The Thurgau Youth Orchestra (JOT) is a Swiss youth orchestra founded in 1965. This orchestra is based in the canton of Thurgau and has a significant influence on the musical education of young talents in the region.
Foundation
The violinist and conductor Martin Sigrist founded the Oberthurgau Youth Orchestra in Romanshorn in 1965, but the association was not founded until 1984.
The Oberthurgau Youth Orchestra was a pure string orchestra with 20 – 30 members and became well known throughout the canton of Thurgau and beyond under the direction of Martin Sigrist.
The name was changed to Thurgau Youth Orchestra in 2015 in order to reflect all regions of the canton of Thurgau in the name. The orchestra’s 50th anniversary was also celebrated in 2015, with the first concert in a symphonic formation.
Over the last almost 60 years, the Thurgau Youth Orchestra has developed from a string orchestra under the direction of Martin Sigrist and, from 2008, under the conductor Gabriel Estarellas Pascual, into a supra-regional symphonic ensemble and has become an important platform for the promotion of talents.
Impact and successes
Since its foundation, the Thurgau Youth Orchestra has been known for its high musical quality and its contribution to cultural life in Thurgau. Many of its members have continued their studies at renowned conservatories and pursued successful careers in music.
The Thurgau Youth Orchestra has received various awards at well-known competitions:
- 1st prize in the string orchestra category at the Swiss Youth Orchestra Competition 2000 in Aarau.
- Pro Helvetia Foundation Youth Promotion Prize 2000 for the best interpretation of a Swiss composition.
- 1st prize with distinction in the string orchestra category at the Swiss Youth Chamber Music Competition 2003 in Aarau.
- “Oberthurgauer of the Year 2003”
- 3rd prize at the International Youth Chamber Music Competition 2005 in Interlaken.
- 4th place at the Murten Classic 2013 youth orchestra competition.
The Thurgau Youth Orchestra also went on tour, including to Tuscany, and was invited to important international festivals such as the “Festival de Orquestas de Jóvenes de Alicante”, Spain (2013), the „Bodenseefestival“, Switzerland or the 15th International Youth Orchestra Festival “Young Concerts” in Neubrandenburg, Germany (2018), at the invitation of the Berliner Philharmoniker.
Impact and successes
Since its foundation, the Thurgau Youth Orchestra has been known for its high musical quality and its contribution to cultural life in Thurgau. Many of its members have continued their studies at renowned conservatories and pursued successful careers in music.
The Thurgau Youth Orchestra has received various awards at well-known competitions:
- 1st prize in the string orchestra category at the Swiss Youth Orchestra Competition 2000 in Aarau.
- Pro Helvetia Foundation Youth Promotion Prize 2000 for the best interpretation of a Swiss composition.
- 1st prize with distinction in the string orchestra category at the Swiss Youth Chamber Music Competition 2003 in Aarau.
- “Oberthurgauer of the Year 2003”
- 3rd prize at the International Youth Chamber Music Competition 2005 in Interlaken.
- 4th place at the Murten Classic 2013 youth orchestra competition.
The Thurgau Youth Orchestra also went on tour, including to Tuscany, and was invited to important international festivals such as the “Festival de Orquestas de Jóvenes de Alicante”, Spain (2013), the „Bodenseefestival“, Switzerland or the 15th International Youth Orchestra Festival “Young Concerts” in Neubrandenburg, Germany (2018), at the invitation of the Berliner Philharmoniker.
The Thurgau Youth Orchestra also recorded several CDs: The Ballad for Accordion and String Orchestra by Daniel Fueter with the soloist Srdjan Vukasinovic, the Symphony No. 7 by Ludwig van Beethoven, the 9th Symphony by Antonín Dvořák and the Piano Concerto by Edvard Grieg with the soloist Arta Arnicane.
The youth orchestra also organized master classes with renowned musicians from the Swiss music scene such as Thomas Grossenbacher, Dmitry Mishelovich, Igor Keller, Cobus Svanepoel, etc.
Chamber music
Introducing chamber music lessons as a supplement to orchestral playing was the idea of the artistic director of the Thurgau Youth Orchestra, Gabriel Estarellas Pascual, and has existed since 2016. For the young musicians, it has become an important activity, both artistic and social in nature.
In addition to numerous concerts, some groups won prizes at cantonal and national competitions:
- 2018 Thurgau Music Competition: two 1st prizes with distinction, two 1st prizes
- 2020 Swiss Youth Music Competition: 1st prize
- 2022 Thurgau Music Competition: 1st prize with distinction, 1st prize plus special prize for piano, 2nd and 3rd prize
- 2024 Thurgau Music Competition: 1st prize with distinction
”With youthful vigor.
Markus Bösch, THURGAUER ZEITUNG
The visitors in the Protestant church were impressed by the musicians' performance.
Gabriel Estarellas Pascual has been the artistic director of the youth orchestra since 2008 - and with this third part of the concert, he and the musicians managed to present the symphonic range with convincing fullness of sound. And at the same time, the orchestra played very precisely in the quiet and solo-like sections. The audience gave a long standing applause.