Today marks the start of the first YOCPA 2.0 Academy of 2026, inaugurating a new phase of the project supported by the European Union’s Creative Europe programme. This new cycle reinforces YOCPA’s commitment to the training and professional development of young musicians in the field of early music.
The academy’s programme is dedicated to two major works from the sacred repertoire: Oratorium Christus am Ölberge by Ludwig van Beethoven and The Seven Last Words of Christ by F.J. Haydn—two compositions of great interpretative demand and profound spiritual depth.
A total of 87 musicians are taking part in this edition, which unfolds in two phases. The first phase, focused on preparation, takes place at the Palacio de Festivales de Cantabria. The ensemble will then move to the Collegiate Church of Sant Vicenç de Cardona, where the refinement phase will be held.
The group is composed of 49 orchestral musicians and 38 choir singers, bringing together emerging talents and seasoned professionals. Of the participants, 57 are under the age of 40, while 31 expert musicians—closely associated with Le Concert des Nations and La Capella Reial de Catalunya—contribute their experience and mentor the younger generation.
Among the young professionals, 16 musicians have been recently selected through the YOCPA 2.0 audition process, thus beginning their professional journey within the project.
This academy marks the beginning of a new working cycle that reaffirms YOCPA’s commitment to intergenerational knowledge transfer and the preservation of musical practices and techniques.
The academy will culminate in a European concert tour with performances in Santander (22 March), Barcelona (29 March), Philharmonie de Paris (31 March), Aix-en-Provence (1 April), and Hamburg (3 April).
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