The London Symphony Orchestra launched LSO Conservatoire Scholarships, a new three-year programme for exceptional musicians to support their postgraduate study at the world’s leading conservatoires.
The deadline for application on lso.co.uk is March 31, 2023.
| Sections | Orchestral / Instrumental musicians |
| Deadline | 31 Jan - 31 Mar 2023 |
| Finals | Jun 2023 |
| Where | London, United Kingdom |
| Age groups | No age restrictions |
The LSO Conservatoire Scholarships provide financial support and mentoring to talented postgraduate instrumentalists facing financial barriers, ensuring that recipients can focus fully on their studies during this critical time in their education.
Each year the LSO will award ten new individuals with scholarship support of £15,000 per academic year to contribute to living and maintenance costs while studying. The LSO will provide professional development opportunities, including a combination of mentoring and coaching sessions, side-by-side rehearsal and performance opportunities with the full Orchestra, and ongoing career advice.
The applications (including completed application forms, video recordings, references and documentation confirming family income) are due by the deadline of 31 March 2023. After applying, applicants should allow at least two months for their application to be processed, and will be notified in writing as to the outcome of their application. The chosen candidates will then be invited for an audition in London in June 2023.
The programme is open to postgraduate instrumentalists of any age or nationality, who meet all the following eligibility criteria:
- Are facing financial barriers, with an overall family income of less than £45,000 per annum.
- Have been awarded a scholarship place for a postgraduate course at one of the leading 10 conservatoires in the world*, focused on classical study of an orchestral instrument.
- Have previously studied at undergraduate level at a UK conservatoire or university.
Full details of eligibility criteria and supporting evidence requirements can be found on the application form.
*For the purposes of this programme the LSO bases the conservatoire list on the QS University World Rankings 2022: Royal College of Music; Universität für Musik und darstellende Kunst Wien; The Juilliard School; Conservatoire national supérieur de musique et de danse de Paris; Royal Conservatoire of Scotland; Guildhall School of Music and Drama; Royal Academy of Music; Norwegian Academy of Music; Curtis Institute of Music; Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts.
1. Completed application form
2. A video recording that includes two contrasting pieces, lasting a maximum of 20 minutes. Recordings must have been made within six months of the application and may be submitted by links to online recordings (a created YouTube playlist is ideal). The submissions may be compiled from different recordings within the last six months.
3. Two references supporting the application: one from the applicant’s current teacher, and one from a prominent musician.