About the New World Symphony

The New World Symphony, America’s Orchestral Academy (NWS), prepares graduates of music programs for leadership roles in professional orchestras and ensembles. Since its co-founding in 1987 by Artistic Director Laureate Michael Tilson Thomas and Lin and Ted Arison, NWS has helped launch the careers of more than 1,150 alumni worldwide. In fall 2022 Stephane Deneve was named Artistic Director of New World Symphony.

A laboratory for the way music is taught, presented and experienced, the New World Symphony consists of young musicians who are granted fellowships lasting up to three years. The fellowship program offers in-depth exposure to traditional and modern repertoire, professional development training and personalized experiences working with leading guest conductors, soloists and visiting faculty. Relationships with these artists are extended through NWS’s extensive distance learning via the internet.

NWS Fellows take advantage of the innovative performance facilities and state-of-the art practice and ensemble rooms of the Frank Gehry-designed New World Center, the campus of the New World Symphony and home of the Knight New Media Center.

In the hopes of joining NWS, more than 1,500 recent music school and conservatory graduates compete for about 35 available fellowships each year. The Fellows are selected for this highly competitive, prestigious opportunity based on their musical achievement and promise, as well as their passion for the future of classical music.

MISSION

The mission of the New World Symphony is to prepare graduates of music programs for leadership roles in orchestras and ensembles around the world.

VISION

The New World Symphony envisions a strong and secure future for classical music and will redefine, reaffirm, express and share its traditions with as many people as possible. Diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging are high priorities for the New World Symphony. It is critical in the preparation of the Fellows for leadership roles in orchestras and ensembles, and an essential part of the future for classical music.

STATEMENT OF INCLUSIVENESS

The New World Symphony is committed to building an inclusive organization so that people of all races, ethnicities, nationalities, sexual orientations, gender identities and expressions, abilities, religions, and backgrounds are welcomed and respected within our fellowship, board of trustees, staff, and volunteer groups; and that all are provided with the opportunity and resources to thrive. We pledge that our educational and artistic programming, presentations, community collaborations, and communications will reflect our commitment to equity, diversity, inclusion, and belonging.

STATEMENT OF PURPOSE

The New World Symphony is dedicated to the artistic, personal and professional development of outstanding instrumentalists. The NWS fellowship program provides graduates of music programs the opportunity to enhance their musical education with the finest professional training. A laboratory for musical education and expression, the New World Symphony, through a wide range of performance and instructional activities, seeks to develop in its participants the full complement of skills and qualifications required of 21st-century first-class musicians. Under the artistic direction of Michael Tilson Thomas, the program offers in-depth exposure to traditional and modern repertoire, with the active involvement of leading guest conductors, soloists and visiting faculty. The relationships with these artists are extended through NWS’s pioneering experimentation with distance learning and performance.

CULTURE

The New World Symphony is committed to maintaining an educational, working, and living environment founded on civility and mutual respect.  We have a philosophy of continuous improvement and are committed to strengthening this environment for the benefit of our Fellows, employees, and entire community.

NWS is firmly committed to the highest standards of ethics, integrity, and professionalism, as well as to the strictest compliance with these standards. Our leadership strives to create a safe educational and work environment based on a culture of respect and where harassment is not tolerated.

See below for more information about NWS standards and policies.