Conducting Apprentice Initiative
Launch Your Conducting Career with Choral Arts Initiative
Are you an emerging or established conductor looking to refine your skills and add new experiences to your resume? Our Conducting Apprentice Initiative is tailored specifically for conductors to provide immersive and engaging learning. Dive into crucial topics such as effective listening, the impact of gesture on sound, rehearsal planning, and career development.
Work With Expert Faculty
Learn from CAI founder and Artistic and Executive Director, Dr. Brandon Elliott, a specialist in conducting complex music with impeccable tuning and accuracy. Recipient of multiple awards, including Chorus America's Louis Botto Award for Entrepreneurship and Innovation and the ASCAP/Chorus America Award for Adventurous Programming, participants benefit from his extensive experience and passion for teaching.
Grow with CAI's Assistant Conductor, Ali Sandweiss Hodges. Ali is currently finishing a DMA from University of Southern California. She previously earned her bachelor's in music education from the University of Michigan - Ann Arbor and her master's in choral conducting at Temple University, at which she was awarded the Elaine Brown Tribute Award and the Presser Graduate Music Award. Ali has expertise in expressivity and shaping tone through conducting.
Learn from
Choral Arts Initiative Rehearsals
Gain invaluable insights by observing our professional ensemble rehearsals. Experience first-hand the nuances of fine-tuning intervals, achieving precise accuracy, and maintaining a fast-paced professional rehearsal environment. Train your ear and develop a keen attention to detail essential for high-level conducting. Rather than the brick-and-mortar model of "sit and watch," participants may be engaged throughout the rehearsal to provide insights on what they hear, how they would address a particular musical scenario, and more.
One-on-One Mentorship
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Receive personalized guidance through one-on-one and group mentoring sessions. Focus on career-building strategies, conducting techniques, score-study resources, and gesture refinement to enhance your conducting prowess.
Free Concert Access
As a Conductor Apprentice, enjoy complimentary tickets to our final performance. This provides an opportunity to network with professional musicians and observe the culmination of the rehearsal process, from the first rehearsal downbeat to the final performance cutoff.
Apprenticeship Opportunities
Fall 2024
October 6, 13, 20, 27 from 2:30p.m.—5:45p.m.
November 1 from 6:45p.m.—10:00p.m.
November 3 from 3:15p.m.—6:00p.m.
Winter 2025
January 26 and February 2, 9, 16 from 2:30p.m.—5:45p.m.
February 21 from 6:45p.m.—10:00p.m.
February 23 from 3:15p.m.—6:00p.m.
Spring 2025
April 13, 27 and May 4 from 2:30p.m.—5:45p.m.
May 13, 16 from 6:45p.m.—10:00p.m.
May 18 from 3:15p.m.—6:00p.m.
We are currently accepting applications for Fall 2024.
Application deadline is Saturday, September 7 at 11:59p.m.
Affordable and Equitable Pricing
