This year’s Summer Orchestra Camp (POK) was a vibrant melting pot of creativity and talent, bringing together 106 young, gifted musicians aged 12 to 26, of which SMO included young Ukrainian musicians from Music for the Future, not only refining their musical skills but also further laying the foundation for their future endeavours in the world of music.

All participants had the opportunity to immerse themselves in a wide array of creative workshops aimed at broadening their artistic horizons. These workshops covered various areas such as videography, physical theatre, and somatics, offering young musicians a unique opportunity to explore the intersection of different art forms. Of course, the central workshops in theatre and music improvisation remained at the heart of the camp, providing an open space where these young talents could experiment and express themselves in new and imaginative ways.

Over seven days of intensive sectional and tutti rehearsals and creative workshops, the young musicians developed not only as individual performers but also as cohesive ensembles. Their journey concluded with a spectacular performance on the Križanke stage, as part of the prestigious Ljubljana Festival. With the support of their dedicated music professors, the young musicians created a powerful, unified sound that resonated with the audience. Finnish soloist Lauri Porra further enriched the performance, undoubtedly representing the highlight of the evening. The evening was masterfully narrated by Marcel Štefančič, who guided us through the stories of film music that have marked our lives.

This camp was not just an educational experience; it was a celebration of collaboration, creativity, and the boundless potential of young people in music. As these young musicians move forward, the foundations laid at this camp will undoubtedly serve as a solid base for their future artistic endeavours, and we eagerly anticipate the impact they will have on the world of music.