Side by Side will return in June 2019, bigger than ever before, with 2,500 young musicians expected to attend. Apply now to reserve your place in Gothenburg!
Side by Side 2019
Side by Side is a massive, international music camp for children and young people, which is organised by El Sistema Sweden and the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra in Gothenburg, Sweden.
Over the course of a long summer weekend, young musicians from all around the world gather in Gothenburg to play in an orchestra, sing in a choir and develop their creativity. Participants rehearse, socialise, sing and play together and the camp ends in a magnificent concert in the Scandinavium, with the participants playing side-by-side with the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra.
This year’s Side by Side by El Sistema Sweden will take place from the 15th-19th June and will feature four different strands. Choral and orchestral work will take centre stage, with 11 different categories of choir and orchestra available to play in: from beginner to advanced and from the ages of six to 23.
An open choral category for young musicians with special requirements will also be made available, providing extra support for those who need it.
Clean Bandit – Symphony, a Zara Larsson cover by Side by Side by El Sistema 2018
Not just about classical music
Focus will, however, also be placed on other musical genres, with last year’s successful folk music strand returning and Side by Side looking for experienced 14-23 year old players with a taste for groovy folk and world music to play a repertoire featuring inspiration from Scandinavia to the Middle East and from Haiti to the Balkans.
A new strand looking at medieval and renaissance-era music will also be introduced, featuring troubadour music, pieces from the Llibre Vermell de Montserrat collection and tracks such as the Agincourt Carol. Students of 12 years or over with some sheet reading ability and backgrounds in flute playing, the recorder or diverse modern and historical string instruments are sought for this strand.
Get involved!
This year’s Side by Side will also encourage increased youth engagement through the creation of an Ungdomsstämma for those 13-25 year olds who wish to play a role in influencing how Side by Side is run and how it develops going forwards.
find out how to become part of the Ungdomsstämma!
And, it’s not just 13-25 year olds who can get involved in the planning and preparation for Side by Side 2019. As always, the core team heartily welcomes volunteers who are able to offer their commitment, time, hands and hearts in exchange for experiencing first-hand this heart-warming and overwhelming event.
find out how to become part of the Side by Side volunteer team in 2019!
What should I bear in mind if I want to attend?
- Application is encouraged as soon as possible, with the window for applications closing as early as the 1st March in some cases!
- Attending the camp costs 450 SEK (circa €45) per person for standard attendance or 200 SEK (circa €20) per person for people looking to attend in the beginners or open categories. This participation fee covers all camp activities as well as snacks, lunch and sometimes dinner. Every participant also gets a Side by Side bag and a Side by Side T-shirt.
- For those in need of accommodation during the camp, there is an additional charge of 95 SEK (circa €9.50) per person per night.
- Unaccompanied children attending the upper intermediate orchestra, intermediate orchestra, basic orchestra and/or children's choir categories will be assigned to a responsible adult for the duration of the camp.
- All beginners' orchestra, beginners' choir and open choir participants must be accompanied by an adult that they know during the whole camp.
- For all categories not listed in the two bullet points above, children below the age of 13 should have an adult they know on site.
- To be allowed to stay overnight at the camp you must be at least 13 years old or be accompanied by an adult that you know.
- Accompanying adults must sign up and pay the participation fee and assume responsibility for their child/group during the whole camp.
- Music teachers for upper intermediate, intermediate or basic orchestras can choose to participate in the orchestra to support their students. Please select this option in the application form, if it applies to you.
- You can sign up up to 30 participants per booking for all categories, except for the advanced orchestra and pre-advanced orchestras which have a more limited number of places available.
- The schedule for the different strands and categories varies slightly, see below for a full schedule:
Great! How do I apply?
To start applying, click below on the category and strand which best suits your preferences and circumstances. The links will take you to the relevant registration page, where you will also find the repertoire which will be practised and played in Gothenburg.
Orchestras
Choirs
Folk or Early Music
Organisers and sponsors
Gothenburg Symphony has been the main organiser of the Side by Side by El Sistema international music camp since 2016. It is a flagship for the Swedish National Orchestra´s children and diverse youth activities and operates the camp in close collaboration with the El Sistema Sweden foundation.
Both the Gothenburg Symphony and El Sistema Sweden are convinced that Side by Side furthers El Sistema’s goal of developing and creating positive social change in children’s lives through music and are very grateful to their sponsors and supporters for ensuring that the camp can once more take place in 2019.