musicians as well as theatre makers) from universities that are part of the Bologna Process can receive up to 10 ECTS credits earned at the Jeunesse-Oorkaan-Academy as electives for their studies.
Musicians and theatre makers are eligible to participate in the Jeunesse-Oorkaan-Academy regardless of whether they are currently enrolled at a university or not.
Statements
Anna Grüssinger (Theatre maker):
Caecilia Thunnissen conveys her methodology and expertise at eye level and at the same time supports and encourages the participants' individual artistic approaches. The collegial exchange with the other participants in the very intense days of the masterclass was also extremely inspiring.
Joseph Avila (Pianist of the Tocuyito Trio):
For me, participating in the Jeunesse-Oorkaan Academy was the perfect introduction to a world of creative possibilities that I now feel at home in. It broadened my professional perspectives and gave me additional joy in making music.
Cornelia Voglmayr (Theatre maker):
A safe space to experiment that I sometimes miss in my working life!
Maat Saxophone Quartet:
It was a fantastic experience. We had the opportunity to explore things we had never explored before as a group, but also as four individuals. At the academy, we had dance classes, mime classes, a huge variety of workshops and lectures with guests from all specialties. So right after the academy we felt that we were more complete artists. It was wonderful to work with inspiring theatre makers and other musicians. We had the opportunity to make many new friends and to present our quartet, which is based in the Netherlands, in Austria. It was a lot of fun touring with Triolino through Austria!
Contact
Elisabeth Pöcksteiner, Clara Read MSc
Junges Publikum | Young Audiences
academy(at)jeunesse.at
