May 11-21, 2018
The Colorado MahlerFest, Kenneth Woods- Artistic Director, is proud to support the Mahler Conducting Fellowship program for outstanding young professional conductors.
Since 2016, each May Colorado MahlerFest invites 2-3 fellows to participate in the festival as assistant conductors. Fellows will attend daily score study and seminar sessions with the Artistic Director, work with guest lecturers and speakers and conduct in a public masterclass.
Faculty-
Kenneth Woods- Artistic Director- Colorado MahlerFest, Principal Conductor- English Symphony Orchestra, Founder and Director- Rose City International Conductors’ Workshop. Woods is one of today’s most influential and prolific recording artists and a leading conducting pedagogue who as taught at conservatories, festivals and universities across the USA, Canada and UK. He will be working with the Fellows on a daily basis throughout the festival on score study, technique and career development.
Michael Young- Assistant instructor and class pianist.An alumni of the inaugural class of Mahler Conducting Fellows, Michael Young is Artistic Director of the Beethoven Orchestra for Humanity and Assistant Conductor of the English Symphony Orchestra. He has taught conducting at the Royal Academy of Music.
Repertoire
As assistant conductors:
Mahler- Das Lied von der Erde (full orchestraversion)
Sibelius- Symphony no. 7
For the public masterclass:
Gustav Mahler arr. Schönberg/Riehn- Das Lied von der Erde arr. for chamber ensemble
Musicians in the Public Masterclass
Stacey Rishoi, Mezzo-soprano
Brennen Guillory, Tenor
Alexandra Aguire, Flute
Victoria Brawn, Oboe
Daniel Silver, Clarinet
Sarah Fish, Bassoon
Lydia Van Dreel, Horn
Amy Hearting, Percussion
Michael Young, Piano
Laura Moylan, Harmonium/Celesta
Jorja Fleezanis, Violin 1
Karen Bentley Pollick, Violin 2
Lauren Spalding, Viola
Andrew Brown, Cello
Craig Butterfield, Bass
Application – Closed for 2018
Please check back next year for information on the 2019 program.
Please apply via email to mahlerfellowship@mahlerfest.org
Include a CV, a brief cover letter, two letters of recommendation, and a link to a recent video of your conducting.
Finalists may be asked to participate in a brief Skype interview.
DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS – Applications are now closed.
Applicants will be informed of their status by 25 March, 2018
The program
As assistant conductors of the MahlerFest Orchestra, fellows will attend all rehearsals and work as a team assisting with balance and other rehearsal feedback. Fellows may be asked to conduct in run-throughs of portions of the repertoire in rehearsal and will take a sectional rehearsal during the week. Fellows should plan to be podium ready on all festival repertoire on the first day of the festival and may be asked to conduct at any time during the week.
There will be daily morning seminar classes during the week of the festival. Classes will incorporate a mixture of score study and analysis, discussion of matters arising from the rehearsals and daily sessions working on technical conducting challenges with piano. Fellows are encouraged to choose selections from the festival repertoire they want to work on in the piano sessions well in advance. There will also be visits to the conducting seminar from visiting composers and scholars
On the Thursday of festival week, Fellows will conduct members of the MahlerFest Orchestra in a public masterclass. The masterclass will be filmed.
Fellows should also plan to attend the public seminar of the final Saturday of the festival.
Tuition and fees
Participation in the Mahler Fellowship Program is generously supported by Colorado MahlerFest and our educational partners. All students accepted will receive a full scholarship worth $1,925 which covers all course fees and tuition.
Where possible, the Festival will arrange for Fellows homestay with friends of the festival. Fellows are responsible for their own travel to and from Boulder, Colorado and their own daily expenses while at the Festival. Fellows are expected to provide their own scores using the editions specified above.
Alumni
Francis Scully– Conductor, New Resonance Chamber Orchestra
Michael Young– Assistant Conductor- English Symphony Orchestra
Boon Hua Lien– Assistant Conductor, Polish National Radio Symphony
Tal Samuel- Fellow Conductor, Indianapolis Symphony
Peter Wadl- Editor, new critical edition of Mahler 10th Symphony Performing Version by Cooke.
Dean Whiteside- Conducting Fellow, New World Symphony Orchestra