Performance
opportunities The breadth and abundance of performance opportunities at the University of Arizona are unparalleled for its MM and DMA students of orchestral conducting. The studio size is limited to 2-3 students and frequent conducting assignments are made on a rotating basis with various ensembles, assuring a breadth of experience.
UA Philharmonic
The graduate conductors
share the conducting and administrative duties of the UA
Philharmonic Orchestra. "The
Phil" is the School’s university orchestra, a mixture of music majors,
minors and non majors. The Philharmonic rehearses four hours each week and
presents two concerts each semester. Recent works performed by graduate students include Dvorak's Symphony No. 8, Ravel's Mother Goose Suite, Schumann Symphony No. 4, Schubert' s "Unfinished" Symphony and excerpts from
Bizet’s Carmen. Recent repertoire
Arizona Symphony Orchestra
Conducting students have both reading and performance opportunities with the School of
Music’s top orchestra while serving as assistant conductors.
Students accompany student competition winners on the annual
President’s Concert each February. Each year the Symphony splits into opera and chamber ensembles, providing additional opportunities for performance or to workshop a work such as Copland Appalachian Spring chamber version. Recent student performances include Berlioz Roman Carnival Overture, Chávez Sinfonia India and Saint-Saëns Danse Bacchanale.
Arizona Opera Theater DMA students often serve as the assistant conductor for the
two annual UA Opera Theater productions. They conduct musical and staging
rehearsals sometimes culminating in conducting a performance. There are additional opportunities to serve as music director,
coach, and conductor of opera scenes programs each semester. Recent student conductor performances include Die Zauberflöte, La Traviata, Die Fledermaus, Don Giovanni, The Consul, and Albert Herring.
More There are other possibilities to conduct on or off
campus, such as choral, contemporary and ad hoc ensembles. In recent
years orchestral conducting majors have musical theater productions in the School
of Theatre, Film and Television, including Into the Woods, Candide, Carousel, and Oklahoma!
Advanced
conducting training
Private Lessons Regular one-on-one lessons cover a variety of aspects related to conducting: technique, analysis, rehearsal techniques, etc. Frequent analysis of student video recordings is encouraged.
Seminar Students and Dr. Cockrell meet regularly for sessions addressing a variety of pertinent
subjects: score analysis, study and memorization skills, instrumentation,
personal and time management, performance practice, programing, public speaking and presentation skills, etc.
Recording The School of Music boasts a fine recording studio and
a superb audio engineer. Students will have opportunities to study all aspects of
audio production from microphone placement and recording through mastering and
final production of a CD.
Supplementary studies The full resources of the School of Music and
The University of Arizona are available to conducting students. They will be
encouraged to strengthen their knowledge of the operatic languages of Italian,
German and French.
Application procedure: NOTE: no applications will be accepted 2015-16.
- In advance of submitting your completed application please email Dr. Cockrell and attach a current résumé and a repertoire list noting works performed, works conducted in rehearsal, works studied. Include links to YouTube uploads of selections of your work. Brief, targeted selections are best.
- See www.music.arizona.edu to apply to both the UA School of Music and Graduate College.
- As part of your application please submit a DVD in which you conduct 2-3 contrasting works, including some rehearsal. The DVD should be of no more than 25 minutes in length.
- The deadline for priority consideration of applications and supplementary materials is will be January 10, 2015.
- A small number of highly qualified applicants will be invited to audition and interview in Tucson in February 2015, dates TBA.
See www.cfa.arizona.edu/symphony for detailed information about the UA conducting and orchestral programs.
Thomas Cockrell
Director of Orchestral Activities
Nelson Riddle Endowed Chair in Music
The University of Arizona School of Music
P.O. Box 210004
Tucson, AZ 85721-0004
520-621-7028
Cockrell@u.arizona.edu
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