The Israel Philharmonic Orchestra has opened the IPO Academy, the first training academy in Israel designed to prepare young musicians for a career with a professional orchestra. The program provides two years of mentoring and internship with the IPO, focusing on honing orchestral skills. The goal is to give participants a comprehensive, hands-on experience to succeed in different performance situations. The IPO Academy, financed by donors Judy and Steward Colton, held its first auditions this year and will continue to hold auditions for participants from around the world.