Features

Family feeling: Odyssey Festival Orchestra

Odyssey Festival Orchestra is a new London-based youth orchestra for conservatoire students, young professionals and accomplished amateurs aged 18–30. Violinist Martha Neugarten shares her experience of the orchestra so far and its commitment to re-examining the concert experience.
Martha Neugarten (second from left)
Martha Neugarten (second from left) - Courtesy OFO

Martha Neugarten is a 22-year-old violinist who has recently graduated from UCL with an MSci in Natural Sciences. She is now working as a Net Zero and Circular Economy intern with the Environment Agency's sustainable business team.

For me, Odyssey is about family. I was in the LSSO (London Schools Symphony Orchestra) for four years, attended the CYM (Centre for Young Musicians) for 10 years, and met some of my closest friends through this. Of course, we all kept in touch through university – a quick coffee before rushing to a lecture, maybe dinner in the holidays when we were all back in London. So now to have Odyssey – with the same faces, same exciting repertoire and drive for excellence, same 10–5 long rehearsal days – feels incredible.

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