APPLY NOW FOR THE JM WORLD ORCHESTRA 2026!

After a successful pilot edition in 2025, the JM World Orchestra is officially back and looking for talented, young, professional musicians, between the ages of 18 and 30, for a unique chamber orchestra session in Granada, Spain, from 28th of August to 5th of September 2026 including a performance at the Alhambra, the exquisite palace of Charles V.

DAVID FERNÁNDEZ CARAVACA

David Fernández Caravaca is a Spanish conductor born in Córdoba in 1995. He won first prize at the 2023 Juventudes Musicales conducting competition, which led to his role as Assistant Conductor of the Castilla y León Symphony Orchestra. He has since built an international career performing with orchestras across Spain and Germany, and has conducted opera notably directing Richard Ayres' Peter Pan at the Staatstheater Mainz.

He's also a fellow of the German Music Council's Forum Dirigieren and serves as Principal Conductor of the Córdoba Youth Orchestra. Trained at the Hochschule für Musik in Weimar and the Reina Sofía School of Music, his background as a violist informs a broad musical range that also includes historically informed performance.

We invite applications from young professional classical musicians (ages 18-30), from around the world, specialising in the following instruments:

• Strings: Violin, Viola, Cello, Double Bass
• Winds: Flute, Oboe, Bassoon, French Horn, Clarinet

We also welcome last year’s candidates to apply again.

The selected musicians will be part of an intensive rehearsal programme that presents an exciting opportunity for collaboration and artistic growth in a multicultural environment. You will receive the music sheet one month before the sessions, therefore all musicians are expected to arrive prepared. The session will culminate in two live concert performances on the 3rd and 4th of September.

– 28/08 : Arrivals

– 29/08 : Section Rehearsals

– 30/08 – 02/09 : Section + Tutti Rehearsals

– 03/09 : Performance 1 – Outdoors @ Alhambra courtyard (for an audience of approx. 1600 people!)

– 04/09 : Performance 2 – In the coastal city of Motril @ Calderón de la Barca Theatre

– 05/09 : Departures

• Participants are responsible for their own travel (flights) to and from Granada, Spain, as well as their personal and instrument insurance.
  • Selected musicians are advised to apply to their national JMI member organisation for travel support such as guidance regarding practical travel arrangements, as well as financial assistance. A list of JMI members and their contact info can be found here.
• All local costs (incl. accommodation, meals, and local transportation) will be fully covered by the organizers.
• Application and Cancellation Fees: Please note that there is no application fee (in order to receive musicians, no matter their financial background), though a cancellation fee of €125 may be applied if a selected participant withdraws without valid justification (e.g. medical reasons).

To apply, please submit:

• A short CV highlighting your musical experience and achievements.
• One or two video recordings (10-20 minutes in total) featuring:
  • First movement of a classical concerto or sonata (only exposition is also possible)
  • One movement of a work in a contrasting style (romantic, impressionistic, contemporary, etc.). This can be a movement of a sonata, concerto or a solo piece. Chamber music pieces are also allowed.
• A letter of motivation explaining why you would like to join the JM World Orchestra.

APPLICATION DEADLINE:

Please submit your application by 15 June 2026.

Successful candidates will be notified by 30 June 2026.

A waiting list will also be established and communicated to the concerned candidates.

Apply here