The LSO Conservatoire Scholarship, created in partnership with renowned philanthropists and music-lovers Alex and Elena Gerko, is a programme for exceptional musicians facing financial barriers, to support their postgraduate study at the world’s leading conservatoires.
The sizeable grants of up to £16,000 per academic year contribute to living and maintenance costs and allow recipients to focus fully on their studies at a critical stage in their education.
Scholars also receive mentorship from LSO musicians. Mentoring is tailored to the needs of each student and includes lessons, career advice and orchestral rehearsal invitations, as well as public performance opportunities.
The Scholarship is open to postgraduate instrumentalists of any age or nationality, who meet the following eligibility criteria:
- have an overall family income of less than £58,500 per annum;
- have been awarded a scholarship place for a postgraduate course at one of the leading ten conservatoires in the world as per QS World University Rankings 2025[1], focused on classical study of an orchestral instrument;
- have previously studied at undergraduate level at a UK conservatoire or university.
The deadline for applications is midday on Tuesday 10 March 2026.
Ten successful applicants will be selected after auditions in summer 2026, and announced ahead of the 2026/7 academic year.
To find out more and to apply online visit lso.co.uk/scholarships
The LSO Conservatoire Scholarship is part of the Emerging Artists strand of LSO Discovery, the LSO’s learning and community programme, which provides a wide range of inspiring and inclusive opportunities for performers, creators and participants from all backgrounds.
[1] Eligible conservatoires are:
Royal College of Music, UK; Royal Academy of Music, UK; Conservatoire national supérieur de musique et de danse de Paris, France; Guildhall School of Music & Drama, UK; Universität für Musik und darstellende Kunst Wien, Austria; Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, UK; New York University, USA; The Juilliard School, USA; The Royal Danish Academy of Music, Denmark; Royal Northern College of Music, UK
