Shaping the Future of Classical Music
A project with the Wiener Symphoniker in Vienna, for Austria, and out to Europe.
Who will be the audiences, musicians, and cultural leaders of tomorrow?
Vienna is globally recognised as the capital of classical music. Yet even a city with this extraordinary heritage faces a decisive question. Classical music can only thrive if children and young people develop a genuine emotional connection to it, and if outstanding instrumental talents see Vienna as a viable and inspiring place to begin their professional careers.
This project addresses both challenges, audience development and talent development, in a single, coherent vision.
The vision
Around the Wiener Symphoniker, one of Europe’s leading orchestras, a forward-looking education and talent platform will be created. Its goal is to inspire the next generation of listeners, prepare young musicians for professional orchestral and solo careers, and strengthen Vienna’s long-term position as a global centre of classical music.
This is not about isolated events, but about sustainable cultural impact.
Audience development.
Reaching the next generation of listeners.
Concerts for schoolchildren at the Wiener Konzerthaus, prepared throughout the school year with digital learning formats.
Talent development.
Preparing the next generation of musicians.
An orchestral academy and scholarship programme that trains young musicians specifically in the particularities of the Viennese sound.
A concert for every child in Vienna.
A major pillar of the project is a new concept of concerts for schoolchildren, with the ambition to reach all school-age children in Vienna over time. A strong role model are the legendary Young People’s Concerts by Leonard Bernstein, which demonstrated how deep musical knowledge can be communicated in a captivating way.
These low-threshold but artistically ambitious formats can only be realised through additional financial support, given the orchestra’s already very high workload.
Explanation, storytelling, live performance.
Beyond the concert hall.
To multiply impact and reach, selected learning formats will be produced as high-quality video content and distributed via streaming platforms and classical television. This will ensure long-term visibility for the project and enable the initiative to reach audiences far beyond the concert hall, in Vienna, Austria, and across Europe.
A dedicated app will accompany the concerts with puzzles and tasks for pupils and preparation materials for teachers. Digital tools, including AI-supported systems, will help organise, communicate, and mediate the programme’s content and formats, and support participation in digital and media-based formats.
An academy for the Viennese sound.
Young talents
The second pillar focuses on young classical musicians, especially instrumentalists, and supports them at a decisive stage of their careers.
The Orchestra Academy
At the heart of the talent pillar stands the foundation of a Wiener Symphoniker Orchestra Academy. Through music scholarships, for example for Viennese horn, Viennese oboe, and concertmaster, it will prepare outstanding young musicians specifically for orchestral careers.
Bridge the gap between university studies and professional orchestral life.
The Viennese sound
The legendary Viennese sound rests on a particular playing style and unique instruments. The academy will cultivate this tradition for future generations and play a crucial role in securing top-level musicians for Vienna’s leading orchestras in the decades to come.
Music for a city of many origins.
Vienna is a city with a high proportion of children from migrant backgrounds. This social diversity also means that children from families who have recently immigrated to Austria should be inspired to engage with classical music.
In particular, the programme aims to identify and nurture talents from communities with traditionally limited access to classical culture, encouraging them to pursue careers as musicians. Special attention will likewise be given to inspiring children from other cultural backgrounds to discover and embrace classical music.
A three-year partnership.
For sustainability and strategic depth, the cooperation is envisioned as a three-year partnership. On this basis, the Wiener Symphoniker will develop detailed, annually budgeted project plans that form the operational foundation of the agreement. The Wiener Symphoniker are responsible for the artistic direction, the concerts, and the musical content. Bel Canto is responsible for implementing the programme, in particular developing the digital platform. Both partners develop the educational concept together. Behind Bel Canto stands US entrepreneur Eric Pike, Managing Director of Bel Canto Music & Cultural Initiatives GmbH, who makes the partnership with the Wiener Symphoniker possible.
Become a co-architect of the future of classical music.
This project represents an investment in cultural sustainability, education, and excellence. It helps shape Vienna’s role as a living, forward-looking music capital for generations to come.
Contact person Bel Canto Music & Cultural Initiatives GmbH office@bel-canto.at Request the full concept