European music festival for young people
The European Music Festival for Young People ( Europees Muziekfestival voor de Jeugd ) is an annual international music festival for young people and young adults that has been held in Neerpelt , Belgium, since 1953 .
history
The festival began as an initiative of the local chapter of the Davidsfonds when a dozen choirs met in 1953. The following year, a dozen bands came together for an instrumental get-together. The competition was founded by Jan Coninx, priest and teacher at the Sint-Hubertuscollege Neerpelt. From 1955, the festival acquired an international character, as several Dutch groups and choirs from Germany and other European countries took part. Over the past few years, 100 registered groups from 20 to 25 countries are no exception. The current director of the festival is Rutger Nuyts, and vice-chairman Frans Ulens.
management
- Lambert Finken (1953–1983)
- Peter Berben (1983-2002)
- January Coninx (2002–2012)
- Rutger Nuyts (since 2012)
procedure
The festival is held for both choirs (“vocal”) and instrumentalists (“instrumental”), with both classical instrumentalists and ensembles such as Hafabra being assessed. The maximum age of participants is 28 years.
Encouraging young people to practice and play music together remains the motive and goal of this festival. Neerpelt wants to be a center where young people from different cultures meet and learn to appreciate music.
The annual festival on the first weekend of May is an opportunity for young musicians to showcase their talents in front of an audience and an international jury.
In addition to the musical aspect, encounter and reconciliation between the participants and the participants with the locals play a major role. The festival is mainly organized and managed by volunteers.
For a number of years, the festival has been accompanied by a variety of peripheral events such as fireworks, open-air theater and several workshops.
Neerpelt is the epicenter of music during the festival. In the middle of the Neerpelt, the groups meet in the Piazza Festivo. In recent years the De Peel Community Center has become the Piazza Festivo. All kinds of activities, such as performances, souvenirs, exhibitions and workshops, took place there and elsewhere in Neerpelt.
rhythm
The festival is held alternately every two years for choirs and for instrumentalists, addressing both classical instrumentalists and ensembles from Hafabra (harmony, fanfare en brass band) to jazz .
- 2011: 59th Festival (for instruments), from Friday April 29th to Monday May 2nd
- 2012: 60th Festival (for choirs), from Friday April 27th to Wednesday May 2nd
- ...
- 2019: 67th festival (for instruments) from Friday May 3rd to Monday May 6th