Returning Institutes

The Summer Wind Conducting Institute (SWCI) capitalizes on the relationship between the Eastman School of Music and the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, providing talented apprentice conductors the opportunity to conduct and rehearse highly skilled professional wind orchestral musicians. The course focuses on the relationship between conductor and ensemble, exploring how conductors can achieve their artistic intentions. Repertory for each conductor’s appearance with the RPO will be chosen in consultation with Mark Scatterday, SWCI Music Director. Each conductor will have the opportunity to conduct the RPO for one 22-minute rehearsal and a run-through of approximately 7 minutes in length, and will receive a DVD recording of both. (The run-through recording will include a random cut, per RPO copyright contract.)
Enrollment limited to 10 conductors and 5 auditors

Designed for collegiate students, professional players, teachers, and advanced amateurs, this 6-day workshop will offer a variety of opportunities for growth and learning in a supportive and collaborative setting.

Morning sessions will feature a daily Technique Boot Camp: numerous skills classes to develop and expand fluency and facility on the instrument. Using scales, etudes and exercises specifically tailored for the 21^st-century violist, all participants will develop problem-solving skills to add consistency and solidity to their playing. Highlights of the morning sessions include daily scales classes, a five-part bow-stroke series, sessions on left-hand function and facility, and a final Etude Showcase.

Each afternoon, Performance Intensive Sessions will offer a deep dive into the skills and strategies necessary for authentic and imaginative musical interpretation. Topics will include tools for creating meaningful personal narratives, phrase shaping through emphasis and rubato, and tension versus dynamics, among others. Daily seminars and masterclasses offer numerous performance opportunities for each participant, with a culminating Final Recital in Eastman’s spectacular Kilbourn Hall. Mindfulness and yoga sessions will also be offered.

The Eastman Summer Tuba & Euphonium Institute is a weeklong experience where you will hone your musicianship, strengthen career-building skills, and expand your network of colleagues and mentors. Every participant will have the opportunity to perform in a masterclass, play in small and large tuba/euphonium ensembles, and take a private lesson with a faculty member. We will also have daily fundamentals classes, a panel discussion on career-building, a mock audition for both tuba and euphonium, a participant recital, and a participant chamber music concert.