Princess Beatrix of the Netherlands attended the European Union Youth Orchestra (EUYO) concert last night in Amsterdam’s Royal Concertgebouw.
The former monarch has been a supporter of the orchestra for years and regularly attends the concert. This year, however, due to the pandemic, the show was different. Usually, there are musicians from across the European Union who participate, but this year, the orchestra only consisted of 30 musicians from the Netherlands as bringing in people from other countries in these difficult times are not advised.
Embed from Getty ImagesThe 30 participants consisted of those living or studying in the Netherlands and alumni of the orchestra. They also performed without a conductor. Music for the evening was comprised of three songs: Syrinx by Debussy, Metamorphosen by Richard Strauss and Pillar IV by Akiho.
After the performance, Princess Beatrix went on stage for photos, while maintaining a safe distance, with the musicians.
The EUYO is a youth orchestra that was created in 1976 to “promote cultural cooperation, unity and friendship among European youth,” according to the Royal House. Those who perform are provided with the opportunity to gain exposure and experience on the international stage as they get to collaborate with famous soloists and conductors.