Applications are currently being accepted for the Andrew and Amy Vaughan Student Symphonic Fellowship. West Virginia instrumental music students in grade 9-12 are encouraged to apply through the West Virginia Symphony Orchestra (WVSO) by Friday, Nov. 21. The program focuses on developing and encouraging West Virginia high school students who are interested in pursuing a career as professional musicians, educators, composers or conductors. This monitored and time-intensive training program for serious music students remains a unique program among orchestras throughout North America. Selected fellows will sit alongside WVSO musicians in rehearsals for the second half of the symphonic series concert season and will conduct personal research about the music being performed. In addition, fellows will meet and interact with the musicians, guest artists and Maestro Grant Cooper. Other fellowship activities will be tailored to the winning candidates based on their interests and ability. The program takes place primarily outside school hours. Candidates should be serious instrumental music students who play a primary instrument that is part of a modern symphony orchestra including harp, violin, viola, cello, bass, flute, clarinet, oboe, bassoon, saxophone, trumpet, horn, trombone, tuba, pitched and unpitched percussion, and piano. Finalists will be invited to advance from the application round to the two-part interview/audition round in December. Music performed for the audition portion would ideally be one or more movements from the standard concerto repertoire for orchestra. Pianists are encouraged to perform a sonata movement from the standard piano repertoire. Applications were mailed to all WV public and private high schools in mid-October and are also available at wvsymphony.org/Education/Fellowships. The program is underwritten for the 12th consecutive year by a generous donation from Dr. Andrew and Amy Vaughan. Celebrating its 76th year, the West Virginia Symphony Orchestra is West Virginia’s premier performing arts organization, presenting more than 50 concerts annually to audiences throughout the Mountain State. Programs include Capitol Conference Center Symphonic Series, ZMM Architects & Engineers Pops Series and City National Bank Family Discovery Series, performances by the Montclaire String Quartet, collaborations with the Charleston Ballet and other WV Arts Organizations, and a nationally award-winning education program. Though the WVSO performs around the state, the Symphony’s home is the world-class Maier Foundation Performance Hall at the Clay Center for the Arts and Sciences in Charleston.
