The Orchestra Academy 2018 took place in collaboration with the Sarajevo Philharmonic and members of the EU project Music Up Close Network, which brought together national orchestras from Amsterdam, Lille, Barcelona and Rome - the National Academy of St. Cecilia, the Sarajevo Philharmonic and the Podgorica Music Centre. 45 young musicians were selected to work with 45 members of the Sarajevo Philharmonic Orchestra. The participating musicians came from different countries, most of them from Slovenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Italy, but also from Kosovo, Turkey, South Korea and Argentina. They all came from more than 20 countries. 

Five professors taught young aspiring professional musicians in section rehearsals or individually. Members of the Sarajevo Philharmonic Orchestra continued their mentoring in joint rehearsals and worked with the young people in an engaged way. Conductor Živa Ploj Peršuh led the orchestra's joint rehearsals. 

The programme was limited in time and focused on composers who had experienced the war or its terrible consequences, including the refugee trauma. Eötvös' composition was commissioned by the National Academy of St. Cecilia in Rome in 2016 and premiered by their orchestra under the baton of Antonio Pappano, the long-time music director of the prestigious Royal Opera House in London. The National Academy of Rome was also our partner in the European project Music Up Close Network. All project partners contributed to the Ljubljana International Orchestra. 

A. Casella: Pagine di Guerra, op. 25b, S. Osterc: Suite for Orchestra, M. Ravel: Piano Concerto for Left Hand, P. Eötvös: Alle vittime senza nome, first performance in Slovenia, L. Berio: The Rendering