Founded in 2011, the orchestra brings together young instrumentalists from the Republic of Moldova, Romania and other European countries. The young instrumentalists are studying at top music universities from USA, England, Austria, Belgium, Finland, Switzerland, Russia, Ukraine and Romania.

The confidence was a challenge

As in any other field, initiation is the hardest. The hardest thing was to inspire people to believe that this project is a serious one. It was even more complicated that people didn’t know me well, I was gone to Cluj for 4 years, and gradually I had to gain the trust of people. I refer to instrumentalists because for the first edition I had to gather 44 musicians within a project that no one has ever done before.

Innovative ideas keep the audience attached to you

If at the beginning there were 44 musicians, after 8 years, the list increased to 300 musicians from Moldova and abroad, additionally every year we are auditioning about 30-40 young musicians. For a great summer project, it takes about 80-90 musicians, even 100. We manage to bring home young people from outside the country, because the projects happen in the summer, when they have a little more free time. At the communication level we use a lot Facebook and email.

At each edition, we tried to capture the audience with new ideas, new formats, it should to be a "must" in order to maintain a high-level project. Another goal of the project is to promote quality music by making about 25 free concerts in 25 extra-urban locations in Moldova. We want quality music to go everywhere, and we think that since 2011 we've changed the perception. MNYO is a project with a profound social perspective, we tackle topical issues through music, such as interethnic connection, respect for people with disabilities.

Experience helps find funding

A “shocking” and important aspect is to attract funding, but if you do not have funding to run the project, you can’t implement anything. I've been working for 3 years to find 10,000 euros to implement the first edition. Every time it's hard to get funding, but with the passing of years, if you have a consistent CV, it helps a lot to gain trust. We approach all kinds of donors: governmental, private, international organizations. I mean that fundraising is very scrupulous process and requires insistence and perseverance.

The funding of the orchestra over 8 years has been fairly balanced as the provenance in four divisions: governmental, international missions, private agents and philanthropists. 

The musicians in the orchestra receive the fees for each project, with the exception of the summer residence, hence deriving that their income is of a regular nature, as well as funding.

Being a cultural manager is to anticipate the worst scenario and to be ready to face it. The ultimate goal is the quality of the product without compromises or… "checked status".

The Disadvantage of CSR 

First, I would highlight two directions of management: commercial and non-commercial projects. MNYO projects are non-commercial, and are fully funded by government, private partners and international missions. What about our area, good thing is that in Moldova, however, you can do things that for some countries are already quite typical, I mean implementing atypical ideas for our space is a good thing, you can surprise. The less good aspect is that CSR (corporate social responsibilities) of private companies (not all, but most of them) is far from social responsibility, so it is difficult to get funding from private agents, those who would actually be a engine for launching different social-cultural projects.

DON’Ts or tips for beginners

- Promise things that you can safely accomplish

- Don’t work with people who put at risk the good existence of the group, better middle-level professional, but human people than very good and experienced professionals, but less human

- Don’t launch any project unless there is minimal financial coverage

- Think of any project at least in the medium term

- Quality must be a principle and not an option

- Approach sponsors as friends and not as partners of the moment

MNYO Achievements

- Performance in 2017 at the Konzerthaus Berlin, at the world's biggest youth orchestra festival "Young Euro Classic". MNYO was the first orchestra from Moldova to perform in this hall

- Experimental projects: Symphonic Pop, Symphonic Rock

- 3 editions of film music, including a premiere where I approached the cartoon music

- 4 flash-mobs in 4 locations like wheat, parliament, trolleybus, central market

- La La Play classical music expedition, where we travel across the country, offering people from rural areas access to classical music

Photo credit: Moldovan National Youth Orchestra