National Youth Symphony Orchestra of Mexico (OSINJUVE)
Orchestral Academy and Tour
The National Youth Symphony Orchestra of Mexico is a national ensemble based at the Conservatory of Music of Durango, a decentralized body of the Secretariat of Education of the State of Durango, supported by Mexico’s Ministry of Public Education.
The objective of this program is to provide high-performing young Mexican instrumentalists with the opportunity to perform in high-level professional orchestral settings, collaborating with renowned conductors and international soloists.
The program operates by seasons: the most outstanding young musicians are selected through an open call and audition. They then gather at the Conservatory of Music of Durango to prepare a specific program under the guidance of distinguished teachers, and perform concert tours in different cities across Mexico.
The first two editions were held in January and April 2026, respectively, under the direction of Maestro Toly Zatin (principal conductor of OSINJUVE), with the participation of the sensational Chinese pianist Niu Niu, considered one of the leading young musicians today. All concerts were sold out and received standing ovations from the audience.
The orchestra is distinguished by its high level of quality, performing repertoire from the great orchestras around the world. Its concert format stands out for a touch of human warmth: the audience is guided by the expert musical host, Maestro Vlada Zatine, who introduces the overall concept of the program as well as each of the works included. In this way, OSINJUVE serves as an educational platform for both its members and its audiences.
First Edition: January 2026
In the first edition of this orchestra (January 2026), 72 young musicians from 24 states across the country participated. They were selected from more than 200 applicants by specialized committees for each section of the orchestra.
Gathered for one week at the facilities of the Conservatory of Music of Durango, OSINJUVE members worked in sections under the guidance of the orchestra’s tutor faculty—renowned musicians with extensive experience: Iván Pérez (violin), Omar del Ángel (viola), Vanessa Ascanio (cello), Gabriela Vidal (double bass), Ely Molletones (oboe), Adrian Griffin (trumpet), and Francisco Arroyo (percussion), along with the participation of guest harpist Emilia Barragán. During this time, in addition to refining their performance skills, they prepared an orchestral concert program featuring masterpieces of the universal symphonic repertoire, under the baton of the distinguished Maestro Anatoly “Toly” Zatin. The program also highlighted the participation of the sensational Chinese pianist Niu Niu as soloist, considered one of the leading young musicians today.
On Saturday, January 17, the OSINJUVE concert was repeated in the city of Torreón, Coahuila, at the beautiful Isauro Martínez Theater. This performance was presented with the support of Fundación Lala, the City Council of Torreón, and the Municipal Institute of Culture and Education. The interest generated by this concert exceeded the theater’s own capacity, leaving several people outside. As on the previous evening, the audience applauded the performances enthusiastically—both the orchestra’s interpretations in the first part of the program and Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 1 with Niu Niu as soloist in the second part, as well as the several encores.
The third concert of this national tour was successfully held in the city of Colima, capital of the state of the same name, on Monday, January 19. On this occasion, the venue was the beautiful Teatro Hidalgo, an architectural gem dating from the late 19th century. This concert was sponsored by Senator Ana Karen Hernández and the Secretary of Education of the State of Colima, Prof. Adolfo Núñez González.
The fourth concert of the tour took place at the beautiful Degollado Theatre in the city of Guadalajara on Wednesday, January 21, and concluded on Saturday, January 24, at the Blas Galindo Auditorium of the National Center for the Arts (CENART) in Mexico City. All the concerts on this first tour were completely sold out, in some cases even exceeding the venues’ seating capacity.
Throughout this tour, the young members of OSINJUVE, the tutor masters—who also perform as musicians in the concerts—the organizing authorities, and the audience itself have expressed their admiration for the high level of quality of the performances, as well as for this initiative of the Government of the State of Durango, led by Dr. Esteban Villegas Villarreal, highlighting its support for the fine arts as an essential part of education and the comprehensive development of the human being.
Second Edition: April 2026
Following the success of OSINJUVE’s first edition, which exceeded all expectations, requests were received from several other states interested in hosting a concert by the orchestra. Thus, the second tour took place from April 8 to 14, with performances in: Durango (as part of the Ricardo Castro City Festival, at the Teatro Ricardo Castro); Torreón, Coahuila (Teatro Isauro Martínez); Pachuca, Hidalgo (Auditorio Gota de Plata); Mexico City (El Cantoral); and San Luis Potosí (Teatro de la Paz). The program, slightly modified from the first edition, included the overture The Mastersingers of Nuremberg by Richard Wagner, as well as the Romeo and Juliet Overture-Fantasy by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, both works of great orchestral complexity. The Piano Concerto No. 1 by Tchaikovsky was also performed again, with Niu Niu as soloist. In addition, a work for solo violin and orchestra was included: the concerto The Butterfly Lovers, by Chinese composers He Zhanhao and Chen Gang, also performed by Niu Niu on the violin, astonishing audiences with this unexpected facet of his artistry.