Home listening - the musical fallout from Brexit is under way

The Guardian 0

A tale of two European orchestras making changes. Elsewhere, Louis Spohr and the Academy of Ancient Music

• This morning, the European Union Youth Orchestra will perform Chopin and Tchaikovsky at the Proms (Radio 3 and iPlayer), its first UK appearance since the 2016 EU referendum result made it inevitable that the orchestra would move its headquarters to Italy from London, where it had operated since its inception 40 years ago. Our cultural impoverishment has begun, even before Brexit has actually happened.

First to go was the European Union Baroque Orchestra, now based in Antwerp, not Oxfordshire, and a question mark hangs over the future of the annual Europe Day concert at St John’s Smith Square, London, an event that once featured both these orchestras. It’s all rather depressing. However, there’s a chance to hear more talent from across Europe today, competing at the Edinburgh festival in the semi-finals of the Eurovision Young Musicians 2018 competition (throughout the day live on Radio 3 and on iPlayer). Previous winners have included Natalie Clein and Julia Fischer, which gives you some idea of the exceptional quality to expect.