Triorca

The Triorca orchestra is a fabulous example of the benefits of twinning. 

Since 2010, Triorca has been bringing together, from Norwich and its twin cites Rouen, Koblenz and Novi Sad, talented young musicians to enjoy making music together. Most are aged between 16 and 26, and their current conductor is Norwich musician Andrew Weeks, who also composes for the orchestra. 

On 11 July, a chamber orchestra made up of about 30 young people and young professionals played an eclectic programme of music in the cathedral in Rouen that started with Fauré's ever-popular Pavane. There was also a world première: Chirality by Andrew Weeks is inspired by the mathematical and magical aspects of nature. Members of our sister organisation, Rouen's Norwich Club, describe the work as fresh, and as sparkling as the wings of a butterfly. 

You can see interviews with the participants (and an enthusiastic audience member) here. They give a flavour of the range of young musicians taking part, of how much fun they had playing together, and of the pleasure they and the audience shared in the occasion.

The photos below record the event, and you can hear the quality of their performance in this clip from the third movement of Farrenc's Symphony No. 3. Louise Farrenc (1804–1875) was a virtuoso pianist who specialised in French music. She was also a pioneer in the struggle to achieve equal pay for women in the music industry. Although a highly regarded Professor of Piano at the Paris Conservatoire, it took her a decade to gain a salary at the same level as her male colleagues of equal rank. Talented young Triorca players have over the years become professional musicians and have cause to be grateful to her.