Professional Experience Scheme
The RSNO and RCS Professional Experience Scheme bridges the transition between conservatoire student performance and professional experience, for young musicians showing promise as orchestral musicians.
Each year students from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland are invited to audition for the Professional Experience Scheme in the same way that the RSNO would execute auditions for real vacancies within the Orchestra, with candidates being set challenging solo and orchestral repertoire as well as being presented with sight-reading in the audition.
All candidates are provided with feedback from the panel regarding their audition with suggestions of ways to improve technique and etiquette. Successful students are then invited to rehearse with the RSNO for different and exciting projects throughout the Season, as well as receiving advice, mentoring and formal feedback from RSNO musicians.
The Professional Experience Scheme is open to orchestral students from the RCS School of Music in third year and above.
Side by Side
The RSNO and RCS run a bi-annual Side by Side in which each RSNO musician sits alongside a player from the RCS Symphony Orchestra to perform major works from the orchestral repertoire, directed by an RSNO conductor.
The 2023:24 Season’s Side by Side took place during the Season Finale with RCS students performing alongside RSNO musicians for Berlioz’ Grande messe des morts under RSNO Music Director Thomas Søndergård. The 2025:26 Side by Side will be Ravel’s L’enfant et les sortilèges as part of Ethan Loch Plays Gershwin
Conductors’ Day
The Orchestra also has a long-standing partnership with the RCS conducting department, and each year a day is dedicated to offering the Masters students and Conducting Fellows the chance to conduct the full RSNO.
For more information, please email engage@rsno.org.uk.