Join us for The Conducting Institute’s Summer Program, where students of all levels will explore the art and craft of orchestral conducting in a rigorous and encouraging setting, focused on teaching the fundamentals and establishing a solid foundation in this art form, both in classroom sessions and in front of orchestral ensembles. 

The Summer Program aims to provide a comprehensive educational experience for both beginning and in-training conductors. Consisting of extensive classes and hands-on Lab Orchestra sessions, the three-week program will cover thoroughly such topics as:

• Fundamental Skills of Conducting

  • Score reading in multiple clefs

  • Transpositions

  • Orchestration

  • Ear Training (Dictations, sight singing, …)

  • Aural Skills (Singing Bach chorales in multiple clefs, … )

  • Keyboard Skills (Figured bass, playing Bach chorales in multiple clefs, …)

  • Languages and Musical Terminology

  • Study of recitatives in multiple languages

• Score Study

  • Analysis of Repertoire

  • Preparing for Rehearsals

  • Working with Soloists

• Mechanics of Conducting

  • Application of all the knowledge above from the podium

  • Video analysis of institute sessions and participants’ own previous conducting.

Dates and Schedule - May 25 to June 12

The program begins with a week of online classes from May 25 to 29, 2026, meeting daily from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m. Central Time. It will consist of conducting seminars on the chosen repertoire, aural skills and ear training classes, and other classes on fundamental skills of conducting. At least one hour of each day will be devoted to small group sessions with the TAs for review, questions, and assignments. Synchronous participation is mandatory for all participants.

The second and third weeks, June 1 - June 12, will consist of hands-on work with the Institute’s Laboratory Orchestra, conducting seminars to discuss Lab Orchestra sessions, and ear training classes. In-person days will begin at 9am and end by 5pm, Monday through Friday.

A normal day will consist of 2.5 hours of orchestra session in the morning, followed by an ear training class, conducting seminar, and classes on various topics in the afternoon.

[NEW in 2026!] Preparation Period
Beginning in March 2026, all admitted participants will have access to weekly preparatory sessions taught by teaching assistants Kyle Haake and Ana Spasovska. Every week, two online office-hour sessions will be offered. These meetings are included in the program’s tuition and are available to both Intensive and Fundamentals Category participants. Every participant is expected to attend at least one office hour session per week.

Location

All in-person activities take place at Orchestra Hall
4401 Trail Lake Dr.
Fort Worth, TX

Instructors

Miguel Harth-Bedoya and Associate Faculty
View our full faculty roster here.

Classes

Our program is unique in offering a variety of classes to provide a comprehensive conducting training. Classes for the summer program will include:

- Conducting Mechanics
- Score Study
- Ear Training
- Score Reading at the Piano
- Instrumental Techniques (Strings, Woodwinds, Brass, Percussion, and Timpani) with associate faculty
- Writing Skills
- Latin American Orchestral Literature

Studio Ensemble

In addition to the podium time with Institute Lab Orchestra, students will receive additional podium time with Studio Ensemble, which consists of Intensive Participants and Fundamentals Participants. Every conductor will be asked to bring their instruments, and we will play for each other during conducting seminars to address specific issues as necessary.

Participant Categories

Intensive Category

Intensive Participants receive daily podium time with the full Lab Orchestra and work on the complete repertoire assigned for the summer. During the in-person weeks, Intensive Participants conduct every day (M-F). Total podium time will be at least 150 minutes.

Fundamentals Category

Fundamentals Participants receive podium time three days in the first in-person week and four days in the second in-person week and conduct a smaller ensemble (String Quintet + Woodwind Quintet) on a curated set of repertoire appropriate to this level. Total podium time will be at least 105 minutes. Conducting sessions for the Fundamentals Category will be taught by Andrew J. Kim, Maritza Cáceres, and Miguel Harth-Bedoya.

Aside from the difference in the podium time and repertoire, all students’ participation is the same. The best candidates for this category are music educators as well as someone who is looking to take their first steps in conducting.

Auditors

Auditors are able to watch every session but will not be able to participate.

Lab Orchestra

The Institute’s Lab Orchestra consists of musicians drawn from conservatories and music schools around the country. We do not have any sessions that use two pianos.

Repertoire

Intensive Participants

Recitatives

• Haydn, Die Schöpfung, “Und Gott Sprach: Es bringe das Wasser” - German for Intensive Participants

• Mendelssohn: Elijah, “Ye people, rend your hearts”

• Bizet: Carmen ("C'est bien là, n'est ce pas, dans ce grand bâtiment", and "La belle un mot")

• Mozart: Die Zauberflöte ("Die Weisheitslehre dieser Knabe")

• Mozart: Le Nozze di Figaro ("E Susanna non vien", "Hai gia vinta la causa", and "Giunse alfin il momento”)

• Verdi: Rigoletto, “Pari siamo”

• Verdi: La Traviata, "E strano"

Ensemble

• Revueltas, Ocho por Radio

• Copland, Appalachian Spring (13 instruments)

Beethoven Symphonies

• Selections from Symphonies No. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, and 8.

  • After the admissions decisions, the faculty will work with accepted students to determine the selections appropriate to their goals.

Concerto

• TBD

Romantic Symphonies

• Brahms, Symphony No. 2, Mov't I and III

• Brahms, Symphony No. 3, Mov't I and II

• Brahms, Symphony No. 4, Mov't IV

• Dvorak, Symphony No. 7, Mov't I and II

• Returning students only: you are invited to propose your own repertoire, if interested.

Fundamentals Participants

Recitatives

• Haydn, The Creation, “And God Said: Let the Waters Bring Forth” - English for Fundamentals Participants

• Mendelssohn: Elijah, “Ye people, rend your hearts”

• Bizet: Carmen ("C'est bien là, n'est ce pas, dans ce grand bâtiment", and "La belle un mot")

• Mozart: Die Zauberflöte ("Die Weisheitslehre dieser Knabe")

• Mozart: Le Nozze di Figaro ("E Susanna non vien", "Hai gia vinta la causa", and "Giunse alfin il momento”)

• Verdi: Rigoletto, “Pari siamo”

• Verdi: La Traviata, "E strano"

Strings

• Mozart, Eine Kleine Nachtmusik

• Elgar, Serenade for Strings

Winds and Strings

• Bartok, Romanian Folk Dances

• Selections Schubert, Symphony No. 5

Application Process

Applications are accepted from January 1 through January 23, 2026. The Institute will not use rolling admissions this year; applicants should be sure to get their application in by the deadline.

Required materials for both participation categories include:
- Résumé
- Short Written Answers to Questions
- Conducting videos are optional.

After an initial review period, selected applicants will be invited to a Zoom interview before final decisions are made.

Only nine Intensive Participants and eight Fundamentals Participants will be admitted in 2026.

Applications will open January 1st!

Tuition

Intensive Participation: $4,398
Fundamentals Participation: $1,698

Online Class Participation (Week 1 only) - $300
Auditing (In-person only) - $100 per week

Financial aid is available, also for auditors!

Travel, housing, and meals are the responsibility of the participants. An option to stay with a host family may become available through your financial aid package.

Contact

For questions, please contact andrew@conductinginstitute.org