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 is recruiting nationally and applications are open now 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:
- 8 total weeks of Boston residency per year (four two-week stints, September through May). Four of these 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 for performance weeks and audition travel expenses, as well as a housing stipend for those who reside outside of Boston.
- Assistance and support with audition preparation.
- Finalist audition travel stipend and housing (for non-Boston area residents).
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; 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.
Two Fellows per cycle will be selected through a competitive audition process. The inaugural cohort is for 2023-2025 for two string players.
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.
Applications are open now for the 2023-25 inaugural cohort of H+H Stone Fellows. The deadline is April 1, 2023. You will be asked to supply:
- Biographical information
- Resume with performance history
- One letter of recommendation (up to two accepted)
- Short personal statement
- Pre-screening audition: video or audio recording, submitted to this Dropbox (see Requirements below)
Applications are open now for the 2023-25 inaugural cohort of H+H Stone Fellows.
- Intent to Apply: Email fellowship@handelandhaydn.org with your intent to apply by March 10, 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 by May 30, 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.
Please upload the required pre-screening video or audio recording to this Dropbox on or before April 1, 2023, to be considered. Please email fellowship@handelandhaydn.org with any questions.
- See repertoire requirements below, by instrument (violin, viola, cello, or bass).
- Video or audio recording will be accepted, maximum 10 minutes in length.
- The recording file name should clearly state your first and last name.
- Videos need not be professional quality; videos shot on smartphone are acceptable, for instance.
- Whether you are submitting video or audio, please be sure that your playing can be heard clearly on the recording.
- Applicants should use an appropriate bow for the era (Baroque or Classical). Gut strings and no chin rests are preferred but not required.
- Standard file formats are acceptable for video (MP4, MOV, WAV) or audio (MP3, WAV, ACC). If using a different file format, please email fellowship@handelandhaydn.org to ensure that your file can be accepted.
VIOLIN
- One movement from a solo JS Bach suite
- The exposition of any concerto from Classical era
- Excerpt: Mozart Overture to Marriage of Figaro, mm. 1-95
VIOLA
- One movement from a solo JS Bach suite
- The exposition only of any concerto from Classical era
- Excerpt: Mozart Overture to Marriage of Figaro, mm. 1-95
CELLO
- One movement from a solo JS Bach suite
- The exposition only of any concerto from Classical era
- Excerpt: Mozart Symphony No. 35, movement 4, mm. 134-181
BASS
- One movement from a JS Bach suite or equivalent Baroque transcription
- The exposition only of any concerto from Classical era
- Excerpt: Mozart Symphony No. 40, movement 1, mm. 105-138
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. 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!
All in-person auditions will be by invitation. A travel and housing stipend will be provided for non-Boston area residents), thanks to grant funding.
Specific audition requirements by instrument will be posted here by February 20, 2023.
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. 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!