Conducting orchestra
Academic Masters
The Academic Master in conducting orchestra for classical music and film music (aut. MUR).
The Academic Masters in Italy to offer comprehensive training, with more than 250 hours of practice conducting a 40-piece symphony orchestra. The master’s program is aimed at both musicians and composers and offers the opportunity to be confronted with conducting an orchestra of professional musicians right from the start, during the course of study, in a variety of formations, from small and medium-sized ensembles to double quintets to symphony orchestras.
A unique training experience to acquire the gestural and concertation techniques of scores drawn from the classical, romantic, modern and contemporary repertoire, as well as of their own original compositions, performing them in the different contexts in which the figure of the Conductor operates: from the world of live concerts to that of recording studio sessions, such as, for example, for the direction of ensembles aimed at the synchronization of soundtracks for cinema, TV and multimedia products.
Duration 1 year
Attendance 360 hours of theoretical and practical classes and 250 hours of internship
Where Rome
Language Italian
The Academic Master in Orchestra Conducting is limited in number, aimed at a maximum of 35 students each year, selected through verification of requirements and interview for admission.
The Academic Master in Orchestral Conducting enables students to acquire specific skills regarding how to conduct and conduct pieces with different instrumental groups, from small to medium to large chamber-orchestral ensembles, both in terms of knowledge of the classical symphonic operatic repertoire and the ability to conduct and conduct their own original compositions or transcriptions.
The teaching includes 360 hours of study and practice of conducting with masters in the field and 250 hours of Internship in various work settings, such as institutions, companies and orchestras throughout the country.
During the course of study, the student will address all theoretical/technical and practical aspects that the figure of the Orchestra Conductor must possess:
- Conducting Practice Workshops: 80 hours of conducting with Symphony Orchestra of about 40 elements, more than 100 hours hours of conducting with Double Quintet, both in opera and concert settings and in studio recording sessions with orchestral ensembles consisting of 10 to 30 elements;
- Instrumentation and orchestration: all the ordinary techniques of orchestral instruments will be addressed through analysis and listening to the score in order to orchestrate music for instrumental groups of various types. In fact, the course aims to make the student able to orchestrate repertoire pieces as well as their own original compositions, respecting the classical balances of the orchestra in all its timbral physiognomies: baroque ensemble, symphony orchestra, voice and orchestra, and so on;
- Arrangement and Concertation: Harmonic and melodic structural analysis of pieces for symphony orchestra and orchestral pieces in different styles; gestural and expressive techniques for chamber concertation and in Recording sessions for film music.
- Final rehearsal/Concert: conducting a 40-piece Beethovenian orchestra in a concert organized by Saint Louis at the Auditorium Parco della Musica in Rome, during which they will perform the most famous soundtracks that have made the history of Italian and International cinema, synchronized with the projection of the relevant film scenes.
Upon completion of the Level I Master’s Degree in Orchestra Conducting (aut. Mur), the student will have acquired skills to perform in the profession of:
- Director of instrumental ensembles
- Conductor of chamber orchestra groups
- Conductor of symphony orchestral ensembles
- Conductor of orchestral ensembles for synchronization with film and images
The theoretical subjects are conducted in-person on a fortnightly basis, except for the modules related to music history, which will be conducted synchronously online.
Conducting practice workshops will be concentrated in intensive weekend modules of two to three full days, starting in the second half of the academic year, according to a predetermined schedule of dates provided to students prior to the start of classes, and will involve conducting ensembles both in studio recording, for soundtrack recording, and in chamber music rooms for live performance of concert works.
In order to earn the Master’s degree, 80% of the classes in each subject must be attended.
