LSO Conservatoire Scholarships

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 up to £16,000 per academic year to contribute to living and maintenance costs while studying, lasting for the duration of their postgraduate course. Scholars will also receive mentorship from an LSO member of the same instrument, including coaching sessions, side-by-side rehearsal and performance opportunities with the full Orchestra, and ongoing career advice.

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 £58,500 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

1. Completed application form

2. A video recording that includes at least three contrasting pieces from different periods, lasting a maximum of 15 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.

Full details of eligibility criteria and supporting evidence requirements can be found on the application form.

*Eligible conservatoires will be announced when the new application cycle opens in November 2026