We are delighted to welcome two exceptional young musicians as our Early Career Artists for the 2025/26 Season: violinist Guo You and cellist Aurelien Pinchon.

Our Early Career Artist Scheme offers emerging performers the chance to work closely with IT&T’s experienced musicians, receiving individual coaching, ensemble mentoring, and opportunities to perform in professional concerts. The scheme is designed to support gifted young artists as they establish themselves in the early stages of their careers, helping them to gain valuable experience, build connections, and develop their artistic voice.

This season, Guo and Aurelien will join us in rehearsals and concerts, learning side by side with our players and sharing their talents with our audiences. We are thrilled to support them at this exciting stage in their musical journey.

We are enormously grateful to the Harrison-Frank Family Foundation and the Harold Hyam Wingate Foundation for their generous support, which makes the Early Career Artist Scheme possible.

Full biographies of both musician below.

About the scheme

Each season IT&T appoints up to two Early Career Artists. The scheme offers:

• the opportunity to perform in up to six IT&T concerts during the season, paid at the usual IT&T orchestral musician rate

• two hours of coaching from an IT&T player

• a professional headshot photoshoot

• opportunities to support and learn about IT&T’s education programme

Early Career Artists perform alongside IT&T players as part of the ensemble and receive mentoring and coaching throughout the year. They are treated as professional artists, set goals at the start of the season and reflect on them after each concert. The scheme helps young professional baroque players launch their careers by putting what they learned in their studies into practice with a professional ensemble.

Who can apply?

• Players aged between 18 and 30 at the start of the season.

• The minimum standard expected is that of an undergraduate conservatoire student. Applicants without a conservatoire or university degree will be considered if they can show similar training with a highly regarded teacher.

• Applicants need not have specialised in period performance, but are likely to have some experience of historical performance and an interest in working professionally as period players.

• Early Career Artists must have the right to work as self-employed musicians in the UK, and must provide their own suitable instrument and bow(s).

Applications

We announce each new round of the scheme on this page and in our newsletter. Join the mailing list to be the first to hear, or contact us with any questions.

Former IT&T Early Career Artists