Coming of age: LPO Foyle Future Firsts

In many ways, our teenage years can be our most musically enriched. There are orchestras, chamber ensembles and choirs for us to throw ourselves into. When we enter higher education, those opportunities become greater still, thanks to a wealth of university societies or music conservatoire training on offer. But what happens after that when we free fall into the world of work? Many find themselves at sea, unsure of where to start with carving out a portfolio career as a musician. Performance opportunities become harder to come by and the realities of the cost of music lessons suddenly much starker.

This is why the London Philharmonic Orchestra (LPO) founded its Foyle Future Firsts annual development programme 18 years ago. For musicians sitting in that strange liminal space between higher education and the world of work, the scheme offers an opportunity to equip individuals with the tools they need to thrive as they embark on an orchestral career.