The BBC has launched a new initiative titled Open Music, a training scheme for musicians and creatives of all genres, styles and backgrounds from across the UK.

Open Music will offer paid training and development opportunities across four areas: making music, presenting, radio and event production, and sound recording and engineering. Participants will be provided with hands-on experience, masterclasses and mentoring.

The new scheme provides musicians with the opportunity to work with the BBC Concert Orchestra and BBC Proms in shaping, delivering (and possibly performing in) a concert at the the BBC Proms festival in 2022.

BBC Open Music is not restricted to orchestral musicians, however, and is open to instrumentalists, mixed-media artists, composers, writers and vocal performers in all genres. Mentoring will focus on creative collaboration with an orchestra rather than instrumental skills and those applying should have experience of group music-making or collaborating with musicians. The scheme is open to all and the BBC is particularly interested to hear from those from Black, Asian or ethnically diverse communities.

There are up to 30 places available and each participant will receive opportunities to cater towards their own area of interest as well as a minimum 12 paid days spread across 12 months (plus travel expenses for those outside of London). They will also be given a mentor who is already working with the BBC.

Commenting on the new initiative, Alan Davey, Controller of BBC Radio 3, said:

Open Music is an important way to engage people of all classes and backgrounds and to help them to develop their talents. It’s not just a good thing to do, it is a real investment in the future of music and radio. At BBC Radio 3, the Orchestras and Choirs and the BBC Proms, we want to broaden and deepen the music we play, the people who play it, the audiences we play it for and the creative culture that underpins all of our work. Creativity – from people with different backgrounds, who bring different ideas through such initiatives – can help us with this. The end result will be even better content for our audiences.

There are a number of Open Music ambassadors working with the scheme including presenters Trevor Nelson, Jaguar Bingham and Mary Anne Hobbs, and musician and composer Nitin Sawhney.

The deadline for applications is 8 July. Visit https://careerssearch.bbc.co.uk/jobs/job/BBC-Open-Music/53920.