The Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation is to participate in a project integrated into the European Concert Hall Organisation (ECHO), under the Support for European Platforms component, recently awarded funding from the Creative Europe program. The project has a four-year duration and involves the performance of chamber music recitals by young international artists in a similar approach to that undertaken by the Foundation through its Rising Stars program. This latter case has seen various young and promising musicians make their debut public performances. In addition to these concerts, young participants receive specific training that also incorporates new approaches to classical music so as to bring about greater public audience participation.

Since 2012, the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation has been an active member of ECHO, a network that includes some of the most important of all European concert venues. The network was set up with the objective of fostering the exchange of experiences, reflections on relevant themes within the domain of musical programming and the development of publics as well as nurturing joint projects among its members. The project fosters contemporary musical creativity through the means of current repertoires by benchmark musical groups in the various network participant concert halls and also developing working groups with specialists for reflection and deepening themes such as inclusion and educating public audiences.

In addition to the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, project participants include a set of leading institutions within the European context: Wiener Konzerthaus, Elbphilharmonie Hamburg, Müpa Budapest, Stockholms Konserthus, Bozar, Het Concertgebouw, Barbican Center, Philharmonie Luxembourg, L’Auditori, Cité de la Musique, Polish National Forum of Music and the Czech Philharmonic.