Careers in Music Performance

If you are looking for performance opportunities and support at the start of your professional career, you will find lots of useful information in this section.

Schemes for musicians at the start of their professional careers

Concordia Foundation

Auditions are open to musicians and ensembles who are currently studying, or who have recently graduated, and would like to pursue a performance career in music. You will need to demonstrate the values of Concordia, including excellence in performance and technical musicianship as well as a desire to give back to the community.

Park Lane Group (PLG)

The Park Lane Group provides a platform for outstanding young musicians and performances of special interest. PLG performances help to establish the careers of generations of vastly talented young artists. Many of the PLG’s carefully selected performers are among the famous names on the international concert and opera circuit. More hold principal chairs in many leading orchestras and ensembles in the UK and on the Continent. The PLG’s annual Spring auditions are in the Southbank Centre’s Purcell Room. The PLG concert series are presented in the Purcell Room, Wigmore Hall, and other prestigious venues, plus sets of events across the UK. Programming often includes works by living and young composers.

Live Music Now! (LMN)

A charitable scheme that promotes concerts in community venues and aims to assist young professional musicians at the outset of their careers by providing paid performance opportunities and training and professional development in the field of music outreach.

Young Classical Artists Trust (known as YCAT)

YCAT provides a unique stepping stone for exceptional young artists who have the potential for international performing careers. Outstanding young classical soloists and chamber ensembles are nurtured and promoted for a minimum of three years, after which YCAT aims to introduce the artists to suitable commercial management to further develop and maintain their international profile. Auditions take place once a year, in three stages. The auditions are open to all instruments, but the categories vary each year.

Making Music’s Philip and Dorothy Green Young Artists Award

The award is given annually to six of the best up-and-coming classical vocalists and instrumentalists living in the UK. The winning artists benefit from: paid professional engagements with Making Music member groups (orchestras, choirs and music societies); free inclusion in the Selected Artists guide, sent to Making Music’s 3,200+ member groups; promotion via Making Music’s communication channels (magazine, email, website and social media); and an unpaid lunchtime recital opportunity at St Martin-in-the-Fields, London.

City Music Foundation (CMF)

Through an annual competitive audition process, CMF selects classical soloists and chamber ensembles, as well as jazz, folk, and world musicians. These ‘CMF Artists’ then engage in a two-year programme that includes artistic and business mentoring as well as professional development workshops. CMF works with the Artists to develop promotional tools, such as websites, photos, recordings and videos, and the Artist Manager arranges live performance opportunities. Musicians are supported by CMF in devising, organising, funding and promoting a bespoke musical project to help them develop a unique niche and selling point.

Philharmonia MMSF Instrumental Fellowships

The Martin Musical Scholarship Fund (MMSF) Instrumental Fellowship Programme, administered by the Philharmonia Orchestra, is designed to support the development of talented orchestral instrumentalists (including orchestral pianists) at the beginning of their career. Applicants must be over the age of 18 and in full or part-time education, or no more than 18 months out of full or part-time education. As a guide, the programme has been developed with fourth year undergraduate and postgraduate students in mind. We will accept applications from young undergraduates but all applicants must be over 18 years old. The Philharmonia MMSF Fellowship Programme is open to applicants of all nationalities; however, if you are from overseas, you will need to demonstrate that you are still in education and will be for the duration of the Fellowship with a valid visa (if applicable).

Tillet Debut

The scheme (formerly (formerly known as Young Artists Platform) selects by audition a small number of musicians each year with a view to their giving them a shared platform at a central London hall before going on to play at music festivals and concert societies around the UK.

Tunnell Trust Music Club Awards Scheme

The Scheme selects by audition emerging British based ‘Classical’ Chamber Groups (up to 8 players), who are offered a series of concerts in Scotland for which a fee is paid.

Schemes for orchestral players

Southbank Sinfonia

Southbank Sinfonia provides an intensive and wide-ranging nine-month programme of performance and professional development for talented graduates embarking on an orchestral career. Every player is awarded a bursary to help towards the cost of living in London, which players supplement with income from their own performing and teaching activities.

Foyle Future Firsts

The London Philharmonic Orchestra’s Foyle Future Firsts annual apprenticeship programme helps to bridge the transition period between college and the professional platform. The scheme has a small bursary attached to it, which does not equate to employment by the London Philharmonic Orchestra.

European Union Youth Orchestra

Musicians must be aged between 14 and 24 inclusive at the time of applying and must hold passports from one of the 27 European Union member countries.

Orpheus Foundation

The Orpheus Foundation is a not-for-profit organisation working to provide professional opportunities for some of the finest young musicians in London. By enabling young artists to showcase their achievements in a central London concert platform and by providing a mechanism for intercollegiate collaboration while working in their orchestra, the Orpheus Sinfonia, the foundation delivers a broad range of opportunities to soloists, conductors, ensembles, and orchestral players to further their professional development. Audition details for the Orpheus Sinfonia and the orchestra of the Orpheus Foundation, are available on the website.

Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment (OAE)
The Ann and Peter Law OAE Experience Scheme

The aim of the Ann and Peter Law OAE Experience for young players is to give exceptionally gifted young period instrument players the opportunity to participate in OAE concert projects as well as receiving ongoing mentoring from OAE musicians. The year-long scheme is aimed at students in the final stages of study, bridging the gap between music college and a professional career.

Philharmonia MMSF Instrumental Fellowship Programme

The Philharmonia MMSF Instrumental Fellowship programme is designed for instrumentalists who are specifically seeking an orchestral career. The Woodwind, Brass, Harps, Pianos and Percussion & Timpani Fellowships are one year schemes. The String Fellowship programme is a two year scheme. The programme is open to musicians who are over the age of 18 and in full or part-time education, or no more than 18 months out of full or part-time education. As a guide, the programme has been developed with fourth year undergraduate and postgraduate students in mind. The programme is open to applicants of all nationalities; however, if you are from overseas, you will need to demonstrate that you are still in education and will be for the duration of the Fellowship with a valid visa (if applicable).

Schemes for singers

Genesis Sixteen

Genesis Sixteen is The Sixteen’s fully-funded choral training programme which aims to nurture the next generation of talented young voices and specifically to bridge the gap from student to professional practitioner. During the course of a year, a series of intensive weekend and week-long courses for singers will be led by key artists from The Sixteen, including founder and conductor Harry Christophers. Participants in the programme will receive a bursary for UK travel, accommodation, and board costs while participating on the scheme’s four courses, around the UK.

The Merry Opera Company

Merry Opera aims to widen the audience for opera and at the same time provide a training ground for up-and-coming professionals of any age and nationality.

Monteverdi Apprentice Scheme

The Monteverdi Apprenticeship Scheme was set up in 2007 to address the problems faced by young singers attempting to embark on a professional career. The aim of the programme is to give the most promising young musicians on the verge of entering the profession, direct experience of the musical tradition of the Monteverdi ensembles and the working practices of Sir John Eliot Gardiner during a year-long apprenticeship scheme. It offers the participants a unique experience of music making at a world-class level within a high-powered and multi-national group of colleagues, making them exceptionally well-equipped to perform and teach at the highest level and to take up international professional careers.

Rising Stars of the Enlightenment

The Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment’s Rising Stars programme is for brilliant young vocal talent. The Rising Stars of the Enlightenment are a cohort of eight young singers, two from each category of voice, who will take the stage with the Orchestra and feature prominently in our programming for two artistic seasons.

St Martin’s Voices Fellowship Scheme

Part of the music programme at St Martin-in-the-Fields, St Martin’s Voices is a professional ensemble of talented singers who come together to sing world-class concerts and special services at St Martin-in-the-Fields and beyond. The St Martin’s Voices Fellowship is an advanced training programme for emerging professional singers.

Junior Fellowships

Trinity Laban Junior Fellowships

A platform for exceptional and aspiring young musicians, providing the support and opportunities necessary to successfully make the leap from full-time conservatoire-based study to excellence in the music profession. These intensive, year-long Fellowships provide individuals with the means and the time to enhance their professional skills and contacts, while pushing and exploring their own artistic development with the invaluable support of a Trinity Laban mentor. Fellowships are offered to individual performers, piano accompanists and conductors.

Royal College of Music Junior & Piano Accompaniment Fellowships

These awards are offered competitively to aspiring, experienced musicians. They enable musicians to gain experience, confidence and connections of the kind that help them to establish themselves professionally.

Royal Northern College of Music Junior Fellowship in Conducting

This Fellowship is tenable for two years and provides an opportunity for a young conductor, about to enter the profession, to gain widespread experience with the full range of the RNCM’s ensembles.

Performing in community and health settings

Live Music Now! (LMN)

Music in Hospitals & Care (MiHC)

Music in Hospitals & Care (MiHC) is a charity providing live music sessions for people who are receiving care or treatment in healthcare settings across the UK. Musicians engaged by Music in Hospitals are carefully chosen by audition.

Finding performance venues

The British & International Music Yearbook lists concert venues including Churches and other venues in London that host recitals. It is available to students and graduates of Trinity Laban in the reference section of the Jerwood Library.

Auditions and performance vacancies and opportunities

Musical Chairs

Advertisements for classical music performance employment opportunities throughout the world

music-job.com

A portal for job vacancies in the cultural sector and the world’s largest job board for orchestra musicians

bühnenjobs.de

Jobs in German orchestras

Rhinegold Jobs

Various jobs in music including some performance opportunities

The Association of British Choral Directors (abcd)

For musical director/choir director vacancies

The Royal School of Church Music (RSCM)

For director of music/organist vacancies

British Choirs on the Net

For choral vacancies & associated opportunities

Church Times

For organist and choral positions

Gerontius

For choral music vacancies (conductor / musical director/accompanist vacancies)

The Opera Stage

European and international paid singing jobs (see website for subscription costs)

Audition Oracle

Opera jobs and auditions in the UK, US and Europe (see website for subscription costs)

YAP Tracker

An online audition manager with listings of opera auditions and vocal competitions for United States, Canada, Europe and beyond (see website for subscription costs)

Incorporated Society of Musicians (ISM)

The ISM is a professional body for musicians in the UK. Members of the ISM can benefit from free listing in the ISM Music Directory which is used by members of the public looking to hire musicians including music teachers, performers and composers, as well as free listing in the ISM Handbook and concert and event promotion through their Facebook and Twitter pages.

Finding performance opportunities

Music Clubs

Music clubs and societies include singers and instrumentalists in their annual programme of recitals. These societies and clubs are generally members of Making Music, and details can be found on their website. Look for a music club (select ‘promoter’).

The British & International Music Yearbook (available in the Jerwood Library) also lists clubs and societies and gives details about the concerts they promote.

Resources for performers

Opera and Music Theatre Forum

The representative body for opera and music theatre in the UK; a directory of members is available on the website

Opera Stuff

Includes links to opera companies worldwide

Sound and Music

For performers looking for contemporary repertoire

Musicians’ Diary Services

Freelance orchestral and session musicians may choose to sign up with a diary service to help manage their future engagements and commitments and to negotiate contracts. A diary service will maintain and update a musician’s work diary, so that if an offer of work comes through, the diary service team can immediately accept it (or not) on the musician’s behalf. Most diary services also offer career advice and assist with the creation of musicians’ CVs.