ONJ Youth Orchestra #2

Residency in the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region

After François Jeanneau, vibraphonist and composer Franck Tortiller took over the reins of the Orchestre des Jeunes for its second season. With the complicity of the former ONJ director, 20 new young French and European musicians covered pieces drawn from the three programs that marked Tortiller’s tenure from 2005 to 2008: A stunning reinterpretation of the energetic rock of legendary band Led Zeppelin (Close to Heaven), a repertoire dedicated to waltzes from all over the world (Sentimental 3/4), and another in homage to 70s jazz rock inspired by Miles Davis, Weather Report, and the Mahavishnu Orchestra (Electrique).

It’s in the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region, in the familiar lands of Franck Tortiller, that the Orchestra established its base camp to carry out its residencies hosted at Salle Jean Genet in Couches, Petit Théâtre de la Bouloie in Besançon, and the Chalon-sur-Saône Conservatory. With the Covid pandemic disrupting its schedule, the Orchestra would go on to perform during the 2020-2021 season, notably at the Rencontres Culturelles du Gâtinais (Nailly), the Jazz à Couches Festival, Salle Saint-Exupéry (Woippy), and the Crescent Jazz Festival (Mâcon).

“A large orchestra is always an adventure. A large orchestra with young musicians is a challenge, but also a tremendous hope for our music.” – Franck Tortiller