Three years after its creation, how would you describe the orchestra's identity?
I would say that we are no longer as shy as we were when we started out. When we rehearse, I always encourage the musicians to play more freely, not to hide behind their scores, and to try to produce a full sound together.
Our communication has also improved. The members of the orchestra are much more detached from the notes and strive to establish contact with their colleagues. This brings us to what is most important in music, namely creating connections and trying to produce the best possible sound without hiding. This is what we call «orchestra culture», and in this respect, things are undeniably moving in the right direction for us.
When we go on stage, it is to show who we are. The orchestra takes its place and presents what it has learned. It is in those moments that I notice the musicians have grown more confident: they dare more because they know each other now, and the sound they produce is broader and deeper. During rehearsals, they immediately give much more – though that is also probably because I ask them to (laughs)!
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Have these developments on the artistic side also led the musicians to form a closer-knit community?
Absolutely! The challenge for an amateur ensemble is not only to make music, but also to forge bonds and develop friendships. People who might not otherwise meet in their daily lives come together here because the Orchestre the Place de l'Europe is incredibly diverse –  be it in terms of age, profession and nationality. And when you look forward to seeing your colleagues at rehearsals, you necessarily play better!
When we meet on Monday evenings, the musicians arrive straight after eight to ten hours of work. For them, the orchestra is a way to let go, to «cleanse» their souls. Afterwards, we often go out for pizza together – it's simply a lovely way to end the day!
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What are some of the perks of working with amateur musicians?
I'm always impressed by the love and passion these musicians put into what they do –  perhaps even more so than professionals! Many of the things we – career musicians – take for granted are very special to them: being able to rehearse on the stage of the Grand Auditorium, going off to play a concert in Berlin... A professional will see it as his usual work routine, an amateur as the experience of a lifetime!
The musicians of the Orchestre Place de l'Europe know how to appreciate these things and are incredibly motivated. They have a fire burning inside!
It's so inspiring to see what people can achieve with practice and diligence, and I'm impressed by the level the musicians achieve with only one rehearsal per week – all because they take our projects at heart.
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Does the collaboration with the civic orchestra of the Konzerthaus Berlin in July mean that your «playground» is now Europe at large, and not just Luxembourg anymore?
After three years, we're about to give our first concert abroad, and we simply can't wait! Playing outside Luxembourg and encountering other civic ensembles will undoubtedly be part of the orchestra's future from now on.
I think it's a good idea to take a trip once every two years, to collect fresh ideas, to renew the musicians’ motivation and to grow closer as a community. In Berlin, we will discover in a new hall, soak up a new atmosphere, work with a new conductor... I think that at the end of this project, many will return home saying that it was all really worthwhile. Those few days away from their families, the time invested, the efforts made: it was all worth it. And how rewarding to be celebrated and congratulated by those closest to you!
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Are there any particular works or composers you would like to tackle in the coming seasons?
I would love for us to do a programme dedicated to american composers such as Leonard Bernstein and George Gershwin. We have also planned to perform a major symphonic piece with chorus soon!
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As Music Director, how do you curate the orchestra's repertoire?
My main task is to identify a big piece for symphony orchestra. Once that is done, I'm open to trying new things, as we did last season with Pini di Roma (by Ottorino Resphighi, E.N.) or this unique work by Tan Dun which involved mobile phones (Passacaglia for orchestra, CD and mobile phones, E.N.). Musicians certainly need the classical repertoire but, from time to time, I also find it enjoyable to dare to approach something different. Such projects may well have changed the minds of some members of the orchestra who had mixed feelings about contemporary music at first. After the concert, some of them even told me they had specifically enjoyed performing the pieces in question.
In my opinion, the role of an amateur orchestra is also to encourage its members to broaden their artistic scope, to go beyond their limits with works that might initially seem too difficult or leave them sceptical. Faced with a score, you might say to yourself «I'm going to get bored», but as long as you haven't looked at the entire project, there's something missing...
At our last concert at the Philharmonie, the programme was especially bold and exhuberant. Backstage, I was delighted to hear the musicians say to me: «This was an incredible adventure: let's do it again!»
