San Francisco Ballet Orchestra performs at the 2019 Opening Night Gala. Courtesy Drew Altizer.

The San Francisco Ballet and the Conservatory of Music have announced a fellowship that will provide Black musicians with tuition, housing and stipend for the conservatory’s one-year Professional Studies Certificate in Instrumental Performance, as well as the opportunity to rehearse and perform with the SF Ballet Orchestra and other training and support.

The fellowship is named after former SF Ballet Music Director Denis de Coteau, who also served on faculty at SFCM.

Applications for the fellowship are now open and must be submitted no later than midnight on Feb. 1. SF Ballet and SFCM anticipate accepting up to two fellows in string instruments for the initial year of the program, which starts next fall. Applicants will be evaluated by a committee of musicians and administrators from both organizations. There is no fee to apply.

“By welcoming the fellows into our Orchestra, we hope to give them extraordinary experiences that will help them be successful in their careers and begin building a pipeline to better diversify our profession,” SF Ballet Orchestra Music Director Martin West said.

In addition to practicing and performing with the SF Ballet Orchestra, each fellow will participate in chamber concerts, leadership training and activities with local schools. They will receive financial support for professional auditions. The SFCM certificate program includes advanced, focused studies that emphasize individual instruction and preparation for a performance career.

Fellows will live in SFCM’s new Bowes Center, a 12-story building home to three performance halls, practice rooms, a recording studio, residences and more. The Bowes Center is located in San Francisco’s Civic Center, across the street from the War Memorial Opera House.

“It’s the first program of its kind of which we’re aware, and it demonstrates a forward step in inventing the future of music by being imaginative about how arts organizations work together as educators and presenters,” SFCM Dean Jonas Wright said.

Added Jason Hainsworth, SFCM Associate Dean of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: “This is a phenomenal opportunity for highly-talented musicians and a welcome pathway to help diversify our field. What’s more, this will be truly transformational for students, the Ballet, and the Conservatory in terms of building a diverse musical community.”

De Coteau joined SF Ballet in 1968 and served as its music director and conductor from 1974 to 1998. He was also conductor emeritus and a faculty member at SFCM and was known for his work with youth orchestras, including the Oakland Youth Symphony. He died in July 1999.

To apply or request more information, email

ap***@sf**.edu











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