Supporting the Future of Classical Music
New Horizons is the English Chamber Orchestra’s flagship talent development programme, part of our award-winning Close Encounters initiative. Launching formally in Autumn 2027, New Horizons will identify exceptional emerging musicians and composers and support them through a sustained two-year pathway from education into professional life.
Unlike a traditional competition or one-off masterclass, the programme is designed around longer-term artistic development. Participants will work directly with the English Chamber Orchestra through mentoring, professional rehearsals, workshops, performances, commissions and career development; gaining the experience, confidence and professional connections needed to establish successful careers.
The New Horizons programme is comprised of three key parts and at it’s heart is our Artistic Leadership Scheme. Participants will learn what it means to direct an ensemble; shaping interpretation, inspire fellow musicians and develop the confidence to convey their artistic vision.
To select our two artists who will participate in the Artistic Leadership Scheme, each year we will hold an annual instrumental competition.
Through a series of auditions and a final; one string instrumentalist and one wind, brass or percussion instrumentalist will be selected each year to enter the programme.
The competition aims to give opportunities for our members to engage with the future of the industry, give advice, support and nurture potential talent. Whilst the winners will be the primary recipients of our support, we will also create a process of continued engagement with other finalists and participants.
The Composition Competition will offer an aspiring composer the opportunity to work closely with the ECO to develop their ideas into a new orchestral work. Through workshops, rehearsals and collaboration with our musicians, the composer will be supported throughout the creative process, from initial concept to performance.
The programme will culminate in the New Horizons Finale Concert, celebrating the talent developed across the scheme. The instrumental winners will first perform as members of the ECO before stepping forward as featured concerto soloists, alongside the world premiere of the composer’s newly commissioned work.
For emerging musicians, the distance between conservatoire and a sustainable professional career can be significant.
Young artists need opportunities to rehearse and perform at a professional level, learn from experienced musicians, develop networks and understand how to build a career.
New Horizons creates that bridge.
By bringing emerging artists into the working life of the English Chamber Orchestra, we can give exceptional talent something equally valuable: opportunity, experience and time to develop.
For the English Chamber Orchestra, New Horizons is an investment in the future of the profession.
As well as performing at the highest level, we believe an orchestra can play an active role in developing what comes next.
By bringing young musicians and composers into the working life of the ECO, New Horizons enables knowledge, experience and artistic tradition to be passed from one generation to the next.
Supporting New Horizons means investing directly in the next generation of musicians, composers and artistic leaders.
Individual supporters will be brought closer to the artistic journey through opportunities including open rehearsals, artist receptions, programme recognition and insider updates following participants’ progress and career development.
Your support can help turn exceptional potential into a professional future.
