New Haven Symphony Orchestra Harmony Fellowships

The NHSO’s Harmony Fellowships provide opportunities across the musical, administrative, and board levels for traditionally underrepresented groups in the classical music industry. The Fellowship program launched in 2017 with the orchestra’s flagship Fellowship for Underrepresented Musicians and has grown to include Fellowships for Conductors, Administrators, and Board Directors.

Musician Fellowship Conducting Fellowship Administration Fellowship Board of Directors Fellowship

Harmony Fellowship for Underrepresented Musicians

The New Haven Symphony Orchestra’s Harmony Fellowship for Underrepresented Musicians is a two-year paid Fellowship program for promising, diverse violinists, violists, cellists, and bassists pursuing an orchestral career.

The NHSO strongly encourages applicants from diverse backgrounds including but not limited to, diverse racial, ethnic, socio-economic and geographic backgrounds that are traditionally under-represented in orchestras. Fellows will rehearse and perform with the orchestra and receive other career development benefits including mentoring and audition preparation, as well as Education/Community Engagement training with supervised experiences.

Fellowship Benefits:

  • Fellows will be offered 30 services to rehearse and play with the full Orchestra on their 8-concert Classics Series, as well as rehearse and perform on the 4-concert Young People’s Concerts.
  • Fellows will gain valuable Education and Community Engagement training by collaborating with the NHSO’s Education Director on two new Ed programs:
    • A string quartet (made up of two fellows and two rostered musicians) that visits upper elementary classrooms and teaches conflict management while making music.
    • A songwriting project  in area high schools that teaches non-musicians how to write a string quartet.
  • Fellows will be paid the NHSO’s section rate per service ($119), as well as travel costs (up to $35/day).
  • Fellows will receive career development services throughout the program.

Eligibility Requirements:

  • Currently pursuing or possessing a Graduate degree in Music Performance
  • Interested in pursuing an orchestral career
  • Passionate about Education and Community Engagement
  • Flexible availability:
    • To be scheduled in tandem with the Project Manager:
      • Daytime rehearsals
      • School visits
    • NHSO regularly scheduled rehearsals/concerts:
      • 30 services will be offered, 15 must be accepted
      • Evening rehearsals/concerts (7:30 – 10pm)
      • Weekday and Weekend concerts

Application Process

Now Accepting String Applications!

The NHSO is seeking two (2) new Harmony Musician Fellows for the 2024-2025/2025-2026 seasons. Applications will be accepted for violin, viola, cello, or bass.

Application Process:

  1. Qualified and interested musicians apply on Acceptd, using the button below. Applications are due by Sunday, March 3, 2024 at 11:59pm.
  2. A small committee will meet and decide which candidates will move on to the second round. Applicants will be notified no later than April 1, 2024 whether or not they will be invited to the second round.
  3. The second round includes a live audition and an interview held in New Haven, CT. It will be held on Friday, April 12, 2024.

If you have any questions, contact Program Manager Mira Magrill at Mira@NewHavenSymphony.org.

Harmony Fellowship for Underrepresented Conductors

The Harmony Conducting Fellow will work directly with the NHSO’s artistic leadership over the two-year Fellowship to develop a unique curriculum tailored to the needs of the Fellow. This Fellowship will provide experience needed to help progress to the next step of their conducting career, as well as a $2500 stipend for each season, paid in two installments per season.

Ideal Candidate Qualities:

  • An excellent musician and conductor, a good communicator, a creative thinker, knowledgeable about a broad range of symphonic and pops repertoire, able to be an effective educator, among other qualities.
  • People skills, fundraising community leader, symphony representative.
  • Excellent communication skills, people skills, and willingness to learn and grow are a must.
  • Musicianship, professionalism, respectful to musicians and staff, reliable (always on time) & lots of energy!
  • The fellowship conductor must have the musical skills to take over any rehearsals or concerts if need at the discretion of the Music Director.
  • They also will need to be present at all rehearsals, concerts, and other meetings as required.
  • Ambition and drive to make themselves and the organization better.

Qualifications:

  • Bachelor’s degree required. Master’s level or higher preferred.
  • Conducting experience is essential.
  • Broad knowledge of orchestral repertoire and programming.
  • Fluent and articulate in English and able to communicate effectively to musicians, staff, and a wide range of audience members.

Application Process:

The deadline to apply for the 2024-2026 Conducting Fellowship has passed. Our next Conducting Fellow who would begin in the 2026-2027 Season and information about that position will be posted in the 2025-2026 Season.

Questions? Contact Education Director Caitlin Daly-Gonzales at Education@NewHavenSymphony.org or 203.865.0831 x113.

Harmony Fellowship for Underrepresented Arts Administrators

The New Haven Symphony Orchestra seeks an emerging arts administration fellow that will help us increase the impact and value of classical music. Our goal is to inspire, delight, challenge, and unite larger and more diverse communities with our music. This fellowship can be tailored to the needs of your future career, and we will provide hands-on project management experience in the department(s) of your choice.

Over the course of the six-month fellowship, you will:

  • Operate on a pre-professional level, taking on extra work as you gain confidence
  • Collaborate with NHSO department heads to develop and complete short and long-term projects that carry out the NHSO’s mission
  • Receive mentoring from NHSO staff members
  • Present your work to staff and board members at the end of the experience
  • Gain new skills and ideas that will be directly applicable to your future in arts administration

The ideal candidate for this position will be:

  • From a diverse and/or underrepresented background
  • Interested in arts administration
  • Deeply invested in making a difference in the New Haven community
  • Detail-oriented and organized
  • Able to prioritize and work on multiple projects at once
  • Dependable
  • Having a Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience is a plus

The position has a $2500 stipend over a 6-month period.

To apply for the position, please send the following items to Engagement@NewHavenSymphony.org:

  • A CV/resume
  • A less-than-500-word essay explaining why you are interested in this experience and what you are hoping to get out of it
  • A less-than-250-word project description that you would like to complete in your time with the NHSO

Applications and interviews are currently on a rolling basis.

Governance Fellowship for Underrepresented Board Directors

Are you interested in learning what it takes to run a nonprofit from the boardroom? Do you want to work on high-level strategic issues in a functioning nonprofit organization?

The New Haven Symphony is offering a multidisciplinary program that will provide Fellows with real-world insight into the workings of a nonprofit board. Successful candidates will offer their unique perspective on an orchestra’s role in the community while contributing to the NHSO’s success AND building new tools for social impact. This Fellowship is supported by the Futures Fund of the Anne and Gordon Getty Foundation.

Our inaugural Board Fellow will serve on the NHSO Board under the tutelage of current Directors during the 2019-2020 and 2020-2021 seasons. The Fellowship program will develop your executive skills and provide real-world experience and insight into one of the oldest orchestras in the country.

Over the course of the two season fellowship, you will:

  • Be a non-voting member of the Board of Directors
  • Attend Board meetings
  • Serve on committee(s) of your choice
  • Be paired with rotating Board Mentors
  • Network with other executive leaders in the community
  • Gain new skills in non-profit leadership that will be directly applicable to your future
  • Receive a free subscription to  NHSO concerts
  • Receive audience development passes to bring guests from your social networks to NHSO concerts

You will develop your knowledge of and skills in:

  • Next generation leadership
  • Not-for-profit governance
  • Strategic Planning
  • Community Engagement
  • Financial Management
  • Meeting Management

The ideal candidate for this position will be:

  • From a diverse and/or underrepresented background
  • Interested in non-profit Board leadership
  • Deeply invested in making a difference in the New Haven community
  • A good listener, with the ability to analyze and make thoughtful decisions that will impact the organization’s future
  • Able to commit to excellent attendance throughout the Fellowship

To apply for this position, applicants should send the following materials to Engagement@NewHavenSymphony.org:

  • A resume/curriculum vitae
  • An essay (500 words or fewer) that details your interest in the opportunity and your thoughts on the Symphony’s role in the community

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.

If you have questions regarding this opportunity, please contact NHSO Education Director Caitlin Daly at Education@NewHavenSymphony.org.

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