All photos c/o Side by Side by El Sistema
This June, the international music camp, Side by Side, will return for its seventh year.
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 and takes place in Gothenburg, Sweden.
Over four intense summer days, children and young people from all around the world gather in Gothenburg to play music and sing together. Exciting conductors, musicians and teachers lead workshops and rehearsals and the camp then concludes in a magnificent final concert performed together with musicians from the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra and the Gothenburg Symphony Vocal Ensemble. Make sure you're part of this year's Side by Side experience by applying by the 3rd April!
Side by Side 2020
This year’s Side by Side by El Sistema Sweden will take place from the 13th-17th June and will feature four different strands: orchestral, choral, folk and early music. A wide-range of tracks will cater for all levels of ability, with 16 different categories of choir and orchestra available to play in: from beginner to advanced and for children from the ages of six to 23.
At Side by Side, everyone is included and there are special open choral and orchestral categories available for young musicians with special requirements as well as a singalong category for those who would like to be more casually involved.
Music is a Universal Language
Folk and early music
Although the main focus is placed on orchestral and choral music, Side by Side's popular folk music strand is back again this year and Side by Side are looking for players of c. 14 years or older who have a taste for groovy folk and world music and would like to perform a repertoire featuring inspiration from Scandinavia to the Middle East and from Haiti to the Balkans.
Last year's early music strand is also making a return and will look to explore medieval and renaissance-era music, featuring pieces such as Danserye by Tielman Susato. 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. It is also possible to participate as a singer or percussionist!
Amazing concert venues
Side by Side in the Scandinavium arena
The highlight of the year's camp is the concerts it concludes with, with participants getting the chance to play side-by-side with professional musicians and singers from the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra and the Gothenburg Symphony Vocal Ensemble in some amazing venues.
Side by Side in the Konserthuset
The very youngest musicians and the wind & string orchestra players will follow in the footsteps of some of Sweden's top orchestral musicians, performing on the same stage as the Swedish National Orchestra Academy's musicians in the Academy of Music and Drama's Sjöströmsalen concert hall. The open choir will take to the stage in Gothenburg's breathtaking Museum of World Culture and combinations of the other strands will play within either the renowned splendour of the Konserthuset or the awe-inspiring arena of the Scandinavium.
find out more about the different concerts at Side by Side 2020 on the camp's official website!
Get involved!
This year’s Side by Side will also again 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 2020. 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 2020!
What should I bear in mind if I want to attend?
- Application is encouraged as soon as possible, as places are filling up very quickly!
- Attending the camp costs 450 SEK (circa €43) per person for standard attendance or 200 SEK (circa €19) 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) 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.
(Please note that you will find additional strands on the Side by Side website, but that only the strands featured below were still open for applications as of publication on the 25th February)
Orchestras
Choirs
Folk or Early Music
Volunteers Choir
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 2020.