SYMPHONY AUSTRALIA Conducting core program Applications for the 2011 program are now closed
Contents Introduction 3 A note from the Director 4 Program 5 Application guidelines 10 Eligibility Selection Process Audition Repertoire Travel Assistance Fees How to Apply Partners 12 Application form
Introduction One of Symphony Australia s goals is to assist a new generation of conductors to reach their potential by providing the highest quality training possible. 2011 s Conductor Development program, taught by international conductors Christopher Seaman, Johannes Fritzsch, Sebastian Lang Lessing, Arvo Volmer and Eckehard Stier, represents a major investment by Symphony Australia in Australian talent. Christopher Seaman is Course Director. A regular guest conductor of Australian symphony orchestras, he devotes a number of weeks each year to teaching and directing our training programs. We are delighted to welcome all the guest conductors who will join Christopher Seaman in providing expertise and guidance throughout the year. 3
A note from the Director I feel very excited and also very privileged to continue this important role in the musical life of Australia. For more than 20 years I have enjoyed coming here and conducting the excellent Australian orchestras. Now, in addition to that, I am able to play my part in teaching and nurturing young Australian conductors. The Symphony Australia Conductor Development program is, as far as I know, unique. One of the best things about it is that these young conductors will have the opportunity to work with many of the major orchestras in the region and with other groups of experienced players. Previous participants in the program have gone on to opportunities to study and work internationally, and some have already begun their careers in Australia and overseas. But whatever level of conducting our participants reach, the whole musical life of Australia, professional, educational, and amateur, will gain enormously from the program s influence on the overall standard of conducting here. Congratulations to Symphony Australia for creating this - I wish there had been something like it for me when I started out! Christopher Seaman Course Director They will also be coached by me and by other international guest conductors, giving them a rich diversity of experience to draw on - a priceless gift in itself. 4
Program Mastercourses with Course Director, Christopher Seaman Free to auditioned participants. Auditor s fee $AUD100 Location: Hobart Dates: 22 August 26 August 2011 Orchestra: Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra Location: Auckland, New Zealand Dates: 12 Sept 16 Sept 2011 Orchestra: Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra Location: Auckland, New Zealand Dates: 19 Sept 23 Sept 2011 Orchestra: Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra Christopher Seaman s experience ranges across the great music that makes up the canon of masterpieces. His mastercourses offer participants opportunities to conduct professional symphony orchestras in Australia and New Zealand and are ideal for learning how to tackle a range of major works. The experience will be refined and guided in additional sessions away from the orchestra, working on technique and with pianists and ensembles. These mastercourses will enable participants to hone music which will be part of any aspiring conductor s repertoire, including both symphonic and concerto works within the context of a fully-professional and stimulating environment. So if you want to learn how to conduct an orchestra at the highest levels of professionalism, apply for these mastercourses. Christopher Seaman Course Director Christopher Seaman is in his twelfth season as Music Director of the Rochester Philharmonic (New York) where he has attracted much attention for raising the artistic level, broadening the audience base and creating a new concert series a contribution that was recently recognised in the form of a programming award from the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP). In 2009 the University of Rochester made Christopher Seaman an Honorary Doctor of Music, acknowledging his leadership in music as a renowned conductor, accomplished recording artist, gifted teacher and community performing arts partner. In 2008 he was also appointed Artistic Advisor of the San Antonio Symphony Orchestra. Christopher Seaman held the position of Music Director of the Naples Philharmonic Orchestra (Florida) for many years and was also Conductor-in-Residence with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. He has enjoyed guest conducting engagements with orchestras in Pittsburgh, Detroit, Houston, San Francisco, St Louis, Utah and Minnesota, and has been a guest at the Aspen Music Festival for many years. In Europe, Seaman has appeared regularly with orchestras such as the Rotterdam Philharmonic, Netherlands Radio Philharmonic, and the Bergen, Czech, Brno and Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestras. Recent highlights have included the Gulbenkian Orchestra, Brabants Orchestra, Trondheim Symphony and the National Orchestra of Porto, where he will return in 2011. He will also appear with the Prague Radio Symphony on a regular basis from 2010/2011. Christopher Seaman has held the position of Principal Conductor with both the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra and the Northern Sinfonia; he has also worked regularly with the Royal Philharmonic, City of Birmingham Symphony, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, Bournemouth Symphony, Philharmonia, and Royal Scottish National Orchestras. He frequently visits Australia and Asia, and has conducted the Hong Kong Philharmonic and Singapore Symphony Orchestras, as well as the Sydney Symphony and the Melbourne and Queensland Symphony Orchestras. In 2010 he conducts the Auckland Philharmonia and the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra, and he will return to Melbourne in 2012. Christopher Seaman is committed to encouraging young talent and has held the post of Course Director of the Symphony Australia Conductor Development program for many years, devoting a number of weeks every year to teaching and directing training programs for young conductors. He has also had a long association with the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain and the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. Christopher Seaman s critically acclaimed recordings with the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra include Tchaikovsky s Piano Concerto No.1 with Olga Kern, and Rachmaninov s Piano Concerto No.3 with Jon Nakamatsu. He has also conducted recordings with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Philharmonia Orchestra and the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain. 5
Mastercourse with Johannes Fritzsch Free to auditioned participants Auditor s fee $AUD100 Location: Brisbane and Caloundra Dates: 14 20 February 2011 Orchestra: Queensland Symphony Orchestra This module will provide more experienced participants with the opportunity to rehearse the QSO in a Music on Sundays program. Participants will then observe Chief Conductor Johannes Fritzsch rehearsing the same program, tour with the orchestra to Caloundra to observe a performance there and return to Brisbane for a repeat performance. New applicants to the program are not eligible to apply for this module. Johannes Fritzsch Johannes Fritzsch is currently Chief Conductor of the Queensland Symphony Orchestra and Chief Conductor and Artistic Director of the Graz Philharmonic Orchestra and Graz Opera, Austria. Until recently he held the position of Chief Conductor of the Nuremberg State Theatre Opera. Johannes Fritzsch was born in Meissen, Germany and he studied conducting and piano at the Carl Maria von Weber Music Academy in Dresden. After a period at the Volkstheater in Rostock, he accepted the position of Kapellmeister with the Semperoper Dresden, where he conducted more than 350 opera and ballet performances over five years. Following German reunification Fritzsch performed engagements outside Eastern Europe and he has since led many orchestras in Germany and internationally, including the Hamburg Symphony Orchestra, Dusseldorf Symphony, Mannheim National Theatre Orchestra, Mecklenburg Staatskapelle Schwerin, Berlin Symphony Orchestra, Staatskapelle Dresden, North German Philharmonic Rostock, Halle Philharmonic State Orchestra, the Swedish, Norwegian and Danish Radio Symphony Orchestras, Strasbourg Philharmonic, National Orchestra of Montpellier and the Orchestre national du Capitole de Toulouse; in Australia he has conducted the Sydney Symphony, Orchestra Victoria, and the Tasmanian, Adelaide and West Australian Symphony Orchestras. On the opera stage, Fritzsch has appeared with Cologne Opera, Deutsche Oper Berlin, Komische Oper Berlin, Bastille Opera, Royal Swedish Opera, Malmö Opera and Opera Australia, in productions including Wozzeck, Don Giovanni, Carmen, Tosca, Rigoletto, Salome, and Der Rosenkavalier. 6
Mastercourses with Sebastian Lang-Lessing Free to auditioned participants Auditor s fee $AUD100 Location: Hobart Dates: 21 February 25 February 2011 Orchestra: Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra Location: Sydney Dates: 14 March 18 March 2011 This module focuses on technique and music-making without an orchestra. A professional ensemble and pianists will be provided. This module will be compulsory for new participants in the program. Sebastian Lang-Lessing Sebastian Lang-Lessing has been Chief Conductor and Artistic Director of the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra since 2004. He was recently appointed as Music Director of the San Antonio Symphony Orchestra, and will make his debut there in October 2010. Awarded the Ferenc Fricsay Prize in Berlin at the age of 24, he subsequently took up a conducting post at the Hamburg State Opera, was appointed resident conductor at the Deutsche Oper Berlin and later Chief Conductor and Artistic Director of the Orchestre Symphonique et Lyrique de Nancy. Under his direction, the Opéra de Nancy was elevated to national status, becoming the Opéra national de Lorraine. Lang-Lessing s international career started at the Paris Opera, followed by engagements at Los Angeles Opera, San Francisco Opera, Houston Grand Opera, Washington National Opera and the opera houses in Oslo and Stockholm. He conducted a highly regarded new production of Wagner s Rienzi at the Deutsche Oper Berlin in January 2010 and leads a new production of Der Rosenkavalier at Cape Town Opera during the 2010 FIFA World Cup. He has conducted the Orchestre de Paris, Radio France Philharmonic Orchestra, Tokyo Philharmonic, Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra, major German radio orchestras and major Australian orchestras. He inaugurated the TSO s annual Sydney season and led the Orchestra on a tour of Japan. Lang-Lessing s discography includes music by the French composer Guy Ropartz, and his recordings with the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra include the recently released complete symphonies of Mendelssohn, the complete Schumann symphonies, Romantic Overtures, music of Brett Dean, Mozart Arias with soprano Sara Macliver, and works by Saint-Saëns, Franck and Ravel. Forthcoming TSO releases include Grieg s Peer Gynt Suites, Mozart symphonies, and piano concertos by Mendelssohn and Ravel with Kirill Gerstein. 7
Mastercourse with Eckehard Stier Free to auditioned participants Auditor s fee $AUD100 Location: Auckland, New Zealand Dates: 28 February 4 March 2011 Orchestra: Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra Eckehard Stier Eckehard Stier is the Music Director of the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra, Music Director and Chief Conductor of the Theater Görlitz in Germany, and is a leading figure in the new generation of conductors. He comes from a musical family and as a boy was a member of Dresden s world-famous choir, the Kreuzchor. Upon being awarded a scholarship, Stier began conducting lessons at the age of 14. He began his professional conducting career whilst attending the Dresden Conservatorium, and was assistant to Hartmut Haenchen at the Netherlands Opera. At the age of 23 he became a staff conductor with the Opera Theatre of Chemnitz, conducting opera and ballet productions. His opera repertoire comprises nearly 80 works from 300 years of opera history. He has performed as guest conductor with the Komische Oper Berlin, Nuremberg Opera, State Opera of Hanover and the Opéra national du Rhin in Strasbourg. Eckehard Stier has also established a strong reputation as a symphonic conductor, and has conducted concerts with the Staatskapelle Dresden, Dresden Philharmonic Orchestra, MDR Leipzig at the Gewandhaus, Munich Symphony Orchestra, Robert Schumann Philharmonic Orchestra and the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra. In 2003 he was named Chief Conductor of the New Lausitz Philharmonic Orchestra. In addition to his conducting activities, his enormous affinity for jazz has led to successful collaborations, including conducting the German premiere of Howard Brubeck s Dialogues for Jazz Combo and Orchestra in Dessau. His engagements for 2010 include concerts with the Munich and Cologne Philharmonic Orchestras. 8
Mastercourse with Arvo Volmer Free to auditioned participants Auditor s fee $AUD100 Arvo Volmer Arvo Volmer took up his appointment as Chief Conductor and Music Director of the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra in 2004. He began his professional conducting career with the Estonian National Opera in 1985, whilst still a student at the Estonian Music Academy. He made his debut with the Estonian National Symphony Orchestra in 1987, became their Associate Conductor in 1989 and was their Music Director between 1993 and 2001. He was Music Director of the Oulu Symphony Orchestra from 1994 to 2005, and is currently Artistic Director of the Estonian National Opera. Location: Adelaide Dates: 26 September 30 September 2011 Orchestra: Adelaide Symphony Orchestra Arvo Volmer has conducted widely in Europe and appeared with almost all the symphony orchestras in Scandinavia, including the Finnish Radio Symphony, the Copenhagen and Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestras, and the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra. Recent highlights have included concerts with the National Orchestra of France, Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra, Berliner Symphoniker, Russian Philharmonic Orchestra of Moscow and the St Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra. He made his Los Angeles debut at Royce Hall with the ASO as part of Australia Week in 2009. Arvo Volmer made his Australian debut in 2001 and has conducted the Adelaide, Tasmanian, Queensland, Melbourne and West Australian Symphony Orchestras, the Sydney Symphony, and the Sydney Philharmonia Choirs. He conducted the Adelaide and Tasmanian Symphony Orchestras performance of Mahler s Symphony No.8 in March 2010 as part of the Adelaide Festival. Arvo Volmer is active as a conductor of opera, working frequently with the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow, Finnish National Opera, Norwegian Opera and Oulu Opera. Arvo Volmer s extensive discography includes the complete symphonies of Eduard Tubin and the complete orchestral works of Leevi Madetoja, as well as discs of Swedish and Estonian contemporary music. He has recorded the full cycle of Sibelius symphonies with the ASO, due for release in July 2010. 9
Application guidelines Eligibility To be eligible to participate in the Core Program you must: be an Australian or New Zealand citizen or permanent resident (proof may be requested at any time) apply as outlined in this brochure be successful in gaining a place through the audition process Selection Process If you are applying to participate in the Core Program and have applied before, the selection panel will be most interested in what you have done since your last application. Obviously the most important information is about your conducting, but your wider musical experience is also of interest to the panel. If, in the panel s opinion, you have already achieved the maximum potential the program can offer, you will not be invited to audition for a place in the 2011 program. If you are a new applicant, the panel will examine your conducting experience and your general musical background. Generally, about half of all applicants are invited to audition, although this may vary from year to year. You will be notified in writing whether you have been successful in gaining an audition. If you are, you will be given an audition time, date and venue as soon as possible following the initial selection process. However you should note that this will be very close to the audition period. It is your responsibility to obtain all scores required for the auditions, and be prepared to conduct both works in their entirety. Symphony Australia will not be able to provide scores for the auditions. The audition panel will be led by Course Director Christopher Seaman. In your audition you will be required to conduct two pianos in sections of the two audition pieces. You will also be asked to perform a short (5 minute maximum) work or section of a work on either piano or an instrument of your choice. This can be as easy or as difficult as you feel comfortable with. Aural testing is an important part of the audition process. You will be given a variety of different aural tests which may include examination of the set audition pieces, sight-singing, chord recognition, recognition of incorrect notes in a played passage, transposition and other tasks. It is not possible to study for the aural component of the audition, but if you are not confident in this area it is recommended you do not apply. The decision of the panel is final, and no correspondence will be entered into following notification of the results. It is Symphony Australia s policy not to provide feedback on any selection process. Auditions for all mastercourses will be held in Adelaide, Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne and Auckland on the following dates: Adelaide Sunday 22 August 2010 Auckland Friday 3 September 2010 Brisbane Thursday 9 September 2010 Sydney Saturday 11 September & Sunday 12 September 2010 Melbourne Monday 13 September & Tuesday 14 September 2010 No applicant is guaranteed an audition, and auditionees will be selected on their experience as indicated in their application. Applicants are asked to submit one copy of a passport-sized photo for recognition purposes only. Places in the various mastercourses will be offered in late 2010. If you are successful in gaining a place in the program we will consider your requested mastercourses, but may offer you alternative mastercourses depending on availability. If you are unable 10
to accept a place as offered to you, there is no guarantee you will receive a place in an alternative mastercourse. Symphony Australia has a strict withdrawal policy that will be provided to successful applicants at the time of their offer. Failure to adhere to this policy can result in penalty. Audition Repertoire BEETHOVEN Symphony No.6, Op.68 Pastoral STRAVINSKY Petrushka (1947 version) Candidates must be prepared to conduct two pianos. You may be asked to conduct from any part of either work. You should prepare and conduct from a full score rather than a piano reduction. Candidates are responsible for supplying their own orchestral scores for use in the audition. Any section of the audition repertoire may be requested by the audition panel. Travel Assistance Symphony Australia may provide airfares to auditions for selected conductors who live outside the cities where auditions will be held. If only a small number of applicants are accepted for audition from one of the cities listed above, Symphony Australia may choose to fly these applicants to another audition venue at no cost to the applicant. Financial assistance of any kind must not be assumed and is not available to all applicants/ participants. Application Fee Those who wish to apply as a participating conductor in any mastercourse must pay a single, non-refundable application fee of $AUD75. Applications will not be accepted without this fee, which must be supplied as a cheque or money order. Please note that the application fee will not be refunded to unsuccessful applicants or applicants who do not receive an audition. If you are concerned about this fee, please contact the Artist Development Co-ordinator before applying. Some applicants wish to be considered as participating conductors, but indicate on their forms that if unsuccessful they would like to be auditors. It is recommended in the first instance that you simply apply as a participant and pay the $AUD75 application fee. If you are not offered a place as a participant, you will be offered the opportunity to re-apply as an auditor, for a fee of $AUD100 per mastercourse. In this instance, your $AUD75 application fee will not be refunded. Course Fee There is no course fee for Australian and New Zealand citizens. Courses are free to participants accepted through auditions. How to Apply for the Core Program Fill out the Personal Details section of the application form. Tick each mastercourse for which you wish to apply. Indicate preferred audition venue. Please ensure you send: Two photocopies plus the original of the application form including your separate answers to Background Questions Two photocopies plus the original of your curriculum vitae One passport-sized photo $AUD75 application fee (cheque or money order) to the address below no later than Friday 30 July 2010. Do not send any audiovisual material. Please do not use presentation folders. All application forms should be sent to: Anna Howell Artist Development Co-ordinator Symphony Australia PO Box 1145 Darlinghurst NSW 1300 Enquiries: (02) 8622 9482 or artists@symphony.net.au Applications may not be submitted electronically. Closing Date Please note all applications must be received by Symphony Australia by close of business on Friday 30 July 2010. 11
Partners Symphony Australia gratefully acknowledges the assistance of the following sponsors and partners. These partnerships have added greatly to the variety of activities we are able to offer conductors in 2011. These orchestras will each host mastercourses, providing the invaluable opportunity for conductors to work with a professional orchestra. Symphony Services Australia Holdings Pty Ltd PO Box 1145 Darlinghurst NSW Australia 1300 ACN 121 149 755 Design: www.ellipse.com.au 12
Conducting 2011 Core program Application Form Closing date: Friday 30 July 2010 SYMPHONY AUSTRALIA Faxed and emailed applications will not be accepted. Do not send folders of bound documents A4 stapled documents only. Please send one original and two single-sided photocopies of all applications and curriculum vitae, your application fee and one passport-sized photograph. Please fill out the application using blue or black pen only, in block letters. 1. Personal Details First Name Surname Address State Postcode Country Phone home ( ) work ( ) mobile Chosen Activities Core Program Please tick the boxes of the courses for which you wish to apply. Johannes Fritzsch, Brisbane, 14-20 February 2011 (NB this module is not available to new participants) Sebastian Lang-Lessing, Tasmania, 21-25 February 2011 Eckehard Stier, Auckland, 28 February-4 March 2011 Sebastian Lang-Lessing, Sydney, 14-18 March 2011 (NB this module is compulsory for new participants in the program) Christopher Seaman, Tasmania, 22-26 August 2011 Christopher Seaman, Auckland, 12-16 September 2011 Christopher Seaman, Auckland, 19-23 September 2011 Arvo Volmer, Adelaide, 26-30 September 2011 My preferred audition centre is: Email Please note that email is Symphony Australia s usual means of communication with participants. Please provide a reliable email address. Date of birth Gender M F Please notify Symphony Australia of any change of address, phone number or email. Brisbane Sydney Melbourne Auckland Adelaide Checklist Core Program I have enclosed an original and two photocopies of this application form, including my answers to the Background Questions I have enclosed the original and two photocopies of my curriculum vitae I have provided 1 passport-sized photograph of myself I have enclosed a single application fee of $AUD75 I have read and signed the Declaration Note: there are 2 PAGES to this form F1
Background Questions (for all applications to participate in all courses) Please answer these questions on a separate piece of paper. Your answers will be taken into consideration when we select applicants for audition. (Ensure two copies are included with your application.) (a) Have you ever led a section of an orchestra? If so, which orchestra/s and when? (b) Have you ever conducted a professional orchestra or ensemble? If so, which group, when, and in what capacity (eg performance, rehearsal, training activity etc)? (c) Have you ever conducted a non-professional orchestra or ensemble? If so, which group, when and in what capacity (eg performance, rehearsal, training activity etc)? (d) Have you ever created an ensemble of your own? Please provide details. (e) Please provide a complete repertoire list which includes ONLY works or movements you have actually conducted in rehearsal or concert, including name of ensemble and date of performance. Do not include works you have studied but not conducted. Payment details All applicants must pay a single, non-refundable $AUD75 Application Fee (includes GST). All cheques and money orders should be made out to Symphony Services Australia Ltd. Do not send cash through the mail. Credit card payments are not possible. Declaration I wish to apply for the 2011 Symphony Australia Conductor Development program as indicated on this form. I have read the conditions of this program as set out in the brochure and agree to abide by them. I declare that I am an Australian or New Zealand citizen or permanent resident and will provide proof of this status if required at any time. I declare that I am eligible to apply for my chosen activities as described in the brochure. I enclose the appropriate non-refundable application fee and understand that this fee does not automatically entitle me to an audition for the program. I understand that selection for an audition or entry to a module is entirely at the discretion of Symphony Australia. Signature Signature of applicant, or parent/guardian if under 18. Statistical information Have you ever applied in the past for the Conductor Development program? Yes No If yes, which years? Have you ever been successful in the past in gaining an audition for the Conductor Development program? Yes No If yes, which years? Have you ever been successful in gaining a place in the Conductor Development program? Yes No If yes, which years? Have you ever been an Auditor in the Conductor Development program? Yes No If yes, which years? Please post your application and required documentation to: Anna Howell, Artist Development Coordinator Symphony Australia PO Box 1145, Darlinghurst NSW 1300 Enquiries: (02) 8622 9482 or artists@symphony.net.au Date Application Form F2