Conducting Track
As a conductor seeking the experience of working and learning in an intimate setting, you will establish and develop meaningful and enduring artistic connections under the guidance of our distinguished faculty.
Twelve applicants will be selected into the conducting track. Tony Thornton and Simon Carrington will be the masterclass clinicians. Each conductor will receive approximately 3 hours of podium time during the workshop and conduct in two concert performances! Conductors will also have the opportunity to conduct during the Mass service and lead small ensembles. We welcome applicants who are at various stages of their conducting journey. Those in the early stages of their studies can still participate as ensemble singers or choose to audit the program. However, it’s important to note that our masterclasses are primarily designed for individuals who have completed undergraduate conducting studies or have relevant conducting and teaching experience.
To apply for a conducting position, applicants must submit a resume or CV along with a YouTube link featuring a sample of their conducting and singing abilities. The conducting sample should include rehearsal footage and at least one concert performance (a non-stop performance of a piece filmed in rehearsal is also acceptable), where the conductor is the focal point, and it should not exceed 20 minutes. For the singing portion, please include a solo piece, which could be a folk song, hymn tune, art song, or an operatic selection.
The conducting faculty will assign repertoire to conduct in the concerts, Mass, and small ensemble performances. The Workshop choral ensemble will comprise the twelve selected conductors and twenty-four auditioned singers from around the world.
For those looking to enhance their skills further, private conducting sessions with Simon Carrington are available for an additional fee. Please note that all masterclass sessions and private conducting classes with Simon will be recorded. Conductors and ensemble singers can also schedule a private voice lesson with Jamie-Rose Guarrine for an additional fee.
Mini-Intensive: A Personal Approach to Choral Score Preparation
Prior to the beginning of the masterclasses, Simon Carrington will present this Mini-Intensive. The mini-intensive is required of all conductors and included in the fee.
Description: “In this program, I will demonstrate and discuss my score preparation methods, which follow no rules but which examine ways to sharpen aural skills, hear the essence of the music with the inner ear, and tease out ways to bring the composer’s rhetoric to life. While I am concerned about developing a choir’s beauty of tone and purity of intonation, I will spend an equal amount of time refining ideas on how to ensure that the singing touches the hearts of the listeners.”