Orchestral Fellowship

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About • Apply + Audition • 2024 Repertoire • Faculty • Fees

About

Orchestral Fellowships at NOI+F provide a month of intensive rehearsals, intimate masterclasses, insightful seminars and electrifying performances as part of the Grammy-nominated NOI Philharmonic. Participants work closely with faculty drawn from leading North American symphony orchestras and conservatories. Conductors, rotating on a weekly basis, are visionaries on the podium and offer many decades of orchestral wisdom and leadership. NOI+F orchestral fellows are also active in our community engaging with new audiences and performing in non-traditional venues. Combining the demands of chamber music with the precision of large scale symphonic repertoire, orchestral fellows participate in NOI+F's Conductorless Orchestra. This special artistic exploration (nationally-unique to NOI+F) allows students to craft their own interpretation of a symphonic piece.

  • All NOI+F Orchestral Fellowship recipients receive a full scholarship for their tuition to the festival.

  • Application and room and board fees are the responsibility of each fellow.

  • Age: All who are 18 or older by May 29, 2024 may apply. The typical age range for NOI+F is 18 - 30. 

NEW in 2024

  • Performance of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony at the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C.

  • Partnership with the Smithsonian Historic Instruments Collection gives two quartets the opportunity to rehearse and perform Haydn quartets on Stradivari and Amadi instruments.

  • Full orchestra tour to the Ravinia Festival outside of Chicago.

Key Dates

  • 2024 Festival Dates: Wednesday, May 29 - Thursday, July 11, 2024 

  • Application opens: November 1, 2023

  • Applications due: February 6, 2024 11:59PM ET

  • Admission decisions: March 1, 2024

  

Apply + Audition

2024 Audition Requirements are as follows:

All auditions for NOI+F 2024 will be by recorded video audition. 

  • All solos and excerpts recorded in ONE CONTINUOUS TAKE in order listed on the repertoire sheet. No cuts, interruptions, or edits (see special requirements for percussion applicants below).

  • DO NOT submit multiple files containing separate excerpts.

  • File-types supported: MPEG, MPG, MP4, OGG, MOV, AVI, WMV

  • Special Requirements for Percussion Applicants:

    • Percussion video auditions must contain all of the audition repertoire submitted as two separate files.

    • File 1: a continuous recording showing all timpani requirements

    • File 2: a continuous recording showing all percussion requirements—all pieces should be played without accompaniment.

  • Please note: Seating during the festival will be based on your video entrance audition. There are no separate seating auditions beyond your audition video. 

Audition Repertoire:

Click Here to Apply! 
 
 
 

 

2024 Repertoire

  • Repertoire highlights include:
    • Abels: Outburst
    • Akiho: Pillar IV
    • Bartok: Concerto for Orchestra
    • Beethoven: Symphony no. 9
    • Clyne: Restless Oceans
    • Debussy: La mer
    • Haydn: Symphony no. 88
    • Higdon: blue cathedral
    • Mahler: Symphony no. 1
    • Ortiz: Antrópolis
    • Piazzolla: The Four Seasons of Buenos Aires
    • Rachmaninoff: Symphony no. 2
    • Ravel: Le Tombeau de Couperin

Learn more about 2024 repertoire by visiting our Conductors + Repertoire page.

Faculty

Learn more about 2024 faculty by visiting our Faculty page.

Our faculty are drawn from leading North American symphony orchestras and conservatories.This year at NOI+F, in an inaugural partnership, members of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra will perform in the orchestra alongside fellows for the final week of the festival! 

   

Fees

How much does it cost?

All NOI+F participants receive a significant scholarship to cover their tuition. Each year over 50% of accepted students receive additional merit scholarships and need based financial aid to be applied towards program fee and housing costs. 

Anticipated Fees

Tuition: $0

  • All members receive a significant scholarship valued at over $4,000 to attend the National Orchestral Institute + Festival

Application Fees:

  • 2024 Application Fees:

  • $50 - Before December 15, 2023

  • $70 - December 15, 2023 and later

  • University of Maryland students apply with no fee! Email noi@umd.edu to for further instructions

  • BIPOC students can apply to NOI+F for free through the Equity Arc Common App. Learn more HERE. 

  • All application fees are non-refundable

Program Fee: $525

  • Due at the time of your acceptance into the program

  • The program fee is non-refundable and not applicable toward other program costs

Scholarship & Financial Aid: 

  • All applicants are considered for merit based scholarship based on video auditions.

  • Additional need based financial aid is available. Please fill out the financial aid form in your application to be considered for need based financial aid.

  • Each year over 50% of accepted students receive additional merit scholarships and need based financial aid to be applied towards program fee and on-campus housing costs (housing scholarships can only be applied to NOI+F arranged on-campus housing).. 

Housing: 

There are two options for housing at NOI+F. Fellows are welcome to purchase on- campus housing through NOI+F, or to arrange their own accommodations for their time at the festival. 

Option 1: On Campus Housing (arranged through NOI+F, meals not included)

  • Double Room (Apartment with kitchen): $1684.00

  • Single Room (Apartment with kitchen, limited availability): $2520.00

  • Estimated housing costs for 2024. Subject to change.

All rooms are located on the University of Maryland campus in an air-conditioned apartment.

You will select your housing options upon acceptance into the program. Housing fees are due on or before check-in to the program. (Housing fees are subject to change.)

NOI+F Housing scholarships may only be applied to "arranged through NOI+F Housing". Not to arrange on your own housing. 

Option 2: Off Campus Housing (arranged on your own)

  • Fellows may arrange their own local housing if desired. 

  • Sublets for the duration of NOI+F near the University of Maryland campus can be found through a variety of websites. A list of resources will be provided to all fellows upon acceptance. 

  • Other housing options may be available through UMD Greek Life Housing.

Board:

NOI does not provide a meal plan for participants due to the large number of eating establishments located on the University of Maryland campus and surrounding area. On campus housing apartments have a full kitchen in each apartment that is stocked with basic kitchen items.

Parking:

Participants that wish to park their car on the University of Maryland campus will be required to purchase a parking permit from the University. Campus parking fees are set by the University’s Department of Transportation and are not under the purview of NOI+F. Discounted satellite parking options will be made available closer to the festival. More information will be made available regarding the cost and specific parking locations upon acceptance.

Internet:

Wireless internet access is available to participants throughout the UMD campus for a nominal fee. Free internet is available to Eduroam members. (Check to see if your current college/university participates in Eduroam)

 

Questions + Additional Information

If you have additional questions or would like additional information, contact us at noi@umd.edu or 301.405.2317.

NOI+F is subject to University of Maryland COVID-19 guidelines. At this time, UMD does not require proof of COVID-19 vaccination. However, COVID-19 vaccines are strongly recommended. We encourage fellows, faculty and staff to assess their personal COVID-19 health risk and take appropriate measures. Additional information can be found here: https://umd.edu/4Maryland