Orchestra Academy

Academy

Top orchestras brought to life by top musicians!

The Gürzenich Orchestra’s Orchestra Academy fosters young orchestral players and considers itself an international finishing school for talented instrumentalists who prepare here for a professional career after or toward the end of their studies.

Up to 15 exceptional young talents have the chance to experience the daily working life of a leading German symphony and opera orchestra for two years – an ideal transition from studies at a music academy to the musician’s profession.

Members of the Gürzenich Orchestra serve as mentors to the Academy members as they receive their training in daily orchestral life.

The Academy’s training programme includes rehearsals, concerts and opera performances (up to 15 services per month) as well as recordings and tours, regular instrumental and chamber music lessons, workshops and coachings focusing on performance anxiety and improvement of stage presence, audition training, chamber music concerts and masterclasses with soloists of the season.

The training programme runs for two years.

German language proficiency on the A2 or B1 level is required.

The conditions include a monthly salary of €1.100 gross from the Gürzenich Orchestra, plus €200 monthly stipend and an annual lump sum for reeds and strings from the Orchestra Academy association.

During the training period, members’ instruments are insured by the Gürzenich Orchestra.

Contact:

Orchesterakademie 
des Gürzenich-Orchester Köln e.V.

Daniel Raabe, chairman
E-Mail

Scholarship holders & graduates

Sara Molina Castellote – Violin

Wan-Jo Lin – Violin

  • Alumni Violin

      • Sophia Riedel (2016 -18)
      • Ayça Akünal (2016 -18)  | 2. Violine Presidential Orchestar Ankara
      • Hsin-Yun Wu (2018 - 20)
      • Hye - Bin Kim (2018 - 20) | 2. Violine Bochumer Sinfoniker
      • Eryu Feng (2018 - 20) | 1. Violine Duisburger Sinfoniker
      • Jeffrey Kok (2020 - 21) | 2. Violine Bergische Sinfoniker
      • Ayane Okabe (2020 - 2022) | 2. Violine Gürzenich-Orchester Köln
      • Marina Hermida Rodriguez (2021 - 2022) | 2. Violine Gürzenich-Orchester Köln

       

  • Alumni Viola

      • Clara Zschocke (2016 - 18) | Viola Tiroler Sinfonieorchester Innsbruck
      • Anthony de Battista (2018 - 20)
      • Rica Schultes (2021 - 2023) | Viola Gürzenich-Orchester Köln

  • Alumni Violoncello

      • Francesca Fiore (2016 - 18) | Tutti-Cello im Orchestra Sinfonica Nazionale della Rai Torino
      • Ah - Yeon Nam (2018 - 20)
      • Emil Riedel (2019 - 21)
      • Maialen Eguiazabal Arruabarrena (2021 - 2022) | Tutti-Cello im Gürzenich-Orchester Köln

Zhilong Liu – Double bass

Fedor Kalashnov – Flute

  • Alumni Contrabass

      • Adam Davis (2018 - 20)
      • Daniel López Giménez (2020 - 21) | Tutti-Kontrabass im Gürzenich-Orchester Köln

  • Alumni Flute

      • Pipilota Neostus (2018 - 20) | Deputy solo flute with the Düsseldorfer Symphoniker
      • Antonia Heyne (2020 - 22) Solo Piccolo Orchestra Staatstheater Kassel
      • Yi-Ju Lin (2021 - 2022)

Margarida Martins – Oboe

Jaume Cerdà-Marti – Clarinet

  • Alumni Oboe

      • Jesús Montalvo Horcajada (2016 - 18)
      • Fernando José Martinez Zavala (2018 - 19) | Associate Principal Oboe Düsseldorfer Sinfoniker
      • Ane Lore Ugarte (2019 - 21) | Principal Cor Anglais Düsseldorfer Sinfoniker
      • Luca di Manso (2021 - 22) |  Principal Oboe Teatro del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino Florence
      • Rees Webster

  • Alumni Clarinet

      • Hyunsang Yoon (2016 - 18)
      • Bálint Gyimesi (2019 - 21) | stellv. Soloklarinette philharmonisches Staatsorchester Mainz
      • Nikolai Gast (2021 - 2023)

Pauline Trottin – Bassoon

Selma Louise Ringdal – Horn

  • Alumni Bassoon

      • Felix Parlasca (2016 - 18) | Stv. Solo-Fagott beim WDR Funkhausorchester
      • Ignacio Munoz Francés (2019 - 21)
      • Victor König (2023 - 2023)

  • Alumni Horn

      • Stefano Cardiello (2019 - 21)
      • Ku Hsin Chen (2021 - 2023)

David Aguilar Troyano – Trumpet

Leonard Kutsch – Trombone

  • Alumni Trombone

      • Julius Joachim (2019 - 2020) | Solo Posaune Mannheimer Sinfoniker
      • Jan Hormann (2020 - 2022) | Solo Posaune Staatsorchester Stuttgart
      •  Han Yuan Chen (2022 - 2023)

Johannes Berner – Percussion

Jernej Misic – Harp

  • Alumni Harp

      • Anneleen Schuitemaker (2018 - 20) | Harfe Concertgebouw Orkest
      • Daniel Noll (2019 - 21)
      • Swantje Wittenhagen (2021 - 2023)

  • Alumni Percussion

      • Markus Knoben (2016 - 18) | Solo timpani Beethoven Orchestra Bonn
      • Josef Treutlein (2018 - 20) 
      • Uwe Mattes (2020 - 22) | Solo percussion Gürzenich Orchestra Cologne
      • Max Raum (2022) | Magdeburg Philharmonic Orchestra
      • Kontantin Thiersch (2022 - 2023) | Solo percussion Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin

Application

Requirements

- age limit: 27 years at the beginning of the academy
- proof of instrument insurance
- certificate of enrollment

Auditions only on invitation

See vacancies

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