Manchester Camerata launches new training fellowship

Manchester Camerata has launched a new training fellowship to help shape the next generation of Northern-based music graduates.

The Camerata 360° Ruth Sutton Fellowship, created with support of The Ruth Sutton Trust for Music, is a year-long and paid training programme for musicians who have graduated within the past two years in either orchestral strings or composition.

There are 5 places available from October this year, with the chamber orchestra offering hands-on work experience and training across all its community, outreach, performance, and creative endeavours.

A bespoke year-long programme will be designed for each individual fellow to develop a holistic understanding of Manchester Camerata as well as develop their own unique career pathway. Each fellow will also be mentored by one of the Camerata’s freelance musicians who will offer 1-2-1 time throughout the year and share their own first-hand knowledge and experience of the breadth and depth of Manchester Camerata’s annual programme. They will also be able to share and offer vital tips on how to sustain a career in this often challenging and ever-changing profession.

The fellowship is designed to offer an essential and broader insight into the workings of orchestral life to enable young musicians to develop their careers both in and outside of the concert platform.

Samantha McShane, Creative Director of Manchester Camerata, explains: “As an orchestra we believe that music is for everyone and in the significant power music can have to empower and enhance lives across all our platforms from performance to community.

“We recognise that artists can become compartmentalised as their careers develop, focusing on performance, teaching or community. But as an organisation who creates and offers work opportunities in all these areas and places equal value upon them – we are very excited to offer our Northern based Fellows the chance to experience all these areas for themselves. They too can then learn, create, develop and grow as music professionals in ways they may not get elsewhere or have thought possible.”

The work of Manchester Camerata varies from performing in front of thousands at Glastonbury or collaborating with electronic and classical music artists from around the globe, to working in schools and care homes across Greater Manchester. It is an industry leader in the field of music and dementia, having secured NHS funding to develop its ground-breaking Music In Mind programme.

Graduates joining the fellowship scheme will get full immersion and hands-on experience across all Manchester Camerata’s departments throughout the year as part of the Fellowship, from vital performance opportunities, community work engagement with schools, care home and music cafes, to marketing, finance, management, and leadership experience.

Fellows can also get involved in the Orchestra’s Think Tank events, gaining exclusive insight into research and development work with Manchester University with whom the Camerata work closely to continue its internationally acclaimed work in the field of music and dementia.

The Fellowship comes with £10,000 to support the year in addition to expenses for work outside of Manchester. Applications are open to musicians based in or near Manchester, Liverpool, Bolton, Leeds, Sheffield, Bradford, Huddersfield, Newcastle, Sunderland, or Middlesbrough. And it is hoped that fellows can continue their careers in the north and join Manchester Camerata’s talented pool of freelance performers and practitioners. Apply online by 11 September 2023.