European Union Chamber Orchestra

This chamber orchestra, which has been known as both the European Community Chamber Orchestra and the European Union Chamber Orchestra, is the official musical ambassador of the European community. It is a prestigious group, comprised of about 50 or 60 of the most promising young European professional orchestra musicians. They play about 70 concerts a year, appearing in various parts of the world. It is a requirement that all the members speak at least two European languages well and be able to work in English. The conductor is Lavard Skou Larsen, a violin teacher at the Salzburg (Austria) Mozarteum. Its general manager is Ambrose Miller. Although the orchestra's quasi-diplomatic status essentially makes it a group with a political purpose, they see themselves as making music for the sake of music, not politics.