Resonate

Sometimes it’s good to take a peak at what orchestras outside of Europe and the United States are up to. 

This weekend I came across an article in The Times of South Africa profiling a 22-year-old instrumentalist named Melissa Hoover.

Hoover is a “cadet” in an apprentice program by the KwaZulu-Natal Philharmonic Orchestra. As a cadet, she performs with the orchestra occassionally, giving her the chance to play with a professional orchestra even though she is still in school.

The KZN Philharmonic’s Web site has this to say about the cadet program:

The KZN Philharmonic’s National Cadetship Programme addresses the limited representation of, and increasing demand for, local artists in the pool of present and future full-time musicians in our country’s orchestras. The programme is open to all young South African musicians (although historically disadvantaged students receive preference).

Successful candidates are funded annually as full-time cadets with the Orchestra – they work directly with professional musicians, experience first hand the role of performing in a professional orchestra, and receive individual lessons from senior KZNPO musicians. The initiative already boasts several success stories, with numerous cadets going on to promising professional careers in the KZNPO and other South African orchestras and ensembles.

What a great way to train up-and-coming musicians. Only a few programs like this in the United States. The Civic Orchestra of Chicago and the New World Symphony are both training orchestras, meaning the students are performing with eachother under the guidance of professional orchestra members. And several weeks ago, the Chicago Sinfonietta announced a new apprenticeship program for college-aged minority musicians, where the participants get to perform with the orchestra.