The youth orchestra giving France's student protests a film soundtrack

French high-school students have been taking to the streets since September. And at some of those marches, something unexpected rings out: Star Wars’ Imperial March, the song from The Hunger Games or the Avengers theme, played by a full symphony orchestra with strings, brass and percussion.

It is the New World Orchestra (Orchestre du Nouveau Monde), a group of young musicians, most of them about to finish conservatoire, who play where nobody expects an orchestra.

Hundreds of musicians outside City Hall

On 13 October the orchestra put out a call on social media to play on the square outside Paris City Hall, and around 300 musicians turned up, according to Belgian broadcaster RTBF. They played film soundtracks, La Marseillaise and Charles Aznavour’s Emmenez-moi.

“We wanted to protest differently: with music and with a smile,” Elio, one of the musicians, told RTBF.

Who they are

• Founded in 2020 by conductor Étienne Jarrier; an association based in the Paris region since 2022.
• More than 100 members from across France, with a symphony orchestra and a choir.
• Besides concerts at classical venues such as the Château de Chambord, they play in the street, at melting glaciers and in schools, because they believe music sounds different where nobody expects it.

On Saturday 17 October they played again, on Place de la République, but had to stop after 20 minutes because of incidents at the protest.

Why it matters

Hundreds of young musicians have chosen to express themselves with an instrument in their hands. Their videos are shared across France and have turned a symphony orchestra into something classical music rarely manages: a hit with teenagers.

Happy News of the Day tells this story for its musical and cultural side; it takes no position on the protesters’ demands.