Announcing The 2026 Season Denis de Coteau Fellows
Meet this year’s fellows
SF Ballet Orchestra and San Francisco Conservatory of Music (SFCM) have selected two new students for this year’s Denis de Coteau Fellowship. This year’s fellows are Brianna Aye, violin, and Elmer Carter, cello.
“The importance of the de Coteau Fellowship goes far beyond music,” says Jason Hainsworth, Associate Dean of Community Development and Executive Director of Roots, Jazz, and American Music (RRJAM) at SFCM. “It speaks to the impact that music, mentorship, and access can have in the lives of young musicians. Being afforded an opportunity such as this fellowship will undoubtedly shape the careers of young and talented musicians that are all too often unseen. Maestro de Coteau’s legacy helps to change that.”
Both musicians, whose personal and professional experiences contribute meaningfully to an expanded culture of diversity in the performing arts, will receive tuition, housing, and a stipend for SFCM’s one-year Professional Studies Certificate in Instrumental Performance. The two students will have the opportunity to play rehearsals and shows with the SF Ballet Orchestra, as well as other training and support, including invitations to mock auditions and financial support for professional auditions. As part of the SFCM certificate program, each fellow will participate in advanced, focused studies that emphasize individual instruction and preparation for a performance career.
