I am very excited about IYBO 2024! For this year’s Performance Course in July, we will be joined by natural horns and trumpets. This is the first time we will have brass instruments joining us. It will be our biggest IYBO orchestra ever and we have planned an ambitious and exciting programme. We have two concerts planned for the end of the week, in beautiful and prestigious venues. The course is packed full with fun and inspiring baroque dance sessions, engaging and stimulating rehearsals and relaxing Feldenkrais sessions. There is an intense amount of learning in just a few days and the level of improvement from the first day to the two concerts at the end of the week is always quite amazing. This year, there is a possibility that IYBO 2024 will be going on tour to Japan in September 2024, so the musicians will be in for a very special and memorable treat if this goes ahead.

In September 2022, IYBO gave a concert at Varaždin Baroque Evenings, Croatia. The concert, complete with baroque dancers, was a huge success and IYBO was awarded the Ivan Werner Award for its performance. I am very proud of what the IYBO musicians achieve each year and I am really looking forward to meeting and working with the musicians who will form IYBO 2024.

In July 2024, we will also be offering a short online weekend course which serves as an introduction to historically informed performance. Anyone interested in learning more about performing baroque music is very welcome.

Claire Duff
Director
Irish Youth Baroque Orchestra