Hartford, CT – August 27, 2025 — The Hartford Symphony Orchestra (HSO) is pleased to announce Sarah Ng, violin and Josue Alfaro, double bass as the newest Fellows of the HSO Musician Fellowship Program.

Launched in the 2024–2025 season with support from a generous three-year grant from the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving, the Fellowship Program was designed to create new pathways for early-career string musicians of color (violin, viola, cello, and double bass) to perform as part of the Hartford Symphony Orchestra. In addition to their orchestral performances, Fellows actively engage with the Greater Hartford community through the HSO’s education, learning, and social impact initiatives.

Sarah Ng and Josue Alfaro join the growing roster of HSO Fellows who have participated in this program. Last year’s Fellows included Esther Benjamin, cello and Samantha Donato, double bass, who contributed significantly to both the orchestra’s performances and its community engagement initiatives.

The HSO Musician Fellowship Program addresses systemic barriers in the orchestral field by offering performance experience, mentorship, and community engagement opportunities for musicians from historically underrepresented racial and ethnic groups. Nationwide, only 2–3% of musicians in professional American orchestras identify as Black or Latinx, and traditional audition and tenure systems make diversification a slow process. The Fellowship is one way the HSO is working to accelerate meaningful change while nurturing the next generation of orchestral talent.