Choral Conducting
The Choral Conducting programme at the Conservatorium van Amsterdam offers you everything you need to become a versatile choir conductor. You will rehearse twice a week with CvA choirs under the supervision of your teachers. You will develop strong rehearsal techniques, train your ear, and learn how to rehearse in an inspiring and efficient manner, including which gestures are most effective.
Teachers
Maria van Nieukerken section representative, principal subject
Benjamin Goodson regular guest teacher
Daniel Reuss regular guest teacher
Titia van Heyst voice as a subsidiary subject
Practical experience is central to the curriculum: you will rehearse and conduct frequently and extensively with different groups in a wide range of repertoire. The choral conducting department works closely together with other departments, such as orchestral conducting, classical singing, early music, composition, and the Music in Education programme.
The programme is characterised by a positive atmosphere where openness in music and towards each other are key. Students get to know each other well through the many group lessons and experiments in different working methods. In addition to the various forms of principal subject lessons, you will take valuable subsidiary subjects, such as literature study, percussion technique, individual singing and piano lessons, and score playing. You will also have ample opportunity to participate in exciting projects and interdisciplinary collaborations.
All the choral conducting teachers are active in the field, serving as conductors for both professional and amateur choirs.
Curriculum
1. CvA Choir & CvA Chamber Choir: singing and rehearsing
Every choral conducting student sings weekly in the CvA choir and the CvA chamber choir throughout the programme. The rehearsals of both choirs are largely led by the choral conducting students, with active guidance from the teachers. Both choirs also give concerts, led by students and teachers.
2. Rehearsal technique: working methods, ear training, communication
In the principal subject classes, you will work on the repertoire of the CvA choirs and choose your own repertoire to study. You will work on how you can convey music, on your knowledge and interpretation of a score. The focus here is on you as a conductor/inspirer.
These classes also include preparation and evaluation of rehearsals with the CvA choirs. The focus here is on your rehearsal technique, ear training, problem-solving skills, and, of course, gestures that can support you in this.
3. Repertoire: knowledge of scores, inspiring and efficient gestures
Principal subject lessons are partly given in group lessons: the principal subject students take turns acting as conductor and as part of the ensemble. These lessons focus on rehearsal technique, the effectiveness of your gestures, ear training, and communication. Joint evaluations of rehearsals with the CvA choirs are also an important part of these lessons.
4. Vocal technique: individual, coaching with CvA choirs, and group lessons
The teacher of voice as a subsidiary subject regularly acts as vocal coach for the CvA choir, CvA chamber choir, and group lessons. Singing technique is therefore covered in various ways and in various lesson formats: you not only learn to sing better in individual lessons, you also learn how to convey this to a group.
Admission Requirements
Candidates for the entrance exam are selected after the admissions committee has assessed a video recording. The recording must be submitted digitally via the application form before 1 February. We would also like to receive a resume and a letter of motivation.
Video recording
The video must contain recordings of rehearsals in at least two different stylistic periods/tempos/languages. Please note: the committee wants to see you as a conductor, as the leader of the rehearsal, the interaction between conductor and choir, in other words, a glimpse of the rehearsal process. The maximum duration is 30 minutes. Please note: do not send concert videos, nor videos in which you are singing and/or playing the piano.
The entrance exam consists of the following parts:
Theoretical part (25 minutes):
- ear
- musical level, instrumental or vocal
- piano playing: being able to play at least a two-part Invention by Bach
- literary insight, affinity with French, German, and English
Practical part: four components in one day
1. Rehearsal with the CvA Chamber Choir
You will have approximately 20/25 minutes to rehearse with the CvA chamber choir on pieces that the choir is somewhat familiar with. What will you do, what will you choose, what can you achieve in the time you have? This is about rehearsal technique, ear, communication with the group, choices, responding to what is happening, inspiring, and of course your gestures. We will also look at your charisma, vocal skills, knowledge of the score, and decisiveness.
Repertoire: The committee will choose from a list of pieces provided in advance.
2. Conducting several pieces with piano and small vocal ensemble
You will conduct several pieces as if you were conducting a concert. Your choir consists of a pianist and the Choral Conducting students.
This part focuses primarily on your musical leadership in terms of gestures, making eye contact, and your interpretation of a score.
This part lasts approximately 15 minutes per candidate.
Repertoire: The committee will select pieces from a list of pre-submitted pieces on the spot.
3. Singing & piano
Of course, we also want to hear you sing. You will have prepared a song in advance, which you will perform together with a pianist from the CvA.
We also want to know how well you play the piano. Therefore, prepare a two-part Bach Invention (of your choice) (a three-part Invention is also acceptable), which you will perform during the exam. We may also ask you to play a score from the list of choral works you have prepared for parts 1 and 2.
Singing: compulsory work, to be specified in advance.
Piano: choose a piece yourself from two/three-part Inventions by J.S. Bach.
(NB: no other pieces!)
4. Interview about your motivation
Finally, we would like to get to know you better and gain a broader picture of who you are as a person. That is why we take the time to talk to you. You can also ask the teachers questions yourself.
Curriculum
During the master programme, conducting students delve deeper into musical scores and how to convey them to a choir (and orchestra)! All topics covered in the bachelor programme are addressed in greater depth and intensity in the master programme.
Principal Study
Higher demands are placed on your knowledge of musical scores and the difficulty level of the pieces. The pace also increases: you study more scores and focus more on pieces for choir and orchestra. In addition, you will rehearse even more with the CvA choirs and in the projects of that year.
You will continue to work on good rehearsal techniques, further training your ear, conducting technique, communication skills, and everything else you need to be a good musical leader.
You will also be introduced to co-teaching: how to teach others about conducting. This will be done, among other things, by attending classes of students who take choral conducting as a subsidiary subject and, together with the principal subject teacher, teaching one of them.
Rehearsing with the CvA Chamber Choir and CvA Choir
In the master programme, you will work with the CvA choirs even more often than you did in the bachelor programme. For example, you will be the one to start a new piece, offer a more difficult piece, but also: you will be able to refine and elaborate on musical details. During projects, you will also have the opportunity to conduct parts of these projects.
Research
In addition to the specific attention paid to matters relating directly to the principal subject - conducting technique, knowledge of scores and repertoire, rehearsal techniques -, research plays an obvious role here. To convey a score in a convincing manner to a choir, ensemble or orchestra, a thorough knowledge of the work - and therefore in-depth research - are essential. Within the framework of the master electives, the student can focus on a certain composition or composer, but also on historical performance, tuning or certain instrumental techniques.
Master research is a separate part of the master programme, in which students write a thesis on a topic of their choice and defend it. Information on research is provided separately.
Other subjects
Students may choose from a number of master electives and additional electives for individual credits. For instance, orchestral conducting as a subsidiary subject is an obvious choice.
Evaluation
To be determined in consultation.
Admission Requirements
Candidates for the entrance exam are selected after the admissions committee has assessed a video recording. The recording must be submitted digitally via the application form before 1 February. A resume and a letter of motivation are also required.
Video recording
The video must contain recordings of rehearsals in at least three different stylistic periods/tempos/languages. Please note: the committee wants to see you as a conductor, as the leader of the rehearsal, the interaction between conductor and choir, in other words, a glimpse of the rehearsal process. The maximum duration is 45 minutes. Please note: do not sunbmit concert videos, nor videos in which you are singing and/or playing the piano.
The entrance exam consists of the following parts:
Theoretical part (25 minutes):
- ear
- musical level, instrumental or vocal
- piano playing: being able to play at least a two-part Invention by Bach
- literary insight, affinity with French, German, and English
Practical part: four components in one day
1. Rehearsal with the CvA Chamber Choir
You will have approximately 20/25 minutes to rehearse with the CvA chamber choir on pieces that the choir is somewhat familiar with. What will you do, what will you choose, what can you achieve in the time you have? This is about rehearsal technique, ear, communication with the group, choices, responding to what is happening, inspiring, and of course your gestures. We will also look at your charisma, vocal skills, knowledge of the score, and decisiveness.
Repertoire: The committee will choose from a list of pieces provided in advance.
2. Conducting several pieces with piano and small vocal ensemble
You will conduct several pieces as if you were conducting a concert. Your choir consists of a pianist and the Choral Conducting students.
This part focuses primarily on your musical leadership in terms of gestures, making eye contact, and your interpretation of a score.
This part lasts approximately 15 minutes per candidate.
Repertoire: The committee will select pieces from a list of pre-submitted pieces on the spot.
3. Singing & piano
Of course, we also want to hear you sing. You will have prepared a song in advance, which you will perform together with a pianist from the CvA.
We also want to know how well you play the piano. Therefore, prepare a two-part Bach Invention (of your choice) (a three-part Invention is also acceptable), which you will perform during the exam. We may also ask you to play a score from the list of choral works you have prepared for parts 1 and 2.
Singing: compulsory work, to be specified in advance.
Piano: choose a piece yourself from two/three-part Inventions by J.S. Bach.
(NB: no other pieces!)
4. Interview about your motivation
Finally, we would like to get to know you better and gain a broader picture of who you are as a person. That is why we take the time to talk to you. You can also ask the teachers questions yourself.