Conducting

The Curtis conducting program provides young artists with the skills and experience to build rich and vibrant careers in the worlds of orchestra and opera.

Studying conducting at Curtis is designed to provide promising young conductors with one-of-a-kind training in operatic and symphonic repertoire. In keeping with Curtis’ learn-by-doing approach, conducting fellows gain vital experience through opportunities leading rehearsals and performances of Curtis Symphony Orchestra, the Lab Orchestra, Curtis New Music Ensemble, and Curtis Opera Theatre.

The Rita E. Hauser Conducting Fellows are taught and mentored by Yannick Nézet-Séguin, music director of The Philadelphia Orchestra and the Metropolitan Opera, and James Ross, Director of Orchestral Studies, and Miloš Repický, Hirsig Family Chair in Vocal Studies. They assist visiting conductors at Curtis and have full access to Curtis’s performance and musical studies faculties. Fellows will also regularly observe rehearsals and performances of the Philadelphia Orchestra and the Metropolitan Opera.

  • "The idea that Curtis will help create conductors who are equally at home in the worlds of both operatic and orchestral conducting—as I am—is unique in this country."

    — Yannick Nézet-Séguin, Head of Conducting
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    How to Apply

Faculty

  • Curriculum

    The Curtis curriculum is designed to meet students where they are in their musical journeys and to offer instruction, guidance, and inspiration as they pursue their goals.

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  • Audition Requirements

    Auditions may consist of pre-recorded submissions, interviews, and in-person rounds during February and March. Audition dates, repertoire, and prescreening requirements vary by department.

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Degree Programs

An undergraduate degree or equivalent is required for admission. The post-baccalaureate diploma requires a minimum of 36 semester hours. The program takes two years to complete.

Student Performances

Legacy of Conducting

For over a century, Curtis has trained not just an exceptional roster of young conductors but also the numerous gifted instrumentalists who have played in the Curtis Symphony Orchestra. Today, Curtis’s conducting students and orchestra have more opportunities and professional exposure than ever before.

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Special Thanks

Curtis Institute of Music is grateful for the visionary generosity of the Rita E. and Gustave M. Hauser Chair in Conducting Studies, which supports appearances by Curtis Symphony Orchestra guest conductors each year. Curtis additionally recognizes Rita Hauser’s commitment to the future of conducting through her continued support of the Rita E. Hauser Conducting Fellowships, held by Curtis’s conducting students.