FSO Fellowship Program — Fellowship

The FSO Fellowship Program is a one-year orchestral fellowship run by the Fairfax Symphony Orchestra, a professional orchestra founded in 1957 that performs across Northern Virginia and the wider Washington, DC area.

Fellows are violin, viola, cello and double bass players who are still in a performance degree or finished one within the last academic year. They rehearse and perform with the orchestra on a paid basis, work one-on-one with FSO musicians, and take part in education work at Title I schools (US public schools with a high share of low-income students).

The orchestra runs the program to widen who reaches a professional orchestral career, and directs it at musicians from backgrounds that remain underrepresented in symphony orchestras. A fellow who grows over the year may be invited back for a second one.

Benefits & funding

Paid rehearsals and performances with the Fairfax Symphony Orchestra through the season; the orchestra does not publish the rate.
One-on-one coaching and mentorship from FSO musicians.
Master classes with the season’s visiting guest soloists.
Mock auditions as preparation for professional orchestra audition rounds.
Education outreach work in Title I schools.
Chamber music and solo recital opportunities.
A possible invitation to continue for a second year, based on artistic growth.

Eligibility

Open to string players only: violin, viola, cello and double bass.
Applicants must be enrolled in an undergraduate, master’s, doctorate or artist diploma performance degree, or have graduated from one within the last academic year.
The orchestra directs the program at musicians from backgrounds historically underrepresented in symphony orchestras, and names African American, Hispanic/Latino, Native American, Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian or other U.S. Pacific Islander, and Indian American applicants among those it encourages to apply.
The fellowship application form states that applicants must be eligible for employment in the United States, and that the orchestra will not sponsor visas for fellows.
No age limit and no nationality rule are stated beyond that work-eligibility requirement.
Rehearsals, concerts and school visits happen in person in the Fairfax area.

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USA
Education required
Bachelor Enrolled · Bachelor · Master Enrolled · Master · PhD Enrolled · PhD

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Application process

1
Open the current season’s fellowship page on the orchestra’s site for that cycle’s dates and orchestral excerpt list.
2
Record three videos: a concerto excerpt of up to five minutes, one complete movement from a Bach solo work, and the listed orchestral excerpts.
3
Submit the online application form with contact details, instrument, school, grade level, the teacher’s name and email, a short biography, and links to the three videos.
4
Send a resume as a PDF to the address named on the form.
5
Wait for the preliminary result; shortlisted players are invited to a live final audition.
6
Selected fellows join the orchestra for the coming season.

Program timeline

Application deadline for the 2026/27 cycle, 11:59pm.
Aug 30, 2026
Live final auditions for shortlisted applicants.
Sep 9, 2026
The fellowship year with the orchestra.
2026/27 season
The next cycle’s page and application open.
Summer 2027 (expected)