Co-founder of the European Union Youth Orchestra

Born: June 29, 1930;

Died: November 11, 2018

JOY Bryer, who has died aged 88, was an inspirational figure who, with her husband Lionel, founded the European Union Youth Orchestra, which has been a major force in bringing together young and talented musicians of Europe. She ensured that the players were of the highest standard and were coached and conducted by the finest musicians.

Alas, Bryer died on the day that her orchestra triumphantly performed at the Armistice Commemoration at the Arc de Triomphe in Paris in front of 70 heads of state. The glories of Ravel’s Bolero reflected her life-long desire to bring harmony and peace through making music. She had a passionate zeal about music and its ability to promote understanding.

In 1974, shortly after the UK joined the European Community, Joy and Lionel Bryer founded the European Community Youth Orchestra – changing its name to become the European Union Youth Orchestra in 1995. The orchestra has enjoyed huge success and had as its founding music director Claudio Abbado. All the great maestri have conducted EUYO and the current conductor laureate is Bernard Haitink and its chief conductor is Vasily Petrenko.

Bryer gave credit to two men who enthusiastically supported her project. Edward Heath was a great help in securing funding from Brussels and became its first president. Bryer also relied heavily on advice from Abbado whose musical support was unceasing.

Bryer is on record as saying, “Claudio donated his fees, but insisted on the highest level of music-making, no matter what the cost. If we didn’t have the money, I had to find it.” She then added, “Working with Claudio was electrifying and his musicianship unequalled. His ethos is still at the heart of our orchestra.”

The orchestra’s connection with Scotland goes back to 1980 when it played a high-profile concert at the Edinburgh Festival under Abbado and Heath (the president conducted the overture to Mozart’s Magic Flute) with Salvatore Accardo as soloist. In 1994 they played an all-Brahms programme under Carlo Maria Giulini.

At the 2012 Festival the EUYO surpassed itself by playing Busoni’s gigantic piano concerto. The American pianist Garrick Ohlsson made light of its technical challenges and an EIF male chorus joined in bringing the work to its rapturous conclusion. The concert, conducted by Gianandrea Noseda, also gave the world premiere of Richard Causton’s demanding Twenty-Seven Heavens. The sheer diversity and the adventurous nature of those programmes are, if proof were needed, a compliment to Bryer’s audacious foresight.

Indeed Bryer’s wonderful imagination has ensured that Scotland has greatly benefited by furthering the musical careers of many budding musicians. The RSNO currently boasts six Scots who were members of the EUYO and three non Scots. The Danish conductor Thomas Søndergårrd, their new music director, was their timpanist from 1989 to 1992. In the pit with the Scottish Opera orchestra is Cillian Ó Ceallacháin, the section principal on the trombone desk.

Justine Iris Albert – always known as Joy – was born in Boston and while studying at the Sorbonne in Paris (1948 to 1949) she witnessed the devastation throughout war-torn Europe. She returned to Boston to teach but she had met Lionel Bryer, a South African-born Rhodes Scholar at Oxford University. They married in 1956.

Their interest in young musicians dates from 1969. They were involved with an annual festival at St Moritz for youth orchestras - at the 1972 festival a young Simon Rattle played the percussion - but the Bryers also became involved with a similar festival in Aberdeen in 1973.

For almost 50 years Bryer assumed responsibility for EUYO’s management. The pressure of organising, funding and maintaining musical standards was somewhat relieved in 2013 when she was appointed the orchestra’s president. However there was a financial crisis in 2016 when the EU threatened to withdraw its funding. Leading musicians vehemently campaigned against the decision and after financial problems were relieved its headquarters were moved to Ferrara. The on-going complexities of Brexit have left uncertain any future UK participation.

The effervescent Bryer became acknowledged as a cultural ambassador for the EU and she was recognised as the founder of the most important youth orchestras in the world. She never lost her love for ‘her’ musicians who, in turn, knew her affectionately as ‘Mrs B’ or later ‘Granny’. She was forthright but delivered any wrist slapping with a broad smile and always in the best interests of EUYO. Her inspiration and drive did much to advance the musical life and understanding throughout Europe.

Lionel died 12 years ago and Joy is survived by their three daughters.

ALASDAIR STEVEN