Side by Side 2018

The fifth international Side by Side by El Sistema music camp will take place in Gothenburg, Sweden this summer from the 16th-20th June.

Building on last year’s 1,500 participants, Side by Side 2018 will look to once more give children and young adults from around the world the opportunity to immerse themselves in music and to rehearse, socialise, sing and play together.

During the camp, participants will spend time in workshops and rehearsals with exciting performers and artists before everything comes together in a magnificent concert with musicians from the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra.

Don’t speak Swedish? Don’t worry, rehearsals are held in both English and Swedish. And, this year, will also see more musical choice, with the existing orchestral and choral programmes being joined by a new strand for budding young folk musicians.

All in all, Side by Side once more offers a fantastic opportunity for children and young adults to further their music skills in an exciting and inspiring multinational environment.

Don’t just take our word for it, though. As they say, a picture is worth a thousand words and the team in Gothenburg has put together a whole bunch of pictures in a video on Side by Side intended to give you all a better idea of what the camp is about:


That looks great! How do I register to attend and what exactly will it entail?

There are a limited number of spaces for the camp and those wishing to attend should register as soon as possible in order to be guaranteed a place.

Key factors to bear in mind when considering applying are:
  • Supervision: Children under 13 should, in general, attend the camp together with a guardian, such as a teacher or parent. Participants over 13 must be able to care of themselves (more information here).
  • Fees: The fee to attend is 450 kronor (approx. €45) for the majority of programmes, with the exception of the beginners’ and open strands, which are available for a reduced sum of 200 kronor (approx. €20).
  • Fees include: The participation fee covers rehearsals, concerts and other activities at the camp and includes the costs for lunch, dinner and a Side by Side bag containing a purple Side by Side 2018 t-shirt.
  • Accommodation: Accommodation is available for 85 kronor (approx. €8.50) per person per night at the Hvitfeldtska Grammar School, which is close to the Concert Hall and within walking distance of all other points of interest. Students will sleep on mattresses in classrooms and staff supervisors will be available 24 hours a day.
  • Registering multiple attendants: You can register up to 30 participants - for all strands other than the advanced orchestra - in the same booking. You should have all the information required for these participants (see here) to hand before you start the booking process.
Click on the strand of your choice below to proceed to registration:

ChoirOrchestraFolk

All registrations must be completed by the 20th April 2018!

Repertoires and schedule

The choral and orchestral repertoires for the camp have already been determined and applicants can gain access to them by subscribing to Side by Side's newsletter.

Other than the newsletter, it is also possible to keep up-to-date with new developments in the arrangement of the camp by following Side by Side on Facebook.

And, a broad schedule of events can be seen here:

Older and/or accompanying a child and want to get involved?

In order for the camp to be a once-in-a-lifetime experience for all of its participants, Side by Side will need as much help as it can get. Therefore, contributions from volunteers who are able to dedicate their time, hands and hearts to a variety of tasks throughout the camp are very much welcomed.

Click here to register to volunteer

In order to ensure the smooth running of the camp, all volunteers will be contacted in spring 2018 and asked to state their availability and preferred tasks.

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 2018.

This year, the camp takes place together with:

With the support of:

Thanks to its main sponsor:

And, in collaboration with: