Press Releases

The BBC Symphony Orchestra (BBC SO) and the Royal College of Music (RCM) are delighted to announce a new programme that will build on the long-standing relationship between the two organisations and broaden the experience offered to postgraduate student instrumentalists aspiring to enter the orchestral profession.

Starting in July 2009 and running throughout the year, up to 15 final-year RCM postgraduate students will be selected to participate in BBC SO rehearsals covering a wide range of repertoire and may also perform with the orchestra in a special concert.

Each student will be assigned a mentor from within the orchestra to provide advice, guidance, coaching and feedback.

The depth of the new Pathways scheme is unique.

While many "one-off" sit-in schemes exist, this year-long programme gives students an opportunity to develop and refine their orchestral performing skills and to understand better how the profession works through an ongoing relationship with the orchestra, its conductors and management team.

Working with one of the country's leading orchestras in this way enhances the RCM's reputation as one of the world's leading centres for orchestral training.

RCM postgraduate students can elect to follow an "Orchestral Pathway" through their studies, incorporating one-on-one lessons and masterclasses from leading orchestral professionals, seminars on audition technique, career advice and support, and performances at the RCM itself with conductors such as Vladimir Ashkenazy, Bernard Haitink and Sir Roger Norrington.

RCM graduates now perform in many of the world's leading orchestras – including the BBC Symphony Orchestra.

The new BBC SO postgraduate scheme perfectly complements the RCM's undergraduate scheme with ENO, where final-year undergraduate students sit in with the ENO orchestra.

The BBC Symphony Orchestra is committed to adventurous and innovative education work.

With an ongoing series of local, national and international activities, it aims to open the work of the orchestra, and the distinctive music it plays, to the broadest range of participants.

Developing Pathways with the Royal College of Music is an important part of this ongoing work and is crucial to the BBC's commitment to nurturing the talent of the future.

The BBC Symphony Orchestra has had an extensive relationship with the Royal College of Music and its students for more than decade and has long offered students the chance to attend rehearsals and concerts and work with its musicians.

Developing the partnership further with the new Pathways scheme enhances opportunities for RCM postgraduates to broaden their experience of professional orchestral music-making and deepen their experience with world-class players.

That the scheme has been developed in close collaboration with BBC SO musicians strengthens the programme yet further.

Paul Hughes, General Manager of the BBC Symphony Orchestra, says: "Pathways is part of an innovative and adventurous education programme which aims to open up the full breadth of our work to the widest range of participants.

"Within that programme, investing in the orchestral talents of the future is a central and to be making that investment in partnership with the Royal College of Music, one of the world's leading music conservatoires, is tremendously exciting."

RCM Head of Performance Simon Channing says: "We are delighted to be developing our relationship with the BBC SO in such an exciting way.

"We take pride in our orchestral training at the RCM, and Pathways is, I believe, a wonderful opportunity for our postgraduate students to learn first-hand the skills needed to play in a great symphony orchestra through an integrated pattern of activities throughout their final year of study.".

VB