About
About the New World Symphony
The New World Symphony, America’s Orchestral Academy (NWS), prepares graduates of music programs for leadership roles in professional orchestras and ensembles. Since its co-founding in 1987 by Artistic Director Laureate Michael Tilson Thomas and Lin and Ted Arison, NWS has helped launch the careers of more than 1,150 alumni worldwide. In fall 2022 Stéphane Denève was named Artistic Director of the New World Symphony.
A laboratory for the way music is taught, presented and experienced, the New World Symphony consists of young musicians who are granted fellowships lasting up to three years. The fellowship program offers in-depth exposure to traditional and modern repertoire, professional development training and personalized experiences working with leading guest conductors, soloists and visiting faculty. Relationships with these artists are extended through NWS’s extensive distance learning via the internet.
NWS Fellows take advantage of the innovative performance facilities and state-of-the art practice and ensemble rooms of the Frank Gehry-designed New World Center, the campus of the New World Symphony and home of the Knight New Media Center.
In the hopes of joining NWS, more than 1,500 recent music school and conservatory graduates compete for about 35 available fellowships each year. The Fellows are selected for this highly competitive, prestigious opportunity based on their musical achievement and promise, as well as their passion for the future of classical music.
MISSION
The mission of the New World Symphony is to prepare graduates of music programs for leadership roles in orchestras and ensembles around the world.
VISION
The New World Symphony envisions a strong and secure future for classical music and will redefine, reaffirm, express and share its traditions with as many people as possible. Diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging are high priorities for the New World Symphony. It is critical in the preparation of the Fellows for leadership roles in orchestras and ensembles, and an essential part of the future for classical music.
STATEMENT OF INCLUSIVENESS
The New World Symphony is committed to building an inclusive organization so that people of all races, ethnicities, nationalities, sexual orientations, gender identities and expressions, abilities, religions, and backgrounds are welcomed and respected within our fellowship, board of trustees, staff, and volunteer groups; and that all are provided with the opportunity and resources to thrive. We pledge that our educational and artistic programming, presentations, community collaborations, and communications will reflect our commitment to equity, diversity, inclusion, and belonging.
STATEMENT OF PURPOSE
The New World Symphony is dedicated to the artistic, personal and professional development of outstanding instrumentalists. The NWS fellowship program provides graduates of music programs the opportunity to enhance their musical education with the finest professional training. A laboratory for musical education and expression, the New World Symphony, through a wide range of performance and instructional activities, seeks to develop in its participants the full complement of skills and qualifications required of 21st-century first-class musicians. Under the artistic direction of Michael Tilson Thomas, the program offers in-depth exposure to traditional and modern repertoire, with the active involvement of leading guest conductors, soloists and visiting faculty. The relationships with these artists are extended through NWS's pioneering experimentation with distance learning and performance.
CULTURE
The New World Symphony is committed to maintaining an educational, working, and living environment founded on civility and mutual respect. We have a philosophy of continuous improvement and are committed to strengthening this environment for the benefit of our Fellows, employees, and entire community.
NWS is firmly committed to the highest standards of ethics, integrity, and professionalism, as well as to the strictest compliance with these standards. Our leadership strives to create a safe educational and work environment based on a culture of respect and where harassment is not tolerated.
See below for more information about NWS standards and policies.
NWS has established the following:
- Our Code of Business Ethics and Conduct provides guidance to all employees on how to perform their daily activities within appropriate ethical and legal standards, and comply with applicable laws, rules, and regulations.
- The Code of Business Ethics and Conduct addresses standards for our staff to apply as they fulfill their duties. Some of the business practices that are addressed in the Code include, but are not limited to:
- Accuracy of records
- Protecting confidential information
- Observing all laws, rules, and regulations applicable to NWS
- Financial accounting systems
- Honest and fair relationships with vendors
- Conflicts of Interests
- Gifts
- Political Activity policy (NWS is a non-profit, so this policy outlines the important legal restrictions on employee political fundraising); and
- Our Employee Protection (Whistleblower Policy) protects employees who properly disclose or report illegal or unethical conduct from unlawful retaliation and discrimination. The policy has multiple avenues for employees to make reports both inside and outside the organization.
Our commitment to our Fellows is demonstrated through the following measures:
- A comprehensive harassment prevention policy that is easy-to-understand and communicated to all Fellows, and which contains:
- An unequivocal statement that harassment based on any legally protected characteristic will not be tolerated
- Easy-to-understand description of harassment and prohibited conduct, including examples
- A harassment reporting system that designates multiple individuals to whom Fellows can raise concerns
- A statement describing the prompt, thorough investigation that will be conducted
- A statement that any information gathered will be kept confidential to the extent possible
- An assurance that appropriate disciplinary action will be taken along with any additional steps to prevent further violations of the policy
- An assurance that any Fellow who reports harassment (experienced or observed), or who participates in an investigation, will be protected from retaliation;
- Required annual training of all Fellows so that they can recognize prohibited forms of harassment/discrimination and understand how to raise perceived harassment/discrimination concerns;
- Required, specialized training of NWS staff responsible for receiving and investigating complaints of harassment;
- Trained, objective, and neutral NWS investigators;
- Engagement of an expert to conduct annual civility training with all Fellows;
- A Sexual Misconduct and Sexual Consent policy, which states our commitment to maintaining an educational, working and living environment founded on civility and mutual respect, and explicitly states that sexual misconduct is antithetical to the standards and ideals of our community and will not be tolerated by NWS. NWS aims to eradicate sexual misconduct through education, training, clear policies, and serious consequences for violation of this policy;
- A Non-Discrimination policy;
- Ethics and Conduct policy, requiring our Fellows to act ethically and as reasonable adults, and refrain from actions that could cause themselves or others harm or injury;
- Drug-Free and Alcohol-Free Policy (prohibiting Fellows from being under the influence of illegal drugs or alcohol at any educational activity), and from manufacturing, distributing, dispensing, and possessing controlled substances (unless legally prescribed) on or off any NWS property (including NWS-owned housing where Fellows reside during their Fellowship);
- Weapons Policy; and
- All independent contractor agreements with Artists, Visiting Faculty, and other third parties prohibit romantic, dating, or sexual relationships with any current NWS Fellow or employee. Such agreements also require the contractor to treat the NWS Fellows and employees in a respectful, professional fashion, and refrain from any behavior that might make the Fellow or employee feel uncomfortable (e.g., overt physical displays of affection, sexual advances, and using sexual language in verbal, written, or electronic communications).
Based on our leadership’s commitment, NWS has the following measures in place for our employees:
- Partnership with TriNet, a Professional Employer Organization, to help develop and administer our personnel policies;
- A comprehensive harassment prevention policy that is easy-to-understand and communicated to all employees, and which contains:
- An unequivocal statement that harassment based on any legally protected characteristic will not be tolerated
- Easy-to-understand description of harassment and prohibited conduct, including examples
- A harassment reporting system that designates both internal (company manager or official) and external (TriNet HR Representative or the TriNet Solution Center) individuals to whom employees can raise concerns
- A statement describing the prompt, thorough investigation that will be conducted
- A statement that any information gathered will be kept confidential to the extent possible
- An assurance that appropriate disciplinary action will be taken along with any additional steps to prevent further violations of the policy
- An assurance that an individual who reports harassment (experienced or observed), or who participates in an investigation, will be protected from retaliation;
- Required, specialized training of supervisors and NWS staff who are responsible for receiving and investigating complaints of harassment/discrimination;
- Trained, objective, and neutral NWS investigators;
- Required annual training of all employees so that they can recognize prohibited forms of harassment/discrimination and understand how to raise perceived harassment/discrimination concerns;
- Engagement of outside employment counsel to conduct training of supervisors so they understand how to prevent and respond to workplace harassment;
- Engagement of an expert to conduct annual workplace civility training for all employees;
- A Sexual Misconduct and Sexual Consent policy, which states our commitment to maintaining an educational, working and living environment founded on civility and mutual respect, and explicitly states that sexual misconduct is antithetical to the standards and ideals of our community and will not be tolerated by NWS. NWS aims to eradicate sexual misconduct through education, training, clear policies, and serious consequences for violation of this policy;
- An equal employment opportunity policy;
- A Workplace Security and Anti-Violence policy;
- A Weapons in the Workplace policy
- A Drug-Free Workplace policy;
- An Open Door policy;
- A Problem Resolution policy, which encourages an open and frank atmosphere in which any problem, complaint, suggestion, or question can be raised by employees and timely addressed; and
- All independent contractor agreements with Artists, Visiting Faculty, and other third parties prohibit romantic, dating, or sexual relationships with any current NWS Fellow or employee. Such agreements also require the contractor to treat the NWS Fellows and employees in a respectful, professional fashion, and refrain from any behavior that might make the Fellow or employee feel uncomfortable (e.g., overt physical displays of affection, sexual advances, and using sexual language in verbal, written, or electronic communications).