Philharmonia Instrumental Fellowship FAQ

Applications for 25/26 have now closed.

What’s new? 

• For Brass and Woodwind only, we will now expect audio audition submissions to be made at the same time of the application.
• This means that the only waiting period is to hear if you are to progress to the second round. For Percussion and Harp, we will notify you of first and second round dates once we have confirmed your eligibility for the programme. 
• There’s an equality and diversity monitoring form that needs to be filled in alongside the application form.
• First round audition rep will be available when applications open. 

How many Fellowships across Brass, Woodwind are available? 

Annually, we will have up to 3 Brass Fellowships and 3 Woodwind Fellowships. 

Will all the Fellowships run for two years? 

No, all Fellowships run for one year. We have extended the range of activities instrumentalists can engage with both before and after the programme.  

I applied last year, am I able to apply again? 

Yes, of course. We welcome submissions from applicants new and returning. 

Can I just submit my CV via email to apply? 

No. We will not accept CVs sent via email. You must complete the application form. 

Can I do the Fellowship programme online? 

No, the Fellowship is a programme that really benefits from in-person interaction as you will have a mentor, coaching sessions, and opportunities to perform in recitals, Learning and Engagement projects, as well as some concerts (if applicable). 

If I live abroad, am I still eligible to apply? 

Maybe. If you currently reside and/or 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). If you are not studying, then you will need to demonstrate that you have the right to remain in the UK throughout the Fellowship. 

The Philharmonia is not able to cover the cost of overseas travel for auditions or beyond into the Fellowship. 

How do I know if my visa is valid? 

If you are in the UK on a Tier 4 student visa, you are responsible for ensuring that you comply with the terms of your visa i.e. you are still in education and will be for the duration of the Fellowship. 

If you are not a British citizen, you will need to demonstrate that you have the right to remain in the UK throughout the Fellowship. 

Are all the auditions in-person? 

All second round auditions are in-person.

It is usual for the sections of Brass, Woodwind and Strings to have first round audio auditions.  The sections of Harp, Piano, Percussion and Timpani have both in-person first and second round auditions. 

If I am applying for Brass or Woodwind will I submit an audio audition? 

Yes, you must submit a video of your audition. We will transfer this to an audio piece. 

These are the formats supported by the form mp4, mov, wmv, and avi.

Are the in-person auditions screened?  

In-person first round auditions for Piano, Harp, Percussion and Timpani are physically screened.

For Brass, Woodwind and Strings are blind screened (we remove the video image for first round and only share the audio with panelists).

All second round auditions are in-person and are not screened.  

What if I am on another programme, will I still be able to do the Fellowship? 

We don’t believe that you can access the full benefit of the programme, if you are on more than one. If you are offered another place elsewhere, you will need to make a choice. We will not accept anyone who is on a similar programme elsewhere. 

What if I receive an orchestral job offer, will I still be able to do the Fellowship? 

Whilst getting an orchestral job is an exciting prospect, the demands of an orchestral job would mean that you would not be able to access the full benefit of the programme. If you are offered a position, you will need to make a choice. We will not accept anyone who has an orchestral position at the start of the programme. 

What is the timeline for the applications and the programme? 

Applications are usually open for up to 6 weeks, with video auditions submitted with the application.  Auditions for second round begin 3 weeks from the application deadline. 
Dates or periods for instrument auditions are specified in the application. A copy is placed in the FAQ page once applications re-open each year.

Please note that timelines are subject to change. We will endeavour to provide updates on any changes to the timeline as soon as possible. 

Applications will be open next year.