LSO Conservatoire Scholarships
A programme for exceptional musicians facing financial barriers, to support their postgraduate study at the world’s leading conservatoires.
About the Scheme
The LSO Conservatoire Scholarships programme is a ground-breaking initiative that aims to ensure that musicians from all backgrounds have access to conservatoire training and reduce barriers to entering the profession.
Such barriers include high tuition and maintenance costs. These Scholarships of £15,000 per academic year will allow recipients to focus fully on their studies during a critical time in their education, whilst benefiting from additional support and mentoring from the LSO’s own renowned musicians.
The LSO Conservatoire Scholarships programme is generously supported by Alex and Elena Gerko.
How it Works
Each year the LSO will award ten new individuals with scholarship support of £15,000 per academic year to contribute to living and maintenance costs while studying, lasting for the duration of their course.
The LSO will also provide support and professional development opportunities to recipients throughout the year. This may include a combination of mentoring and coaching sessions, side-by-side rehearsal and performance opportunities with the full Orchestra, and ongoing career advice.
Eligibility
The programme is open to postgraduate instrumentalists of any age or nationality, who meet the following eligibility criteria:
- Are facing financial barriers, with an overall family income of less than £45,000 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.
- Full details of eligibility criteria and supporting evidence requirements can be found on the application form.
Apply
Applications for the 2023/24 academic year are now closed. Details of the 2024/25 academic year will be released later in Autumn 2023.
* For the purposes of this programme, the LSO is using the top 10 conservatoires as ranked in the QS University World Rankings 2022: Royal College of Music; Universität für Musik und darstellende Kunst Wien; The Juilliard School; Conservatoire national supérieur de musique et de danse de Paris; Royal Conservatoire of Scotland; Guildhall School of Music and Drama; Royal Academy of Music; Norwegian Academy of Music; Curtis Institute of Music; Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts.
