ENO Evolve launched in 2008 to give final-year students from the Royal College of Music the opportunity to work closely with the ENO Orchestra. Led by ENO's Music Director, Edward Gardner, it is the only scheme in the UK to provide students with the experience of working with a dedicated full-time opera orchestra and offers them an invaluable insight into life as a professional musician.
 
Each year 15 students join the orchestra for two to three stage productions. During this time, the students shadow the orchestra through all offstage rehearsals, including the Sitzprobe – the first rehearsal at which the singers join the orchestra and questions of balance and musical blend are addressed. When rehearsals move onstage at the London Coliseum, students are invited to attend and observe final preparations before the dress rehearsal. In the 2008/09 Season students worked on Boris Godunov and Peter Grimes, while in the current season they are involved in Turandot, Duke Bluebeard’s Castle, The Rite of Spring and Tosca. A number of students from last season have been invited back to work with the Orchestra on particular projects or productions.
 
ENO seeks to create the most supportive possible environment and all students are offered individual lessons and masterclasses, as well as being assigned a personal player mentor.

ENO Evolve is generously supported by the Andor Charitable Trust, The Angus Allnatt Charitable Foundation, The Chapman Charitable Trust, The Fenton Arts Trust and Sir Siegmund Warburg’s Voluntary Settlement.

For further information on how you can get involved in supporting this programme or other areas of ENO’s work please click here