Apprentices Programme

By crafting supportive learning environments for talented young artists, whilst providing challenging and rewarding performance opportunities and exposing them to coaching from experts in a range of fields, the Monteverdi Choir and Orchestras aims to nurture the next generation of musical talent.

Participants in this long-established artist development programme take part in projects ranging from workshops and masterclasses with a focus on historically-inspired performance practices with industry-leading professionals, to paid performances with the Monteverdi ensembles. Each Apprentice is matched to an experienced member of MCO, who acts as a mentor, offering tailored artistic and practical support throughout their Apprenticeship, providing invaluable holistic advice, guiding them through the practicalities of preparing for projects, and helping the Apprentices to adjust and integrate into the wider ensemble whilst still encouraging personal development.

The Monteverdi Apprentices are also given the opportunity to perform with our world-class ensembles, and join the Monteverdi Choir and Orchestras for concerts both in the UK and overseas. Our aim is to round out their musical education, to help prepare them for future challenges, and to allow them to gain unrivalled experience of the working practices of an internationally renowned ensemble in a safe and supportive environment. By the end of each year-long Programme, we expect to have equipped these young musicians with the skills to be able to work as professionals with the Monteverdi Choir and Orchestras, and other similar organisations worldwide. The Programme has over 90 alumni, and many prior Apprentices still perform regularly with the Monteverdi ensembles.

Summary of the Apprentice Year

The Programme offers participants the following combination of benefits:

• The opportunity to rehearse and perform as part of the Monteverdi ensembles (Monteverdi Choir, EBS, ORR) in all their UK rehearsals and performances in the course of a year

• The opportunity to take part in selected overseas tours with the Monteverdi ensembles, and, in the case of the Monteverdi Choir, with other major symphony orchestras

• Exposure to a wide and rich range of repertoire - from a cappella polyphony to oratorios, and from opera to the great symphonic works of Beethoven, Berlioz and Brahms, to name but a few

• Free, specialist tuition and coaching by distinguished practitioners in vocal/instrumental technique, interpretation, improvisation, languages and yoga

• Periods of dedicated tuition, coaching and mentoring

• Valuable individual mentoring from an experienced member of the Monteverdi ensembles

• The opportunity to experiment and explore in a supportive, professional environment

Monteverdi Apprentice Programme continues to have a deep impact upon the development of all these young musicians, past and present: extending their musical horizons and broadening their career aspirations. It is difficult to exaggerate the benefits the programme offers in terms of its varied opportunities, enabling the Apprentices to work closely with musicians of the highest calibre and under the direction of one of the world’s finest conductors and interpreters of classical music. While this pioneering initiative has been imitated and augmented by other European ensembles it remains pre-eminent in its field and is heavily oversubscribed.
By supporting the Monteverdi Choir & Orchestras, you are supporting our Apprentices.

“We live in a society that rewards fast success based on little talent or commitment, which is transient and a dangerous place to be. Do we want to promote instant success and instant failure, or do we want to promote self-esteem and hard work?” - Tamara Rojo (lead principal ballerina and artistic director of the English National Ballet).

2023/24 Monteverdi Apprentices:

Theano Papadaki (Soprano)
Billie Robson (Soprano)
Claire Ward (Soprano)
Lorna Price (Mezzo-Soprano)
Avalon Summerfield (Mezzo-soprano)
Matthias Dähling (Countertenor)
Jack Harberd (Tenor)
Joseph Taylor (Tenor)
Henry Saywell (Bass)
George Vines (Bass)

Our family of members, donors and benefactors help enable the ambitious, ground-breaking core artistic projects in which our Apprentices take part.

For general enquiries and to discuss how you can support the Monteverdi Apprentices Programme please contact Freya Firth-Robson:
tel: +44 (0)7534 171166 / [email protected]