"Playing the Future!"

Welcome to the webpage of the Western Balkans Youth Orchestra (WBYO)!

The WBYO was founded in 2019 as a platform for the cooperation of young professional musicians of the 6 Non-EU Western Balkans countries* (Albania, Bosnia-Hercegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia). It seeks to unite the region's youth, breaking down barriers and fostering long-lasting peace, featuring genres from classical to pop and rock music. The platform for young musicians works across national, ethnic, religious, and cultural divides, contributing to ongoing cross-border and interethnic cooperation. See idea and mission of the project.  

Hurdles at the start

Shortly before the first work phase and concert tour could start in March 2020, the Corona Pandemic destroyed all plans. Even though at least one online concert project was successful in winter 2020, the orchestra could not really get going until October 2021. Some restrictions still remained, but 30 musicians were able to rehearse together for a week in Pristina/Kosovo as a pure string orchestra. This was followed by a concert tour, which - due to ongoing corona restrictions - was limited to performances in Pristina, Skopje/North Macedonia and Tirana/Albania. .

But then the project quickly picked up speed:

• In May 2022 there was a big concert in Novi Sad, Serbia
• In the summer of 2022 a working phase, followed by a concert tour through 5 Western Balkan countries and 5 stations in Germany
• In September 2022 a joint project with the East Bavarian Youth Symphony Orchestra in Bavaria.

Funding - a never ending challenge

Obtaining the necessary funding always tied up a lot of the organizers' time and energy. At the beginning of 2023, the orchestra, together with its partners in the Western Balkans, in Germany and Belgium, was delighted to receive the important commitment of EU funding over a period of 4 years. This project is called WBYO Accelerando and has its own website. However, since it does not represent full funding, the issue of fundraising remains a challenge for the orchestra. To provide support here, the ProWBYO association was founded in March.

WBYO now in its second stage

Two projects have already been successfully completed under the umbrella of WBYO Accelerando:

• In April 2023 the project International Chamber Music Days in Bavaria
• In the summer of 2023 the Western Balkans go dance project as a full symphony orchestra, with 67 musicians and 6 concerts of symphonic dance music in the Western Balkans and two in Germany.

Learn more

We invite you to browse through our webpage, learn about our goals, our projects and concerts, our musicians! In the media section, see the photos and videos and join us on our working phases and concert tours! See the extensive media resonance we receive where we play. See our supporters whithout which the orchestra simply wouldn't be. And see comments on the project from inside and outside of the orchestra. We'll be happy to receive also your comments! We invite you to attend one of the upcoming live performances of the WBYO and will be grateful for your support.

(22.08.2023)