London Symphony Orchestra launches new skills development scheme for talented musicians

The LSO launched LSO Pathways today, a dynamic new professional skills development scheme for talented musicians from underrepresented groups who hope to have a career as an orchestral player.

Six musicians will be selected each year and will spend two years on the scheme. Applicants must be musicians aged 18+ who would like to pursue a career in a professional orchestra and who have faced barriers which have hindered their progress. These could include socioeconomic status, ethnic background, disability, neurodiversity, gender identity, or spending time in care.

Dame Kathryn McDowell, Managing Director of the London Symphony Orchestra said,

‘Our aim is to ensure young musicians of all backgrounds are empowered to fulfil their talent and thrive as orchestral players. The wider orchestral sector recognizes that intervention is needed at this critical stage in musicians’ careers – the longer we leave it, the harder it will be to redress the imbalances. The LSO is delighted to be launching this new scheme, which has been specifically designed to appeal to adults who may be at university, music college or on a different pathway.’

The scheme is open to musicians from the whole of the UK and not just London-based performers. Every player on the scheme will have the opportunity to work with an LSO mentor for two years, attend termly residential weekends in London, and automatically become a member of the LSO Pathways alumni group to offer ongoing networking and peer support.