The idea of initiating LES MUSICIENS D’EUROPE came during a meeting of musicians from different European countries in summer 1994 for a concert in Belgium. The success of this meeting from the musical as well as from the human point of view encouraged the organisers to found an orchestra which, through the variety of cultural interest and the music it plays, has come to be seen as expressing ideals of humanity and peace in Europe.
Leaving aside their cultural, national, social, linguistic, from different generations, professionals or not, teachers or students at conservatories attend a working session three or four times per year prior to performing an original repertoire. So far, the orchestra has played in Belgium, France, Luxembourg, Germany, Switzerland, Poland, the Ukraine and also in India and in China.
The changeable form of the orchestra gives it the scope to cater to the needs of various types of music: Symphonies, chamber music, opera, oratorio; small professional ensembles can accompany ballet or silent films; other groupings can tackle major works of the repertoire, play for miniatures and other rare items, or illustrate narrations, myths and legends.
The Musiciens d’Europe and their artistic director, Jean-Marie Curti, wish to enlarge their scope to cover activities for a young public: they propose to combine a concert in a town with an “orchestra lesson” for children and adults in a public rehearsal where they can apprehend the sound universe of an impressionist work, the structure of a concerto, and the magic colours of the orchestra.