Τhe John S. Latsis Public Benefit Foundation, founding donor for the establishment of the Greek Youth Symphony Orchestra (GYSO), supported the Orchestra’s operation and the organisation of its concerts and educational activities during the 2022-2023 artistic season. GYSO, which was founded by conductor Dionysis Grammenos and is a member of the European Federation of National Youth Orchestras (EFNYO) and the MusXchange programme, comprises young musicians from all over Greece, as well as Greek musicians living abroad. Its primary goal is to identify, guide, train and promote talented young musicians in the symphonic and operatic repertoire under the guidance of internationally renowned soloists and principals of Greek and major European orchestras. Participation in the orchestra is free of charge, following an audition, while all travel and accommodation expenses of the musicians are covered, through the resources that the orchestra secures. The sixth artistic season of GYSO included a full programme of concerts in Greece and abroad, as well as important collaborations with renowned musicians and orchestra conductors, culminating in GYSO’s participation in the international music festival for youth orchestras “Young Euro Classic”, which took place in August 2023 at the Konzerthaus in Berlin. The performance by GYSO constituted the opening concert of the principal part of the Festival, during which three emblematic compositions of the symphonic repertoire by Liszt, Brahms and Grøndahl were performed. Additionally, the concert featured the internationally renowned trombonist Achilles Liarmakopoulos as a guest soloist.

At the same time, another main characteristic of GYSO’s activity is the implementation of educational actions, aiming at introducing young people to symphonic music and the values it embodies. In this context, starting in 2021, with the support of the Foundation, GYSO has been implementing the innovative activity “ΕλΣΟΝ VR”. Through the use of state-of-the-art virtual reality technologies and specially designed 360° audiovisual materials from live orchestra performances, students from all educational levels have the opportunity to discover the world of classical music in an experiential way. The “ΕλΣΟΝ VR” mask allows students to wander around the orchestra’s young musicians during the concert, as they performe important works from the repertoire of composers such as Mendelssohn, Tchaikovsky, Weber and Schubert. In addition, as part of special educational workshops, participants have the opportunity to meet the performers of a concert in person and watch them rehearse, experiencing the vibe and challenges of a professional performance in real time.

• In the 6 years of GYSO’s operation, more than 300 musicians from 42 cities in Greece and abroad have been selected, following auditions, to participate with the Orchestra in the concerts organised, while more than 2,500 students have participated in its educational activities.
• 120 young musicians of the Orchestra participated in 5 concerts during the 2022-2023 artistic season.

“My participation in GYSO has been a gift for me. A gift of experiences, moments and people that I will remember forever. Every GYSO project, from the rehearsals to the concert, is special, offering us the opportunity to engage with moments and emotions that are particularly powerful and memorable. I would like to make a special mention of the relationships that are formed within the orchestra. New friends and relationships are made, and they last outside of the orchestra.  Bright people, full of passion and power, coming together to create magical and dreamy moments. And what unites us is music. I can only be grateful for the experiences, the moments, the people...”

Dimitra Kostika

Flute, 22 years old

Department of Music Science & Art, University of Macedonia

“GYSO has been a tremendous opportunity for artistic development during its dynamic course in recent years. The orchestra has given me the opportunity to immerse myself in the symphonic repertoire and to grow as a musician. The chamber music projects are particularly important to me, as they are a part of our work that I love very much, through which one can gain a lot of stimulation and information, and eventually experience each work from a different perspective than one had imagined. Every artist who participates in GYSO tests their potential, develops their collaborative skills, exchanges ideas and experiences through rehearsals, workshops and the specialised seminars they attend. In this way, GYSO strengthens our musical empathy, becoming a great school for the artistic life of our country.”

Eleanna Stratou

Violin, 22 years old

Hochschule für Musik und Theater München, Germany