Master Classes and Coaching Sessions

This important feature of this year’s Academy is designed to be a safe, nurturing, strengthening forum, where individuals will receive personalized feedback and instruction, and where risk taking is encouraged and applauded.

CONDUCTING IN THE MASTER CLASSES

Participants who desire to be one of the master class conductors should do the following:

1. Register for the Choral Academy and pay the $30 master class fee. A maximum of nine amateurs and nine professionals will be eligible to register in the master classes, which take place on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday of the Choral Academy.
2. Send a brief résumé outlining your choral conducting experiences, together with the piece, and an alternate, from the literature packet you wish to conduct, to jean.hwang@byu.edu. The alternate choice will be chosen if someone else has already chosen your first choice.
3. On June 15, the instructors will review all résumés and determine eligibility.
4. Shortly afterwards, you will be contacted by BYU Conferences and Workshops. If not accepted, the $30 fee will be refunded to you.
5. If accepted, you will be invited to conduct the piece you have chosen in one 20-minute coaching session in the master class period. In order to insure a positive, successful experience, you will want to be thoroughly prepared by both studying and conducting the score in advance.

ATTENDING THE MASTER CLASSES

Although conducting in the master classes is optional, all participants in the Choral Academy are expected to attend and observe each master class. There is no additional cost for attending and observing. You will become the choir for those who choose to conduct and will also be able to watch and learn from the mentoring process given to the conductors. By July 1, a list of the pieces to be sung in the master classes will be posted on the Web site. We encourage all participants to learn their respective parts in these pieces. This will maximize the learning experience for everyone during the master classes.

COACHING SESSIONS

One-on-one coaching sessions with graduate conducting students will be held during the 90-minute lunch breaks during the week (Tuesday–Friday) or from 5:00–7:00 p.m. on Tuesday and Wednesday evenings. This is a chance to receive some individualized and personalized tips for improvement, to practice, and to further develop skills learned during class time. The price for a 30-minute coaching session is $15. Those who register for this option will be contacted by e-mail to schedule appointments.