The English Concert invites applications for a new early career Fellowship Scheme in the 2024-25 season

The English Concert Fellowship Scheme offers recently graduated (or about to graduate) instrumentalists and singers a grant towards their professional development, and the potential for opportunities to perform or cover roles in larger productions with The English Concert in the 2024-25 season.

The English Concert is an outstanding orchestra: exceptional, in the world-renowned quality, ambition and variety of its live and recorded output; unique, in the zeal of its players for working and performing together; unwavering, in its desire to connect with its audience throughout the world.

Under the artistic direction of Harry Bicket and principal guest Kristian Bezuidenhout, The English Concert has earned a reputation for combining urgency, passion and fire with precision, delicacy and beauty.

Applicants must have graduated/have a graduation date from a UK/Europe-based conservatoire within the year range 2023-25 and be resident in the UK or EEA.

Applicants must be aged 18 or above at the time the Fellowship commences.

Applicants will need to demonstrate the right to travel to the UK throughout the Fellowship.

The English Concert is unable to contribute towards travel costs for attending live sessions for the Fellowship.

The Fellowship application process is in two stages, as below:

1) Application Form and recording submission

Applicants are invited to fill in the Application Form, which includes providing a link to a performance recorded within the past 6 months (please use unlisted entries on YouTube/Vimeo, maximum 10 minutes). The panel will use this video to narrow down a shortlist for invitations to a live session.

Instrumentalists: please submit a solo, accompanied or chamber recording.
Singers: please submit a Handel/Bach aria. This can be sacred or secular.

2) Live Sessions

A shortlist will be invited to 2 live sessions on 9 April. In the first session, applicants will perform solo or as accompanists; in the second, the group will perform orchestral repertoire with members of the panel.

For the first session, applicants will be asked to prepare the following:

Violins/violas: please bring an unaccompanied solo piece (or two short movements if you prefer).
Other strings and wind instruments: please bring a couple of movements of an accompanied sonata or unaccompanied solo.
Plucked and keyboard continuo: please be ready to accompany your woodwind/lower string colleagues for their sonatas (see line above). We will inform you of the repertoire and send music at least 1 week in advance.
Singers: please bring two Handel/Bach arias in contrasting languages. There will be a harpsichord (A=415) and accompanist present

Please apply by filling in the Application Form below (which includes uploading a CV) by 17.00 on Monday 11 March 2024. If you have any questions about the application or the Fellowship, please contact Lucy Roberts on lucy@englishconcert.co.uk.