The Royal Liverpool Philharmonic has officially announced the selection of four talented early-career instrumentalists to join its acclaimed Emerging Musicians Fellowship for the upcoming 2026/27 concert season.
This intensive, year-long paid initiative offers participants an immersive introduction to professional orchestral life, providing extensive practical experiences both on and off the traditional performance stage.
Now entering its fifth consecutive year, the landmark training programme underscores the organisation’s long-term commitment to nurturing musical development at every transitional milestone, establishing highly accessible, structured pathways into the elite profession.
By delivering comprehensive mentoring, targeted training, and high-profile public staging opportunities, the initiative successfully dismantles several socio-economic barriers that commonly restrict emerging orchestral talent.
Fellowship recipients work closely alongside the permanent members of the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra to develop a realistic understanding of day-to-day symphonic employment whilst sharpening their broader professional skill sets.
The successful candidates receive seven hours of direct private instruction from principal orchestra musicians, regular career mentoring, extensive rehearsal exposure, and side-by-side performance opportunities inside Liverpool Philharmonic Hall.
Furthermore, the selected musicians are scheduled to participate directly in the organisation’s extensive portfolio of learning and community outreach programmes across the regional population.
The four successful applicants selected to join the prestigious cohort for the 2026/27 season are violinist Kaylee Ramella, French horn player Molly Bielecki, percussionist Stan Talman, and bassoonist Tom Donkin.
Professional Mentoring and Orchestral Training Pathways
Sameeta Gahir, Principal Piccolo with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and Lead Musician for the Emerging Musicians Fellowship, said:
“Every year, the Fellowship attracts applications from an exceptional range of talented musicians from a diverse range of backgrounds, and this year was no exception.
“The standard was incredibly high, making the selection process both inspiring and challenging.
“We are excited to welcome Kaylee, Molly, Stan and Tom to the programme.
“Each brings their own strengths, musical insight and potential, and we look forward to supporting them as they gain first-hand experience of life within a professional orchestra over the coming season.”
Profiles of the 2026/27 Fellowship Cohort
Kaylee Ramella is an American violinist finishing her master’s degree at the Royal Northern College of Music and currently resides in Warrington with her husband, Sidney.
She co-founded the Voluta Quartet, which secured the RNCM Hirsch Prize and Weil Prize, and she frequently performs as a soloist alongside pianist Stanley Butcher.
In addition to playing with the Manchester Camerata, Ramella has held orchestral trials with the Britten Sinfonia and the Royal Scottish National Orchestra.
Molly Bielecki is a French horn player from Sussex who recently completed a Master of Music in Performance at the Royal College of Music, having previously achieved a First-Class degree on the Joint Course in Manchester.
Bielecki received the Dean’s Award for Achievement at the University of Manchester and has freelanced with the Hallé, BBC Philharmonic, and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.
She remains an active educator, facilitating Wigmore Hall ‘Chamber Tots’ workshops and completing a creative residency with the charity Jessie’s Fund.
Stan Talman is a percussionist from Somerset who trained at Wells Cathedral School before earning a full scholarship to the Royal College of Music, where he won the James Holland Percussion Prize.
Talman has performed at iconic venues, including the Royal Albert Hall and has secured professional freelance positions with the BBC Symphony Orchestra and the Royal Scottish National Orchestra.
His extensive career spans commercial recording sessions at Maida Vale Studios, theatre productions, and cross-genre collaborations with non-western classical groups like the Ayoub Sisters.
Tom Donkin is a Scottish-born bassoonist and undergraduate student at the Royal Academy of Music who has toured internationally across Jordan and Taiwan.
Donkin has performed with the Philharmonia Orchestra, the Ulster Orchestra, and is currently on trial for the Associate Principal Bassoon position with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra.
He is also a founding member of the Dogoda Quintet, selected as Tillett Debut Trust Artists for 2026, and actively supports regional youth music schemes.
