About

EMCY is the European Union of Music Competitions for Youth: a network of national and international music competitions for young people across Europe. Since its foundation in 1970, EMCY stands for musical excellence, promoting the youth and European cooperation.

We support our member competitions to share practical and musical know-how
With EMCY´s Quality Standards we promote fairness and the educational value of competitions
We organise innovative concerts, tours, workshops and master classes for the EMCY Prize winners of our member competitions
Develop, support and promote musical education of young talents in the pre-professional stage, as well as collaboration and exchange between music competitions for youth on a European level

Our mission

MISSION

The mission of EMCY is to provide a global platform that empowers young musicians by creating opportunities for them to showcase their talents and develop their musical skills. Through a network of music competitions and events, EMCY aims to support the growth of young artists worldwide, enhance their musical experiences, and contribute to the cultural enrichment of societies globally.

VISION

EMCY envisions a world where the richness and diversity of musical heritage are celebrated and sustained through the efforts of talented young musicians. By connecting various music competitions and fostering collaboration among youth-focused music organizations across Europe and beyond, EMCY strives to create an environment where young artists can connect, learn from one another, and build bridges that transcend national boundaries. Ultimately, EMCY’s vision is to cultivate a vibrant global musical community that not only nurtures individual talents but also strengthens the cultural fabric of Europe and the world.

VALUES

EMCY upholds core values including human dignity, democracy, equality, mutual respect, the rule of law, and basic human rights, as articulated in the EU Treaty of Lisbon, the United Nations Charter, and UNESCO’s Constitution. It promotes cultural enrichment through youth cultural cooperation, intercultural dialogue, and peace-building efforts. EMCY emphasizes transparency and integrity in national and international music competitions, adhering to high-quality standards. These values collectively guide EMCY in fostering global music education, facilitating international cooperation among young musicians, and promoting cultural diversity and understanding worldwide.

History

1960s

In the 1960s, the national youth music competitions of Belgium, France and West Germany started working together, at first by exchanging prize winners for international concerts. An outstanding musician from France, for example, might be invited to play in Belgium, either as part of the national competition there, or independently of it. This lead to the foundation, by these three countries, of the ‘European Union of National Music Competitions for Youth’ in Brussels on 9th November 1970.

1970s

In the 1970s and 80s, a further fourteen national competitions joined EMCY and took part in regular conferences and General Assemblies, broadening the possibilities we were able to offer young musicians, and reaching new corners of the continent. As well as being promoted by EMCY, giving international concerts and taking part in our projects, successful young musicians were able to participate in EMCY’s yearly pan-European competition, the European Music Prize for Youth.

1990s

At the General Assembly in Ljubljana (Slovenia) in 1992, it was decided that international youth music competitions could become EMCY members (hence the change in our name!), and EMCY’s membership continued to grow, with international competitions eventually becoming more numerous than national ones.

2000s

From its foundation until 1997, EMCY was based in Brussels, hosted by the bank Credit Communal de Bélgique. Since 1997, however, the EMCY Office has been located in Munich (Germany), where it was hosted until 2020 by the German Music Council and its competition Jugend musiziert. Now the EMCY office is located in the Kreativquartier Munich.

2020s

On 9th November 2020, we celebrated our 50th anniversary. Looking back, EMCY history makes the board and office humble. For fifty years, extraordinary women and men have dedicated their work to music, youth, the European idea and mutual understanding. With the help of our volunteer Francesca Pellegrini, a special brochure has been created to highlight events from the last five decades.

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