| Type: | Youth orchestra |
| Orchestre Français des Jeunes | |
| Short Name: | OFJ |
| Location: | Paris, France |
| Principal Conductor: | Michael Schønwandt |
The Orchestre Français des Jeunes (literal translation: French Youth Orchestra, pronounced as /fr/, OFJ) is the national youth orchestra of France. The OFJ is a member of the European Federation of National Youth Orchestras.[1]
The French Ministry of Culture founded the OFJ in 1982.[2] [3] It consists of young musicians of ages 16 to 25, selected by audition.
In 2013, to mark the 50th anniversary of the Élysée Treaty, the OFJ performed a series of concerts together with its German counterpart, the Bundesjugendorchester, under the direction of Dennis Russell Davies.[4]
The current music director of the OFJ is Michael Schønwandt, since 2021. Schønwandt is scheduled to conclude his OFJ tenure in 2025.[5] In September 2023, the OFJ announced the appointment of Kristiina Poska as its next music director, the first female conductor ever named to the post, effective in the summer of 2025.[6] [7]