You Belong in Baroque
The Handel and Haydn Society is thrilled to announce the H+H Stone Fellowship, a prestigious fellowship for musicians pursuing careers in period instrument performance of Baroque and Classical music. A first of its kind among period-instrument orchestras, the Fellowship will foster the development of early-career musicians whose socio-cultural identities have been historically underrepresented in the field.
The Fellowship provides an unparalleled two-year learning experience, including performances, mentorship, and training with H+H musicians and partners at the New England Conservatory. Resident Fellows will participate in H+H’s vibrant orchestra and Boston’s thriving music community, and will be part of H+H’s efforts to foster a more diverse and equitable field on a national scale.
H+H has recruited nationally for the inaugural cohort for 2023-2025, which will launch with two string instrumentalists (violin, viola, cello, or bass) selected through a competitive audition process.
The program is possible through a transformative $1 million gift from the James M. and Cathleen D. Stone Foundation as well as support from the National Endowment for the Arts.
The goal is to foster your artistic growth with an exceptional two-year learning experience.
The Fellowship includes:
- Four two-week residency periods in Boston (the equivalent of eight total residency weeks per year), September through May. Four weeks will consist of subscription rehearsals and performances with H+H.
- Focused mentorship and training opportunities with H+H musicians.
- Additional opportunities for mentorship, career counseling, training, and performance through our partners at the New England Conservatory.
- Compensation of $237.80 per service for all rehearsals and performances with H+H. For 2023-24 season, the compensation estimate is approximately $3,000 total for each two week residency.
- For those who are traveling, there is an additional per diem of $79 per day plus accommodations and travel.
- Assistance and support with audition preparation.
- Assistance with audition preparation.
Development of the Fellowship was an organization-wide process that included input from artistic and administrative staff, Board members, and industry advisors, including Anthony Trecek-King, H+H Resident Choral Conductor; Reginald Mobley, H+H Programming Consultant; Dr. Holly Maze Carter, H+H Education and DEI Committee member; María Romero Ramos, Assistant Professor of the Practice in Violin and Baroque Violin and Director of Historical Performance at Vanderbilt University Blair School of Music; Benjamin Sosland, Provost and Dean of the New England Conservatory; and Jonathan Cohen, H+H’s new Artistic Director.
H+H has also partnered with the New England Conservatory (NEC), the oldest independent music conservatory in the United States and among the most prestigious in the world. Our partners at NEC will support the artistic growth of the Fellows through additional performance, mentorship, and training opportunities.
Applications for the 2023-2025 cohort are now closed. If you are interested in applying to a future cohort, please email fellowship@handelandhaydn.org.
Requirements
- Instrument: Violin, Viola, Cello, Bass
- While the Fellowship is open to all professional-track early-career period instrument string musicians, H+H especially encourages applications from those whose socio-cultural identities have historically been underrepresented in period instrument performance of Baroque and Classical music, including musicians of Black or African American, Hispanic, Native American, Asian, Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian, or Pacific Islander descent.
- Bachelor’s Degree
- Eligible for employment in the United States (H+H will not sponsor visas for Stone Fellows)
Questions? Email us at fellowship@handelandhaydn.org
Handel and Haydn Society is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate in employment opportunities or practices on the basis of race, color, religion, disability, national origin, genetic information, sex (including pregnancy), age, sexual orientation, gender (including gender identity and expression), marital status, protected veterans' status, citizenship status or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.
Handel and Haydn Society is committed to diversity and inclusion, and we aspire to build a diverse staff team and community, including groups that are traditionally underrepresented. Statistics show that underrepresented groups apply to jobs only if they meet 100% of the qualifications. H+H appreciates different personal and professional experiences and encourages you to apply, even if you do not meet all the listed qualifications. We look forward to reviewing your application.
The application period for the 2023-25 inaugural cohort of H+H Stone Fellows is now closed. Interested in future cohorts? Email us at fellowship@handelandhaydn.org.
- Intent to Apply: Email fellowship@handelandhaydn.org with your intent to apply by March 24, 2023.
- Final Application Materials Due: on or before April 1, 2023. Incomplete applications cannot be evaluated.
- In-person Audition Invitations and Declinations: on or before April 30, 2023.
- If invited: In-person finalist auditions will be conducted in Boston on May 20, 2023.
- Final Invitation to Join the Inaugural Cohort/Selection: on or before June 1, 2023.
- Fellowship Begins: September 2023
Questions? Email us at fellowship@handelandhaydn.org.
All in-person auditions will be by invitation and will take place on Saturday, May 20, 2023 in Boston. A travel and housing stipend will be provided for non-Boston area residents), thanks to grant funding.
Audition preparation assistance is available to all candidates. Please email fellowship@handelandhaydn.org.
Applicants selected for the live auditions in spring 2023 will be asked to use an appropriate bow for the era (Baroque or Classical) and will need an instrument with gut strings. No chin rests are used for violins and violas, and cellos should not have an endpin. The audition will be at a pitch of A415. Please email us at fellowship@handelandhaydn.org if any of these requirements presents a barrier; we are happy to do our best to assist you in this process. Thank you!
VIOLIN
Solo repertoire:
Two contrasting movements of any J.S. Bach Sonata or Partita for Solo VIolin (BWV 1001-1006)
First movement of any Mozart or Haydn violin concerto with cadenza of your choosing
Excerpts:
Both First AND second violin parts of Mozart Symphony No. 41, K. 551, Jupiter, 4th movement (Presto) mm. 1-157
Chamber music:
J.S. Bach: Orchestral Suite No. 1 - Menuets I & II
Bach: Orchestral Suite No. 2 - Bourée I and Sarabande
VIOLA
Solo repertoire:
One movement from any J.S. Bach Suite for Solo Cello (BWV 1007-1012)
One movement of a classical concerto or sonata of your choice
Excerpts:
J.S. Bach: Orchestral Suite No. 1 - Forlane (AABB)
Beethoven: Symphony No. 3, Eroica - 2nd movement ("Marcia funebre"), mm. 80-104
Mozart: Overture to Marriage of Figaro - mm. 1-95
Chamber music:
J.S. Bach: Orchestral Suite No. 1 - Menuets I & II
Bach: Orchestral Suite No. 2 - Bourée I and Sarabande
CELLO
Solo repertoire:
Two contrasting movements of any J.S. Bach Suite for Solo Cello (BWV 1007-1012)
Exposition of a concerto by Haydn (C Major or D Major), Boccherini (G. 479 or G. 480) or CPE Bach Concerto in A Major
Excerpts:
J.S. Bach: Magnificat in D Major, BWV 243 -: IV. Omnes Generationes
Handel: Messiah - "The People That Walketh"
Mozart: Symphony No. 35 - 4th movement, mm. 134-181
Chamber music:
J.S. Bach: Orchestral Suite No. 1 - Menuets I & II
Bach: Orchestral Suite No. 2- Bourée I, Sarabande, and Double
BASS
Solo repertoire:
One movement from a J.S. Bach suite or equivalent Baroque transcription
One movement from a solo concerto of the candidate’s choice
Excerpts:
J.S. Bach: Suite (Overture) No. 2 in B Minor, BWV 1067 - Overture - opening to 18; pickup to 33 to 55
Handel: Messiah - “The people that walked in darkness” - mm. 1-19
Beethoven: Symphony No. 5 in C Minor, Op. 67 - second movement, mm. 114-123
Beethoven: Symphony No. 5 in C Minor, Op. 67 - third movement, mm. 1-100 and mm. 140-160
Mozart: Symphony No. 40 in G Minor, K. 550 - first movement, pickup to bar 105 through 138 (n.b. this is slightly different and starts a bit earlier than 1st round excerpt from same piece)