The Complete Conductor: Orchestral Conducting for the Choral Director

May 23-27, 2013

Memorial Day Weekend, New York City

May 2013 Guest Artists include: Mark Hayes

“The workshop is a unique opportunity for choral conductors to work with seasoned professionals, deepening their understanding of the issues involved in orchestral conducting, and strengthening that understanding with hands-on practical experience. In a mutually supportive atmosphere, conductors gain vital insight into their own work and that of their colleagues.”
– Michael Adelson, former member of the New York Philharmonic Conducting Staff (2012 Faculty)

“The best way to learn to conduct is to stand up and see what works and what doesn't."
– John Hughes, Iowa (2012 Class)

"To have the opportunity to learn alongside my colleagues was the most valuable experience. I loved the one-on-one conducting lesson and gained so much from the time I spent."
– Dana Self, Missouri (2012 Class)

Program Overview:

During this intensive program, conductors will:

• study two major choral/orchestral works
• receive individual private lessons with a mentor
• participate in group study and discussion
• receive podium time with a professional string quartet
• receive podium time with a professional chamber orchestra
• receive photos and video from all sessions and podium time
  

MAY 2013 Mentoring Faculty

Michael Adelson, Conductor/Composer

Conductor, composer, writer and educator, Michael Adelson made his first appearance with a major American orchestra in 1992, conducting the Los Angeles Philharmonic. He has served on the conducting staff of the New York Philharmonic and has also conducted the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, the Philharmonia Orchestra in London, the Norwegian Chamber Orchestra, the Helsinki Philharmonic, the Finnish and Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestras, and many other ensembles in Europe and America. Equally at home in the opera house, Mr. Adelson has conducted Scandinavian productions of Puccini's Turandot and La Bohème, Mozart's Der Schauspieldirektor, and at the Stockholm Folkopera, the world premiere production of Qu Xiao-Song's Oedipus.

Mr. Adelson is deeply committed to music of our time, having worked with composers such as Pierre Boulez, Bernard Rands, Harrison Birtwistle, Magnus Lindberg and Donald Martino. In addition to serving as Principal Conductor of the Auros Group for New Music in Boston, he frequently guest conducts other new music ensembles, including Speculum Musicae, the New York New Music Ensemble, the Locrian Chamber Players, the Cygnus Ensemble, Dinosaur Annex, and the Fromm Players at Harvard. He has led world premieres at the Venice Biennale and the Ultima Contemporary Music Festival in Oslo, and has introduced new American works to Japan, England, Estonia, and the Scandinavian countries. His own works have been performed by the New York Philharmonic as well as other ensembles and soloists worldwide. He is founding member of the Present Eye, an organization dedicated to experimental music and art.

Education plays an important part in Mr. Adelson's activities. In addition to teaching conducting, he leads workshops in orchestral technique for young musicians and music educators. He teaches  via the Internet as well as in person, using new media to work with musicians worldwide. He is a clinician for the New York Philharmonic, and has served on the faculties of the Mannes College of Music, the State University of New York at Purchase, and Connecticut College. He has guest conducted at the Cleveland Institute of Music, the Manhattan School of Music, and Harvard, Columbia and Brandeis Universities. He conducted a workshop for composers at the Venice Biennale, taught chamber music at Helsinki University, and led opera, orchestral, and chamber music master classes at the Accademia di Musica in Sassari, Italy. Mr. Adelson has written and conducted young people's concerts with the New York, Helsinki, and Los Angeles Philharmonic orchestras. He has also written and lectured widely, on subjects as diverse as the links between mathematics and music, critical thinking, great historical cities as centers of culture, and twentieth-century art history. He is currently writing a book for non-musicians on the art of conducting.

Michael Adelson studied at the New England Conservatory, the Mannes College of Music, and graduated summa cum laude from Jorma Panula's conducting class at the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki.

Jonathan Griffith, DCINY Artistic Director

The co-founder of Distinguished Concerts International New York, Jonathan Griffith is an active conductor, educator, lecturer, and consultant. His many conducting credits in this country and abroad include the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, Salt Lake City; Manhattan Philharmonic and New England Symphonic Ensemble, both in performances at Carnegie Hall; The European Symphony Orchestra, Spain; Bohuslava Martinů Philharmonia and Philharmonia Chorus, Virtuosi Pregensis Chamber Orchestra, Karlovy Vary Symphony Orchestra, and Dvořák Chamber Orchestra, Czech Republic; Bialystok State Philharmonic, Poland; and several regional orchestras and choruses in the U.S.

Jorge Avila, DCINY Concertmaster

Hailed as a strong violinist by The New York Times, Honduran-born Jorge Avila has won attention as an outstanding violinist through numerous appearances as a soloist, recitalist, concertmaster, and chamber musician. A recipient of various awards and honors, Jorge received his "green card" under the "Extraordinary talent" category, later becoming a US Citizen. He was also awarded first prize at the 2001 Mu Phi Epsilon International Music Competition and the "Omar del Carlo" Fellowship at the Tanglewood Music Center. Jorge is the concertmaster of the Ridgefield Symphony and DCINY. He has also appeared as concertmaster with The Stamford, Westfield and Greenwich Symphony orchestras, St. Patrick's Cathedral, Long Island Masterworks, Grace Church Orchestra, and Tanglewood Music Center, among many other orchestras. His concerto highlights include recent performances of the Mendelssohn, Brahms and Beethoven concertos, as well as Beethoven's Triple Concerto with David Finckel and Wu Han. He has often performed live on both television and radio, and in 2008 appeared as Concertmaster for His Holiness, Pope Benedict XVI, at a televised Mass held at Yankee Stadium. Jorge has recorded for Naxos, Nonesuch Records, and other labels. His solo debut CD of Spanish violin and piano Sonatas is being released in 2012 on the Centaur Label.

DCINY Concerts and Guest Artists

DCINY is presenting one concert performance at Avery Fisher Hall during the weekend featuring guest artists, the Distinguished Concerts Singers International and the Distinguished Concerts Orchestra. Registrants are invited to observe choral and orchestral rehearsals and attend the concert. Please visit www.DCINY.org for more details including concert program and guest artists.

Monday, May 27, 2013, Avery Fisher Hall, Lincoln Center, 7:00 pm

DCINY Artistic Director Jonathan Griffith will conduct the Duruflé Requiem and composer/conductor Mark Hayes will conduct the world premier performance of his Requiem and the New York premiere of his The Gettysburg Address.

Mark Hayes

As a beginning piano student of ten years of age, Mark Hayes had little idea of the foundation he was laying for his future career in music. From those inauspicious beginnings in northern Illinois, his career has blossomed into international tours to Europe, the Far East, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, and Brazil. Now an internationally known writer, his music can be found in the music libraries of the finest churches and universities in the country, and he is in increasing demand for choral clinics and concerts.

He earned a Bachelor of Music degree in piano performance, magna cum laude from Baylor University, but his degree was only a small part of what he gained from those four years. During his college years his dream to become a composer and arranger of contemporary Christian and sacred music was born and nurtured.

Today Hayes' vocal and instrumental writing is widely acclaimed and performed across the nation. He is well-known for his unique choral settings which draw from such diverse styles such as gospel, jazz, pop, folk, and classical to achieve a truly "American sound." The popularity of his music is evident in the numerous offers of commissions he receives from universities and churches throughout the country. Te Deum, his newest work for oratorio chorus and orchestra, was commissioned and premiered by Wayland Baptist University in Plainview, TX in April 2004. His worccks are regularly featured at annual conventions of the American Choral Directors' Association and the Music Educators' National Conference. His personal catalog, compiled over the last 30 years, includes well over 600 published original compositions and arrangements, which are distributed by several leading publishers. Hayes has produced and arranged over 50 recordings for various artists and publishers, 25 keyboard folios, and seven volumes of the Mark Hayes Vocal Solo Collection.

"Empowering church musicians has always been one of my goals", says Hayes. He lives this out by regularly serving as a clinician at arranging, orchestration, and piano improvisation workshops throughout the country. Because of his creative arranging approach, his performance expertise, and his "hands on" experience as a church pianist for so many years, Hayes is able to give fresh insights into improvisation, accompanying, and congregational hymn playing for the church musician. He is also a co-creator of a multi-level piano method series designed for young church pianists. To further educate and encourage new arrangers and composers, he has served as an adjunct composition instructor at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Kansas City, Missouri from 1991-1993.

May 27, 2007, marked Hayes' conducting debut at Carnegie Hall in New York City. He conducted a 200 voice chorus and the New England Symphonic Ensemble performing the East coast premiere of his Magnificat and Spirit Suite and the Carnegie Hall premiere of his Te Deum.

In addition to his involvement in the sacred and secular choral music fields, Hayes is increasingly sought after as an orchestrator and record producer. Mark Hayes is a recurring recipient of the Standard Award from ASCAP, and his album, I've Just Seen Jesus," received the Dove Award, the equivalent to a Grammy in gospel music.

Photos from previous workshops

"There is nothing offered like this at the university level. The faculty was able to help and reach all the participants."
-Robin McKee Williams, California (2012 Class)

"All the parts worked together for a total package that surpassed expectations."
– DonnaLynn Laver, Ohio (2012 Class)

January 2013 Workshop Photos
More 2013 Workshop Photos
Conversations with Jorge Avila, DCINY Concertmaster	Private lesson and personalized instruction with faculty member	Lots of podium time throughout the residency

Group discussion, score study, analysis and practical training

Podium time in front of the DCINY Chamber Orchestra

Work with professional string quartet from the DCINY Orchestra

Deadline & Application

A limited number of slots are available. Applications will be accepted until spaces are filled.

For full details and application, please contact Jeffery R. Thyer, Associate Director of Program Development at 212-707-8566 x312.