Associate Pianist, The Royal Ballet - WC2E 9DD in Ashtead

Fixed Term Contract – 10 months (Starting from late August/early September 2026)

Salary £30,784 per annum (pro rata for the fixed term).

Location: Covent Garden, London

The Royal Ballet and Opera continues to lead the way in opera, ballet, music and dance both live on stage and through multiple digital platforms, from live streaming to worldwide cinema screenings. Our Covent Garden theatre has been at the heart of London and British cultural life for three centuries. We are home to two world-class Companies: The Royal Ballet and The Royal Opera.

As part of our commitment to support development, The Royal Ballet is offering an opportunity to take part in this year’s Associate Pianist programme. Applications for the Associate Pianist role are invited from pianists aspiring to gain experience of the skills required to play for professional ballet class and rehearsals. Reporting to the Head of Music, the Associate Pianist will be able to initially learn the skills required to play for class and rehearsal, with coaching sessions from members of the Music Department, before beginning to play for company classes and rehearsals after a few months. The post is offered as a fixed term contract for 10 months during the main ballet season, from September 2026 – June 2027.

Reporting to the Head of Music, the successful applicant will have directed study and preparation to gain experience of The Royal Ballet repertoire and of playing for scheduled class and rehearsals, as well as other events with The Royal Ballet. The programme includes coaching and guidance on building networks relevant to the role and the profession.

The ideal candidate will be a professional team player with these qualities:

• A high level of pianism and general musicianship, and a good understanding of the dance-music relationship
• Some experience of playing for professional ballet class and rehearsal or the ability to demonstrate in audition the skills required to achieve this in a short space of time
• Ability to develop a broad knowledge of the classical ballet repertoire
• Ability to respond in a positive way to feedback and direction, and to demonstrate effective teamwork and harmonious working relationships
• The flexibility to be available for scheduled classes and rehearsals
• Commitment to managing own learning and continuous professional development relevant to the role
• Good English language skills, both speaking and reading

The Royal Ballet and Opera is one of the UK’s leading arts organisations and our aim is to inspire imagination, ignite emotion and make the extraordinary for everyone. Equality, Diversity and Inclusion underpin all that we do. We want our people to be representative of the diversity in the UK. We understand the creativity and innovation that diversity can bring and strive to create an inclusive environment in which everyone can thrive. We encourage applications from people with a wide range of backgrounds, experiences and skills to join our teams. We particularly welcome applications from those who are from a global majority background and/or those who are disabled, as they are under-represented within our organisation.

We are a Disability Confident Employer, which means that we are actively working to ensure that candidates with disabilities and long-term health conditions feel supported, engaged and able to fulfil their potential in the workplace. We will endeavour to offer an interview to candidates who tell us they wish to participate in the scheme and who demonstrate in their application that they meet the essential criteria for the role, though sometimes due to the volume of qualified candidates with declarations this is not possible.

The RBO is also committed to safeguarding and protecting all children, young people, and adults and we implement robust safer recruitment practices. Due to our safeguarding promise, certain roles will be subject to a DBS check before commencing employment with us, which will be indicated in the advertising.

Closing date for applications: 11:59pm, Monday 6th April 2026

Auditions will be held on: Wednesday 6th May 2026. Auditions must be in-person in London, online auditions will not be possible. To ensure a fair process, late applications will not be considered under any circumstances.

Applicants must have work authorisation for the UK. No agencies.