Applications for RPS Conductors have now closed, but guidelines remain here for reference. 

In 2016, the Royal Philharmonic Society joined forces with trailblazing conductor Alice Farnham in her mission to address gender inequality, coaching women to further their skills, confidence and aspiration as conductors. Since then, our RPS Women Conductors programme has empowered over 500 individuals, with a significant number proceeding to fruitful conducting careers. Our positive action has been key in changing national perceptions around who gets to conduct, and many more women are being recognised in this field than when we started.

This issue is far from resolved: in January 2025, still 86% of conductors represented by UK artist managers were male, and 87% of titled conducting roles at UK orchestras were held by men. Addressing this remains a priority, and the opportunities we present remain primarily for women, trans and non-binary conductors. Nonetheless, under the new name RPS Conductors, we are pleased to welcome applications from any conductors at a sufficiently high level who can articulate how such experience has not yet been afforded them and why it would duly be transformative to their prospects. Read on to discover more about the experience and whether you are eligible to apply.

If you may like this information in a different format for accessibility reasons, please call us on 020 7287 0019 or email RPS Administrator Emily Porter at admin@philharmonicsociety.uk, and we will do our best to help.

What is the opportunity?

This is a chance for a cohort of exceptionally promising conductors (as detailed below) to spend quality rehearsal time with Royal Northern Sinfonia, one of the UK’s foremost professional orchestras, and reflect together on the principles of fruitful interaction between conductors and orchestras. Twice yearly, some of the cohort (usually four individuals) will gather with the orchestra at its base, The Glasshouse International Centre for Music in Gateshead, for two days, in February 2026 and June 2026, then likely January/February 2027 and May/June 2027.

On each visit, participants will spend quality time conducting the orchestra, with coaching from Alice Farnham. They will spend time reflecting on progress with players, sharing feedback and ideas in a positive and encouraging environment. Between visits, the cohort will have some contact time – usually on Zoom – with Alice and with select RNS players, and residual career support from RPS and RNS staff. The experience is free for participants, and the RPS will cover standard travel in the UK and Ireland and two nights of accommodation in Gateshead for each trip.

You can read more about the experience and participants to date here. Presented with Royal Northern Sinfonia since 2022, it has proven highly rewarding for all involved. Recent participants include Charlotte Corderoy who has consequently made her debuts with the ENO and CBSO; Helen Harrison who has since conducted the BBC Concert Orchestra for broadcast on BBC Radio 3; and Tess Jackson who proceeded to conduct the National Youth Orchestra at the BBC Proms. Several conductors already involved will stay on for further sessions, whilst others previously involved will move on to other professional opportunities. We therefore expect to recruit 3 to 4 conductors to join the cohort, and – availability permitting – they will all likely have the opportunity to visit Gateshead twice.

Who can apply?

This is our highest-level experience, for conductors based in the UK and Ireland, each already managing to amass professional orchestral conducting work and make this their primary vocation. Strictly, you should have completed any formal studies, though we are willing to consider exceptional postgraduates and junior fellows already undertaking professional engagements. Please do not devote the time to producing an application if you are not at this high level: we will be advertising other RPS Conductors courses at different vocational levels later this year, set to take place in 2026. These will be more suited to those at earlier stages in their conducting career, or for whom conducting is one element of their musical life they would like to strengthen. If this sounds like you, please wait for those opportunities to be advertised.

As noted, this programme exists to address imbalance in the conducting profession. As we continue to address stark gender inequality in this field, the opportunity is principally for women, trans and non-binary conductors. Nonetheless, we are pleased to welcome applications from conductors of any gender at a sufficiently high level who can strongly express in their application how – through their lived experience, background or personal characteristics – they have encountered barriers to progress or limited access to an experience like this, and why it would therefore be transformative to their prospects.

How to apply

For details on how to apply, please read the application guidelines linked here. These provide a step-by-step guide to the process and should address any questions you may have. We encourage you to read them in full before completing our online application form linked below.

Having read the guidelines, if you have further questions, please get in touch. In the first instance please contact Emily Porter, RPS Administrator, by email at admin@philharmonicsociety.uk or phone on 020 7287 0019.

Applications open on the RPS website on Tuesday 24 June 2025 and the closing date is 11am on Monday 1 September 2025. If for access reasons or exceptional personal circumstances, you may not be able to submit an application by the closing date, please be in touch to discuss the possibility of a short extension to make your submission: in the first instance please contact Emily Porter, RPS Administrator, as detailed above.

Next steps

Applications will be reviewed by Alice Farnham and RPS / RNS management. We aim to notify all applicants of outcomes for each opportunity by the end of October 2025. You can read about consequent steps for successful candidates following this in our application guidelines.