Conducting

Orchestral Conducting

NEC's orchestral conducting program under the direction of NEC's Stanford and Norma Jean Calderwood Director of Orchestras, Hugh Wolff, offers the Master of Music degree, and is designed to develop the artistic, leadership, and aural skills of you, the talented conductor, preparing you for the challenging demands of the podium.

Course work in score reading, instrumentation, orchestration, along with private studio and seminars, reinforces the student's understanding of the conductor's art and craft. Tapping into the vast orchestral resources of the Conservatory, you are encouraged to develop and pursue opportunities to rehearse and perform with symphony orchestras, allowing you to refine the technical means to convey your musical ideas.

Admission to the program is based on screening of videotape/DVD submissions. You may then be invited to Boston for a live audition with orchestra, interview, and entrance examination.

Wind Ensemble Conducting

Developing you, the artist, as wind ensemble conductor is the goal of NEC’s Wind Ensemble Conducting program. Graduate degrees offered are the Master of Music and the Doctor of Musical Arts.

A rigorous curriculum guides you through the breadth and depth of all music, but specifically wind music. Private studio lessons are the foundation of your work. These lessons place heavy emphasis on the analysis of music for informed performances. You are assured podium time with live musicians in a class situation, in reading sessions, or in rehearsal with either the NEC Wind Ensemble or Jordan Winds.

Choral Conducting

Effective choral conducting is both an art and a craft. It is essentially about communication, musicianship, and knowledge. It is about inspiring and motivating singers and providing them with appropriate means to communicate the expressive character of the music. At NEC, the choral conducting curriculum will address the vital skills required of the effective conductor, including exploration of gesture, rehearsal style and strategies, aural and other musical skills, as well as knowledge of choral literature. A key feature of the program will be the understanding of conducting practice in relation to the voice and vocal health. Students will have weekly individual studio lessons as well as regular seminars and podium time with the choirs at NEC.

Photos by Andrew Hurlbut

2009-08-08