Applications Now Open for the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra Emerging Musicians Fellowship

THE Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra is now accepting applications for the 2024/25 Emerging Musicians Fellowship. The Emerging Musicians Fellowship is a paid development opportunity for emerging orchestral musicians. It offers early career orchestral musicians an immersive experience of professional orchestral life, on and off the concert platform. The Fellowship has been designed to attract the widest talent pool possible and there is no upper age limit for applicants.

Fellowship Musicians will be mentored by a Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra musician and will rehearse and perform with the Orchestra, as well as chamber ensembles. Each Fellow will participate in a tailor made training programme, including:- instrumental lessons to increase their understanding of professional orchestral life. They will have full access to the pioneering Liverpool Philharmonic Musicians Performance and Wellbeing Programme, including:- physiotherapy, sports massage, injury prevention screening, audiology, and performance psychology.

This opportunity will culminate in a final wrap week including:- an exit audition, an intimate chamber performance programmed and performed alongside other Fellowship Musicians, and sessions around ongoing musical and professional development. The wrap week is also an opportunity to welcome the next cohort of Fellowship Musician to the programme and grow the Alumni network.

Domingo Hindoyan, Chief Conductor of the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, said:- "I am very proud that we are able to offer the Emerging Musicians Fellowship. It is crucial that we support and help create opportunities for emerging musicians to grow professionally. The Fellowship is a unique experience for musicians to gain an invaluable insight into orchestral life both on and off the platform. I look forward welcoming the next Fellowship cohort to Liverpool Philharmonic Hall next season."

Rachael Watson who participated in the 2022/23 Emerging Musicians Fellowship, said:- "Over the course of the year, I have seen a huge improvement in both my personal and professional development. I have learned so much from my experiences of playing in the orchestra and also from the outstanding musicians and staff through their exceptional guidance and mentorship. I felt extremely welcomed into the surroundings by everyone at The Phil, and felt that I was seen as an equal and always treated with respect and kindness."

There are 4 places available for the 2024/25 Fellowship. Applications are welcome from the following instruments:-

• Strings... Violin, Viola.

• Woodwind... Flute, Piccolo with Flute, Bassoon, Contrabassoon with Bassoon.

• Brass... Trumpet, French Horn, Percussion and Timpani.

Applicants who are in part or full time higher education who are committed to pursuing a career in orchestral music performance, those recently out of higher education who have not yet established their orchestral career, or individuals who are considering a career change, are all encouraged to apply. We are looking for creative and motivated people from a wide variety of backgrounds. Applicants should be aged 18+ on 19 June 2024. There is no upper age limit.

Rachael Watson added:- "We acknowledge that our orchestra and our industry is not fully reflective of the diverse society in which we live. Therefore, at Round 1, we are taking Positive Action to prioritise applications from emerging musicians from backgrounds that are currently underrepresented in UK orchestras. Where applicants declare a protected characteristic (race, gender, socio-economic status, disability, or sexual orientation), and meet all the required criteria at Round 1 (including:- performance and supplementary criteria), these applicants will be guaranteed a live audition in Round 2."

To apply for the Emerging Musicians Fellowship, please visit the Liverpool Philharmonic website  for further details.

Mayor's fund that brought beekeeping, community gardens and wildflowers to the Liverpool City Region set to return for 3rd year

MAYOR Steve Rotheram's Community Environment Fund is set to return for a 3rd year. The fund has already supported 92 projects across the Liverpool City Region from:- beekeeping and rare lambs to windflower meadows, upcycling, food projects and climate awareness.

If approved at Friday's Combined Authority meeting, the latest round would bring the total investment to £1.35m over 3 years and is on top of a further £3.3m provided to local authorities from the Combined Authority's UK Shared Prosperity Fund allocation to support projects that facilitate green space and the building of safe resilient communities.

The fund aims to encourage long term behavioural change, while improving the City Region's environment and safeguarding the sustainability of our greenspaces.

Grants of up to £30,000 will be available to grassroots environment projects under Phase 3; with applications due to open later this year.

Steve Rotheram Mayor of the Liverpool City Region said:- "Devolution is all about giving local people a stake - and a say - in their future and it was in that same spirit that I launched my Community Environment Fund. Any group who believes they have a great idea to improve their local environment and community for the better can get involved; and I've been absolutely blown away by the impact it's had so far. We've empowered hundreds of our residents to work together, to get creative and encourage long-lasting behaviour change. Because while we're busy pressing ahead with our projects and plans to reach net zero by 2040; at least a decade before national Government targets; the power of our community cannot be underestimated in helping us achieve our ambitions. Taken together, lots of small actions from ordinary people working together with a common purpose can make a massive difference. This is delivering real, positive change to our people's lives - and our planet; and I can't wait to see what this next year holds in store."

The Community Environment Fund has so far seen more than 750 people across the City Region volunteer time to deliver projects which have created 15,000 m2 of new habitat, planted 30,000 plants and trees, and produced more than 8,000 kg of sustainable food amongst other benefits.

The 2022 projects included:- the creation of a community garden on wasteland rife with flytipping in Toxteth led by Mulgrave Street Action Group, a bike refurbishment and cycling project put together by veterans from:- Halton Veterans' Legion CIC to support their mental health and an urban garden in Kirkby where people can use plants and nature as a form of therapy run by Eco Therapy Garden CIC.

The results meet the objectives in the Combined Authority's 5 Year Climate Action Plan which outlines how the fund, and the projects it has supported, are vital in ensuring that communities are empowered to make positive environmental change.

For Phase 3, the Combined Authority will seek to increase outside investment such as private sector match funding for projects.

Councillor David Baines, Portfolio Holder for Net-Zero and Air Quality at the Combined Authority said:- "I'm looking forward to seeing what innovative projects our communities will come up with to help create a cleaner, greener Liverpool City Region for the future. Every Community Environment Fund project we have supported so far has addressed at least 1 of the 9 themes of our Climate Action Plan. They are helping us move towards becoming net zero by 2040, reducing air pollution and improve the health and wellbeing of people across the whole City Region, so we can't stop now."

Jenny Griggs, Director of the Fir Tree Community Growers received funding last year for a project giving children from urban areas a taste of greenspace. She said:- "I started Fir Tree Growers because it's something I strongly believe in. Seeing the children engage with nature is absolutely transformative for them and if we can play a part in opening up this world, then I feel that stays with them forever."

More details on who is eligible and how to apply for the Community Environment Fund will be published soon.