Opera North
Our Professional Experience Scheme with the Orchestra of Opera North is designed to give woodwind, brass and percussion students first-hand experience as an orchestral musician in professional opera productions.
The scheme involves professional coaching from Opera North players and prepares students for real-world scenarios through a series of practical sessions, including auditions, side-side-side workshops, rehearsals and performances.
All students who apply are given an audition in the Autumn term in front of a panel of Orchestra of Opera North musicians. Successful applicants are then selected to participate in a side-by-side workshop with the full forces of the Orchestra’s relevant section, plus Opera North conductor and repetiteur. This provides an opportunity to look at a wide range of operatic repertoire, and to gain immediate invaluable feedback and guidance from professional players.
Following this, a small number of selected students in each section are invited to join the Orchestra of Opera North, rehearsing in and observing rehearsals of a production at the Leeds Grand Theatre. This provides a different experience to playing with only the orchestra sections (along with the added element of being in the pit) and means that students can adapt and improve as they play with the orchestra on multiple occasions. Students who progress sufficiently in these rehearsals may then be invited to take the seat of a player and perform in an Opera North performance.
Each year, a number of those who complete the scheme are often added to the Opera North extras list, who then go on to be offered professional work with the Orchestra.
