The fellowship programme that prepares young musicians for life as a professional in classical music

What marks the transition from being a talented amateur orchestral musician to being a full-fledged professional? Getting paid? Attaining some form of qualification or higher education?

The Selangor Symphony Orchestra recognises that this transition is far more nuanced. In a career where being able to effectively collaborate and become a cohesive part of something bigger than any one individual, a variety of soft skills that cannot be taught academically are required from the get go. 

As a part of their broader educational pipeline for classical musicians, the Selangor Symphony Orchestra launched their SSO Fellowship programme in 2024. This fellowship serves as a bridge between the youth orchestra experience and the standards of professional orchestras. A first of its kind in Malaysia, this programme is a structured pathway for talented and committed young musicians to gain real professional orchestral experience while still receiving mentorship and guidance throughout the process. 

"Being part of the SSO Fellowship has been an eye-opening experience - I've learned so much about professional rehearsal standards, teamwork, and musical expression. It's truly an honour to perform alongside such talented musicians."

- Ava Lew, double-bass, SSO Fellow 2025

The Fellowship Experience

The Selangor Symphony Orchestra is one of Malaysia's premiere professional orchestras, performing an annual season that consists of full orchestral concerts, chamber music performances, and other educational and outreach projects. 

SSO Fellows, who are musicians performing at a youth orchestra level, are provided the opportunity to experience this professional setting firsthand. They participate in the Selangor Symphony Orchestra's rehearsals, sectional coaching sessions, and performances. Participating in these experiences also opens the doors to being a part of discussions with other professional musicians, conductors, and guest soloists - a rare opportunity for learners to gain insight into how professionals think and work. 

As part of the SSO Fellowship programme, the Fellows also get a taste of the rewards of professional performance, receiving a RM400 stipend per performance with the Selangor Symphony Orchestra. These performances also serve to build a young performer's confidence and presence in the music scene, which are useful for standing out in their next steps into a career in music - auditions, tertiary education admissions, and scholarship applications. 

Becoming a SSO Fellow

This selective programme is for musicians aged 19 and below who demonstrate both technical ability in their selected instrument, and possess a genuine passion for orchestral performance. As a programme that prepares high-potential young musicians for professional life as an orchestral musician, the Selangor Symphony Orchestra values leadership, a collaborative spirit in prospective SSO Fellows, and seeks to refine a Fellow's musical maturity, reliability and professionalism. 

SSO Fellows are selected through an audition and interview process. Interested candidates also need to be enrolled in the Selangor Symphony Youth Orchestra's weekly training programme, and fulfill a list of requirements outlined on their website. 

"The SSO Fellowship Programme represents our commitment to nurturing Malaysia's young musical talents by giving them real opportunities to learn and perform at the highest level. It's incredibly inspiring to see these young musicians grow through mentorship and professional experience."

- Eugene Pook, Music Director, Selangor Symphony Orchestra

Learn more about the Selangor Symphony Orchestra and its programmes here.