Developing musicians
At LMTO we are committed to supporting the next generation of musical theatre players.
Our development scheme is at the heart of who we are. Every time the orchestra performs, a number of seats in the orchestra are reserved for young developing professional musicians.
We work with some of the best students and recent graduates from UK conservatoires, giving them unparalleled opportunities to gain professional experience and create a network of industry contacts.
Thanks to LMTO, recent alumni can now be found playing in pits across the West End and local theatres, including The Phantom of the Opera, Wicked, The Lion King, Miss Saigon, Les Misérables and many others besides.


Finding the stars of the future
Our development programme starts with Sitz. We meet just over 400 musicians every year at Sitzes, where players have the opportunity to develop their musical theatre skillset and network with likeminded musicians.
The programme is further supported by the Sandy and Zorica Glen Workshops. Around once a month, we offer a professional development workshop, ranging from talks on orchestrating, rehearsing an orchestra and how to tackle your tax return, to practical sessions and masterclasses with LMTO’s top players.
A career kick-starting experience
Finally, once a year we hold auditions for recent graduates interested in becoming a ‘Dev’. The scheme is designed to help bright new talent gain a foothold in the industry through 3 main opportunities:
- Playing in at least 1 LMTO professional concert during the year
- Being paired with a mentor from the industry
- A lesson with a West End chair holder
Sitting next to a world-class player is the fastest way to improve your playing. As well as being an exceptional learning opportunity, Devs are able to develop their industry network – and as the old saying goes: work leads to work leads to work.
The mentoring opportunity is designed to help young players navigate the wider industry outside the orchestra, providing a lasting and meaningful source of advice, support and guidance.


How to become a Dev
We are a community of musicians who love musical theatre so step 1 is to become a member of our Sitz mailing list; get involved in our monthly opportunity to rehearse a full score in a day and in our workshops, immersing yourself in the genre and its intricacies.
Applications are now closed for the 2023-24 Dev Scheme. Auditions and eligibility criteria for our 2024-25 Dev Scheme will be announced on in early summer 2024 through our Sitz mailing list so keep an eye on your emails to find out how to apply.
Trusts & Foundations
We welcome all enquiries from interested Trusts and Foundations who have a passion for supporting the arts, and for the development of talented musicians. At this early stage, the most welcome gifts are unrestricted funds, but as LMTO grows we look forward to being able to offer specific areas of funding needs, such as sponsoring a chair in a concert for an up and coming musician.
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