The goal of the training model employed by the Tonkunstler Academy is to give young musicians, who have already attained a high level on their instrument, the opportunity to perfect their musical skills beyond solo playing within a community of top musicians. By integrating themselves in orchestral rehearsals and concerts, young musicians will learn the professional discipline and working methods of a professional orchestra and play a part in continuing the tradition of the Tonkunstler.
The training programme is based upon four pillars:
1. One-on-one lessons
Every Academy participant receives two hours of private training a month on his or her instrument. Professors are drawn mostly from the Tonkunstler Orchestra's concert masters and principal players.. Along with the special playing style and sound of the Tonkunstler, teachers pass on the philosophy of the orchestra, encourage the individual responsibility of their students and motivate them to set the highest possible goals for themselves.
2. Orchestral work
Academy students participate regularly in rehearsals and concerts of the Tonkunstler Orchestra, gaining valuable insight into the daily routine of a professional ensemble. They learn the active orchestral repertoire and experience at a practical level what it means to integrate into an orchestral collective in terms of sound, style and ensemble.
3. Chamber music
Attention to chamber music is of special importance, for it advances the cultivation of instrumental playing enormously. Academy students are introduced to their instrument's specific repertoire with regularly-scheduled working periods. Furthermore, the standard repertoire of the classical, romantic and modern periods is worked on using combinations of all instruments taught. Every concert season includes up to five public chamber music performances.
4. Audition preparation
The young musicians will be prepared for upcoming auditions through the study of the required literature for particular orchestral positions and by learning to adjust mentally for the extreme conditions of the audition setting. As part of their training they will each participate in an official audition for the Tonkunstler Orchestra in order to gain experience and be put through the realistic live audition situation.
Additionally, various dedicated coaching sessions are offered. The young musicians receive motivational and self-management training for resource-oriented personal development based on the resource model developed by ZRM for the University of Zurich. As part of a training module, they develop their communication and social abilities in addition to conflict management and other skills.
