Guildhall School of Music & Drama musicians offered places in the London Philharmonic Orchestra's 2020/2021 music training cohort

Ten Guildhall musicians will join the London Philharmonic Orchestra’s 2020/2021 prestigious music training programmes for one year. These programmes are divided into the following: Future Firsts, Junior Artists and Young Composers. The Education and Community Department of the London Philharmonic Orchestra have brilliantly re-imagined these programmes so that they can take place online and to preserve the depth of participants’ experiences during this difficult time. 

Joining the LPO's Future Firsts cohort are horn player Flora Bain (Guildhall Artist Masters), violinist Abby Bowen (Guildhall Artist Masters 2020), clarinettist Isha Crichlow (BMus clarinet 2018; soon to graduate from Guildhall Artist Masters), oboist Bernice Lee (Artist Diploma 2019), double bassist Thomas Morgan (Guildhall Artist Masters 2018/Junior Fellow 2019) and cellist Pedro Silva (Guildhall Artist Masters 2019).

Doctoral Researcher Alexander Tay joins the Young Composers cohort this year, having recently completed the LSO Panufnik Composers scheme.

Junior Guildhall musicians Shesh Abu-Jabir (percussion, LPO Junior Artist Associate Member), Charles Campbell-Peek (double bass) and Tamara Redmond (violin) join the LPO Junior Artists cohort.

David Burke, chief executive of the London Philharmonic Orchestra, says: 
"I am delighted to welcome all of these fabulous musicians to the LPO family. The team has been incredibly creative developing online lessons, seminars and creative projects over these last six months. The feedback during lockdown, from isolated participants around the country to these emerging artists starting their careers in such uncertain times, has made every effort worthwhile. It is important we continue to develop these talents where we can, as we will need them, and their music, even more in the future."

Rosie Whitfield, Head of Junior Guildhall said: 

"An extraordinary achievement for Charles Campbell-Peek, Tamara Redmond  and Shesh Abu-Jabir, highlighting the wealth and breath of musical talent at the Junior Guildhall and the outstanding educational value of the LPO project. Well done!"

The LPO’s Foyle Future Firsts annual development programme bridges the transition period between college and the professional platform for seventeen outstanding young musicians. It is designed to nurture and develop talented orchestral players, forming the base for future orchestral appointments to the London Philharmonic Orchestra and other world-class orchestras and ensembles. A bursary of £1000 is offered to each participant with the expectation that participants are able to continue study alongside the commitments of the programme.

The LPO’s Young Composers Programme offers emerging composers the opportunity to workshop a new piece with the Orchestra's musicians across a year, leading to a public performance at Queen Elizabeth Hall, Southbank Centre, showcasing the new works. The participant composers are mentored by James MacMillan in a series of seminars and workshops. Each participant will compose a new work of up to eight minutes and this year’s brief, set by Brett Dean, challenges composers to respond to the Covid-19 pandemic. Alex Tay, who is just one of five in the group, was also part of the 2018 LSO Panufnik Composers scheme, which saw his composition performed and discussed by the LSO and its principal guest conductor François-Xavier Roth in a public workshop rehearsal.

The LPO’s free orchestral experience programme is for eight talented young musicians aged 15-19, from backgrounds currently under-represented in professional UK orchestras, to gain insight into life as a professional musician. Charles, Tamara and Shesh will be part of the London Philharmonic Orchestra family for a year and will receive valuable teaching and mentoring, along with just five other students. We’re so proud of them and we can’t wait to see them flourish.