Community Partnerships - Newfoundland & Labrador 

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Newfoundland Symphony Orchestra
Orchestral Chairs Program

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Established as an amateur ensemble in 1962 and incorporated in 1979, the Newfoundland Symphony Orchestra (NSO) contributes to the overall quality of life in Newfoundland and Labrador by fostering the live performance of orchestral music.

Inaugurated in 2001, the Memorial University/NSO Orchestral Chairs Program offers the opportunity for 12-14 advanced student musicians engaged in professional study to compete for chairs in the Newfoundland Symphony Orchestra (NSO) in exchange for an opportunity to play with the NSO during our major concerts.

These students sit under the baton of a professional conductor and side-by-side with NSO professional, contract and community musicians and gain invaluable experience in an orchestra setting. From the orchestra’s perspective, NSO players are able to learn from some of Memorial’s top student musicians, who bring new ideas, techniques and diverse viewpoints from across Canada and around the world. The Orchestral Chairs Program is unique in Canada, and over the years has fostered the development of many musicians. The long-term benefit, is to develop the orchestral leaders of tomorrow – many of which choose to remain in Newfoundland and Labrador and become full-time members of the NSO.

In 2024, FFF entered into a 5-year partnership to co-sponsor the NSO/MUN Orchestral Chairs Program. This wonderful opportunity to strengthen our support for  the arts in NL also incorporates elements of educational leadership and student support for students enrolled in the MUN School of Music. Learn more from orchestral chairs members on this video www.youtube.com/watch?v=wTk-SuX_umI .

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