The Jovem Orquestra de Famalicão (JOF) returns for its eighth consecutive edition, bringing together dozens of young musicians before they return to major European schools and orchestras. The intensive workshop culminates with two concerts scheduled for Friday, September 4th, at Casa da Música in Porto (9:30 PM), and Saturday, September 5th, at Casa das Artes in Famalicão (6:00 PM).
Among the participants, special mention goes to Sofia Azevedo, a cellist from Brufe who is pursuing her master's degree in Antwerp, Belgium, and who has been present since the first edition. The young musician from Famalicão describes the project as the start of her season and confesses that her heart is always in Portugal. Miguel Rocha, a concertmaster studying in Salzburg, Austria, has been with the project since its founding and notes the group's evolution over the years.
The orchestra also serves as a space for sharing with musicians from other regions. Duarte Maia, a clarinettist from Maia and member of the Seville Symphony Orchestra, emphasizes the importance of exchanging ideas with colleagues from different countries and schools. Conductor José Eduardo Gomes, who leads the artistic residency, highlights the natural renewal of the group over eight years and the working conditions that combine rigor with a relaxed atmosphere.
The 90-minute program focuses on Russian symphonic repertoire, with Sergei Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 2 in the first part, featuring soloist Luís Magalhães from Famalicão, and Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov's "Scheherazade" in the second part.
