Orchestre Universitaire de Strasbourg
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Since 1961, the Orchestre Universitaire de Strasbourg has been bringing together students, alumni, staff and teaching personnel who are interested in discovering orchestral repertoire. Established by Erwin List as a chamber music orchestra, it has gradually grown to its current symphonic dimension. In addition, it incorporates a variety of chamber music ensembles.
Formed as an association in 1973, the orchestra performs regularly throughout the academic year across the entire region. It is recognized as a student association of the University of Strasbourg. Over the past several years, the orchestra has been giving no less than 15 concerts a year, which makes it one of the most active university orchestras in France and Europe.
Every year, the Orchestre Universitaire de Strasbourg participates in exchanges between universities as well as in international projects. It has hosted orchestras from Aachen, Bremen, Heidelberg, Weimar and Dresden (Germany), Milan and Bologna (Italy), Vienna (Austria), Lille (France), Dublin (Ireland) and Maastricht (Netherlands). Moreover, the musicians took part in the Festival International de Musiques Universitaires (FIMU) in Belfort.
Since 2015, the orchestra has regularly been part of the European Student Orchestra Festival (ESOF) and hosted it in Strasbourg in 2018. In 2023, the orchestra toured Europe and gave concerts in Bordeaux and Barcelona.
Every year, the orchestra recruits new members. With over 75 musicians, of which the majority are students, the University Orchestra has become a fundamental artistic contribution to the University of Strasbourg. For the students of the Strasbourg campus, amateurs or professionals, this orchestra is a gateway to musical culture. It also plays a key role in integrating new students, particularly international students, eager to discover campus life in Strasbourg.
Mauro Mariani
The young Italian conductor Mauro Mariani, born into a family of musicians and initially trained as a cellist, has been the musical director of the University Orchestra of Strasbourg since 2022.
He currently studies conducting at the Hochschule für Musik FRANZ LISZT in Weimar with Prof. Nicolás Pasquet, where he regularly works with the Staatskapelle Weimar, the Jenaer Philharmonie and the Thüringen Philharmonie.
Mauro Mariani has attended master classes given by S. Gubaidulina, R. Muti, R. Fleming, T. Koopman and H. Schiff.
In 2023, he was a finalist of the Leverhulme Conducting Fellowship (BBC Scottish Symphony), won the audition for the Accademia Chigiana with D. Gatti by conducting Rigoletto, was invited to the Aspen Music Festival for the third time as the winner of the J. Conlon Conductor Prize and premiered Dora Pejacevic’s Symphony op. 41 in France.
In 2022, P. Järvi selected Mauro Mariani among 278 candidates for his Conductor’s Academy with the Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich. Mariani was also chosen to be a conducting fellow at the European Creative Academy (Ensemble Ars Nova) by P. Eötvös and at the Panula Academy (Turku Philharmonic) by J. Panula.
He is fluent in Italian, German, English, Spanish and French.
Strasbourg
Strasbourg represents a center of culture and history on the banks of the Rhine. With its 280.000 inhabitants, it is the capital of the Alsace region and home to the European Parliament as well as the European Council. Its immediate proximity to the German border makes Strasbourg a city of intercultural encounters and private as well as professional exchanges. Over the years, Strasbourg has become a symbol of the reconciliation of France and Germany.
The remarkable architecture of the city center is part of UNESCO’s world heritage site and the Cathedral of Notre-Dame attracts many tourists every year. Apart from other attractions such as the district Petite France and the Cathedral of Notre-Dame, the city center is enriched by the many canals that run through it.
Every year, Strasbourg welcomes numerous international students who are attracted by the University’s quality and the rich student life.