- Molière
- Malcolm Arnold: The Holly and the Ivy
- Chloe Peterson
- Malcolm Lipkin: Piano Sonata No 6
- Julia Mariko Smith
- WDR Köln
- Leonardo Sancho-Rosales
- Christopher Sprenger
UK Vacancies
Opportunities in London, Essex, Sussex and Devon
Here is a selection of amateur orchestral and choral oppoortunities in the UK.
The Woodford Symphony Orchestra, a small, friendly amateur orchestra in Loughton, Essex, with about twenty-five members, is seeking a new conductor. Prospective applicants for this paid position should send a covering letter and CV to the orchestra's leader, Rosemary Fitchett. The closing date for applications is 5pm on 6 April 2020, and further details can be found here.
Orchfest is a rather special weekend orchestral course held in Eastbourne, Sussex in September each year. The course features a professional conductor - Georg Ludvik from Austria - and professional string leaders - Judith Van Ingen, violin, Cathy Fox, violin, David Lewis, viola and Helen Neilson, cello. Orchfest is seeking string players - particularly violinists and cellists. The 2020 course runs from 4-6 September. Full details can be found here.
Ealing Choral Society, an auditioned choir of about eighty singers in West London, is seeking a new Musical Director. The closing date for applications is 6 April 2020, and further information is available here
Dartington Summer School and Festival 2020 in Devon has announced that for the first time ever this year its advanced conducting course will be open to female applicants only. Almost 95% of conductors of major orchestras are male, and this has led to a lack of confidence in women when applying for conducting courses. The Dartington course will attempt to readdress the balance and bestow confidence in women aspiring to be conductors.
The course, led by conductor Alice Farnham, is teaming up with the Royal Philharmonic Society's Women Conductors programme, with the aim of encouraging more female applicants. This two-week, immersive course for advanced female students offers expert teaching from Alice Farnham and David Jones, and extensive podium time with the Dartington Festival Orchestra. Teaching will include coaching on orchestral and choral conducting, in repertoire ranging from classical to contemporary.
Alice Farnham is Co-founder and Artistic Director of Women Conductors with Royal Philharmonic Society, and Female Conducting with the National Concert Hall in Dublin – a ground-breaking and award-winning programmes encouraging women into conducting. She is a guest teacher for Dallas Opera Hart Institute for Women Conductors, and Women on the Podium for Perth Symphony Orchestra. Farnham's conducting courses are the only known female conducting courses in the world.
The course runs from 8-22 August 2020 as part of Dartington Summer School and Festival. Applications are now open and more information can be found here
Posted 11 March 2020 by Keith Bramich
