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LPO Conducting Fellowship
Launched in 2023, our flagship LPO Conducting Fellowship seeks to support the development of the world-class conductors of the future, through offering an intensive opportunity to work closely with the Orchestra over a period of 6-8 (non-consecutive) weeks each season, to up to two outstanding early-career conductors from backgrounds currently under-represented in conductors of professional, world-class orchestras.
We believe that talent is indiscriminate, yet people from certain backgrounds and communities continue to be under-represented in the orchestral sector. The LPO Conducting Fellowship aims to promote diversity and inclusivity in classical music as a whole, to lead eventually to a sector that is more reflective of the wider population. We invite applications from conductors from historically under-represented communities in terms of gender identity, race, socio-economic backgrounds, neurodiversity, Disability or other under-represented group. Providing artistic and professional development experiences at the highest level of excellence to early-career conductors from under-represented backgrounds is an important goal of the programme.
We are delighted to work with our Fellow Conductors for the 2025/26 season: Nefeli Chadouli and Wilson Ng.
What’s included in the Fellowship?
Guided by the LPO’s Principal Conductor, Edward Gardner, Fellow Conductors become fully immersed in the life of the Orchestra, getting to know players, artists and staff, developing skills and knowledge, and broadening their professional network. The LPO prides itself as being a welcoming and supportive orchestra and sets out to ensure Fellow Conductors become fully embedded in the LPO community. They are invited to attend rehearsals and concerts conducted by the Principal Conductor and other conductors, and are also offered conducting opportunities with the LPO and its Rising Talent ensembles.
The LPO Conducting Fellowship includes:
- Opportunities to conduct the Orchestra in regional and offsite performances, in educational programmes, and ensembles of its Rising Talent programmes
- Assisting opportunities and mentorship sessions with Edward Gardner
- Full immersion into the life of the Orchestra during the period of the Fellowship, with the aim of forming the basis of a longer-term professional relationship
In addition, and considering the individual needs of Fellow Conductors, the Fellowship may also include:
- Assisting opportunities and 1-1 sessions with other LPO titled and guest conductors
- Feedback from LPO musicians
- Meetings with the LPO’s Resident and featured composers
- Professional development opportunities through sessions with LPO personnel, visiting artists and access to the LPO’s wide network of industry professionals
- Opportunities to participate in wider LPO promotional activity such as pre-concert talks and social media activity
- Additional tailored support around navigating the barriers specific to the Fellow Conductors
Fees will be paid at the LPO prevailing rates for early-career conductors.
Who can apply?
The LPO is committed to advancing equality and inclusive practice in all areas: recruitment, artistic programme, and working environment. The Conducting Fellowship is open to applicants from backgrounds currently under-represented in conductors of professional, world-class orchestras. We are not presenting a fixed set of criteria, and instead ask applicants to self-identify their eligibility in this area. Eligible criteria may include, but are not limited to, under-represented gender, racial, ethnic or socio-economic backgrounds, and may also include neurodiversity and Disability.
Applicants must be able to demonstrate extensive background and training in orchestral conducting, and be able to demonstrate ability in developing and conducting programmes, excellent musicianship and communication skills.
Applicants must be over 18 and not in full-time undergraduate education. UK-based conductors are strongly encouraged to apply and will be prioritised.
When and how to apply
Applications for 2026/27 are now open! Applicants should download and read the ‘Information for Applicants’ document below before applying. Apply online now. Applications close at 9.00am (UK time) on Monday 20 October 2025.
Read our Information for Applicants before you apply:
LPO Fellow Conductors 2025/26: Wilson Ng and Nefeli Chadouli
Meet our 2025/26 Fellow Conductors
Greek conductor Nefeli Chadouli is a Fellow Conductor of the London Philharmonic Orchestra for 2025/26 and an Associate Fellow of the Taki Alsop Conducting Fellowship for 2024–26. Since 2023, she has served as Conductor of the Babylon Orchester Berlin, an ensemble specializing in accompanying silent films, and in 2024 she was appointed Music Director of the Berlin-Brandenburgisches Sinfonieorchester.
Last season she made her debut with the Philharmonia Orchestra in London, conducting Gustav Mahler’s Symphony No. 2. She has also led renowned ensembles including the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Chicago Philharmonic, Staatsorchester Braunschweig, Luzerner Sinfonieorchester, Brandenburger Symphoniker, Südwestdeutsche Philharmonie Konstanz, the Leipziger Symphonieorchester, Sächsische Bläserphilharmonie and the City Symphony Orchestras of Thessaloniki and Athens.
Chadouli has gained valuable experience as an assistant conductor with major institutions such as the Berliner Philharmoniker, the ORF Radio-Symphonieorchester Wien, and the Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France. She has worked under the guidance of leading mentors including Marin Alsop, Steven Sloane, and Matthias Foremny in both symphonic and operatic repertoire, and has participated in masterclasses with Johannes Schlaefli, Michael Sanderling, and Vittorio Parisi among others.
Born in Athens, she began her musical training in piano and violin. She earned her piano diploma with highest honors, receiving the Grand Prix and the “Krino Kalomoiri Prize” from the National Conservatory of Greece. She holds a master’s degree in Musicology from the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens and a bachelor’s degree in Conducting from the University of Music and Theatre “Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy” Leipzig. In 2024, she completed her master’s degree in Conducting at the Berlin University of the Arts.
Newly named Fellow Conductor of the London Philharmonic Orchestra and recipient of the Edo de Waart Assistant Conductorship with the Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra, Wilson Ng is a talented communicator, dedicated to finding creative ways to engage with current and future audiences. Highlights in the 2025–26 season include debuts at London’s Royal Festival Hall, Amsterdam’s Royal Concertgebouw, a tour with the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields featuring Yunchan Lim, and debut with Orchestre Philharmonique de Strasbourg.
Born in Hong Kong and educated in Europe from a young age, Wilson is a prizewinner at the Mahler Competition, Solti Competition, and Svetlanov Competition. He was also the youngest-ever Associate Conductor of the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra.
Principal Guest Conductor of the Hankyung Arte Philharmonic since 2023, Wilson is a regular guest with major Korean ensembles, including the KBS Symphony and the Korean National Symphony. A frequent guest conductor with the Hong Kong Philharmonic, he has led subscription concerts and the city’s largest outdoor musical event, Symphony Under the Stars.
Other recent highlights include performances with the Netherlands Radio Philharmonic, Orchestre de chambre de Lausanne, Sapporo Symphony, Qatar Philharmonic, Presidential Symphony Orchestra of Turkey, China NCPA Orchestra, and Orchestre National du Capitole de Toulouse, with whom he recorded alongside mandolinist Julien Martineau under the French label Naïve. He has collaborated with Viktoria Mullova, Sumi Jo, Víkingur Ólafsson, Bruce Liu, Esther Yoo and Yunchan Lim.
Although deeply familiar with the traditional Western canon, Wilson is a passionate champion of Asian composers. In 2025, he founded the Asian Modern Symphony Orchestra, uniting leading Asian musicians to celebrate masterpieces by composers of the region. He is frequently invited to conduct the opening and closing concerts of the Beijing Modern Music Festival and the Thailand International Composition Festival.
What our alumni say
Working with such high-level musicians is a rare and precious experience for a young conductor. The orchestra followed my direction and listened to my ideas in rehearsals, but at the same time, I learned so much from observing and responding to them. It was truly a two-way exchange.
LPO Fellow Conductor 2024/25
Becoming a conductor is a mysterious path, and opportunities for early career conductors are incredibly rare. The LPO has received me with open arms and everybody has made this experience the best it could have been. It has been an absolute pleasure and a life-changing opportunity.
LPO Fellow Conductor 2023/24
Contact us
If you have any queries about the LPO Conducting Fellowship, please get in touch.
Alison Jones
[email protected]
020 7840 4213