WOMEN CONDUCTORS @ MORLEY

Application Pack

ABOUT WOMEN CONDUCTORS @ MORLEY

An internationally award winning programme of conducting workshops designed specifically for young women.

The two-day workshops are run on weekends throughout 2015/16 across the UK. Each workshop with a maximum of 12 participants, is led by a celebrated female conductor supported by professional pianists and instrumental ensembles.

WORKSHOP HISTORY

In 2013, Marin Alsop was the first female conductor to conduct the last Night of the Proms and commented in her speech, "I'm a little bit surprised that we can arrive at the year 2013 and there can still be firsts for women."

The event sparked considerable widespread media coverage that highlighted the lack of female conductors in the industry and it was this furore that inspired Morley College to run its first Women Conductors weekend workshop in 2014.

Morley College's own ethos is one of creating innovative, responsive and sustainable lifelong learning opportunities. This ethos makes it entirely appropriate that it is Morley College (with generous funding and support from Arts Council England, the Worshipful Company of Musicians and the Colwinston Charitable Trust) who responds to this study need.

PHASE 1

Courses for ages 16-25 or full-time students

Led by acclaimed conductor Alice Farnham, these workshops are aimed at encouraging females who are aged 16-25 and/or are music students to pick up the baton and take to the conductor's podium, mostly for the first time. Also on hand is a stagecraft and body language coach.

Previous workshops have been held at Oxford University, Royal Festival Hall in London and the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama.

Collaborators include the Royal Opera House, Welsh National Opera, City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra and Southbank Sinfonia.

Workshop content

Conducting Techniques

The workshops are led by acclaimed conductor Alice Farnham who gives participants a thorough introduction into conducting, and an insight into the physical and mental stamina and technical savvy needed to command an orchestra. Each workshop also includes practical tips and demonstrations that explore leadership skills and rehearsal techniques that are essential to being a successful conductor.

Experience and Trust

The workshops are intensive and hugely rewarding for participants, as Alice guides students through the conducting minefield with passion, humour, dedication and encouragement. All conductors are different and Alice is sensitive to different personalities in her teaching.

Professional Musicians

The participants have the chance to work with professional musicians and special ensembles, forging local partnerships wherever possible. The musicians are highly experienced and used to responding to the vastly contrasting style of different conductors.

High level music students join the professional musicians in the final session to extend the experience for the conducting participants.

Stagecraft and Body Language Coaching

Conducting is incredibly physical, so it is important to train the body to communicate the right signals to the right musicians at the right time. As such, stagecraft and performance skills are a vital part of the conductor's tool kit.

The participants get to work closely with movement and body language coaches Shirley Keane and Alma Sheehan. Both are highly experienced coaches who are able to draw deeply on their own international performance careers in theatre and opera.

Repertoire

Warlock Capriol Suite (Danse Basse)

Walton Henry V (two string movements),

Tchaikovsky Serenade - Elegy

Students to prepare Danse Basse and can choose one or more of the Walton and Tchaikovsky.

The following will be used as conducting exercises:

Beethoven Sonata No. 10, Op14, (No.2) – Andante – 1st 20 bars

Sonata No. 8 Op.13 Pathetique – Adagio Cantabile – 1st 16 bars

Programme

Saturday

Participants work with Alice Farnham (conducting tutor) and Alma Sheehan or Shirley Keane (stagecraft/body language coach) and two professional pianists

10:00-10:30 Welcome and introduction 10:30-13:30 Session one Lunch break 14.30-17.30 Session two

Sunday

Participants work with Alice Farnham, Alma Sheehan or Shirley Keane and professional string group (two violins, one viola, cello, double bass)

10:00-10:30 Physical and psychological warm-up 10:30-13:30 Session three Lunch break 14.30-17.30 Session four (string group supplemented with student string players)

Tutors

Alice Farnham

Alice is Music Director of Welsh National Youth Opera, receiving critical acclaim for the -inning production of Britten’s Paul Bunyan. She is a Guest Conductor at St. Petersburg’s Mariinsky Theatre, conducting Rape of Lucretia in 2013 and 2015.

Other recent engagements include WOW Orchestra at the Royal Festival Hall, Malta Philharmonic, Kensington Symphony Orchestra, Singapore Lyric Opera, Tête à Tête Opera, Grange Park Opera and Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama, Mahogany Opera Group and Welsh National Opera.

Alice has been a Guest Conductor at the Royal Ballet Covent Garden, Danish Royal Ballet, Birmingham Royal Ballet, English National Ballet and Rambert Dance Company. She has been on the Guest Music Staff at Covent Garden Royal Opera since 2015.

A student of the legendary pedagogue Ilya Musin, Alice studied conducting at the St. Petersburg Conservatoire from 1997-2000. She held an Organ Scholarship at St. Hugh’s College Oxford University and at St. Thomas’ Church Fifth Avenue, New York.

Alice is Head of Morley Opera School and co-founded Women Conductors @ Morley in 2014.

Shirley Keane

Having had training in both theatre and opera at Rose Bruford College, Guildhall School of Music and the Royal Academy of Music, Shirley Keane is a performer whose experience ranges from traditional and contemporary opera roles to mainstream theatre.

A singer and actress of wide experience she has worked as a director, teacher and mentor for companies as diverse as Glyndebourne Opera (education), Live Music Now, Solti Te Kanawa Accademia, Birkbeck University, Royal Academy of Music summer school, Newham Young People’s Chorus, East End Opera and Morley College Opera School.

A Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, Shirley is currently on the teaching staff of Guildhall School of Music. She works predominantly with undergraduate and postgraduate singers delivering acting classes and directing opera scenes and recently working with instrumentalists in the first year on developing performance skills.

Alma Sheehan

Alma studied at the Royal College of Music and National Opera Studio. She went on to sing roles in Paris, Florence, Rome, and also with ENO and the Royal Opera House. She has lead workshops on performance technique at the major conservatoires and has coached young artists at the Royal Opera House, the National Opera Studio and Morley College. She has directed opera, poetry readings, concerts and semi-staged performances.

Alongside her private coaching Alma teaches stagecraft and performance skills at the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama where she works with singers, instrumentalists and conductors on all aspects of presentation, including interpretation, performance anxiety and confidence-building. Alma was part of the creative team for the inaugural course for Women Conductors @ Morley in 2014.

PHASE 2

Courses for music professionals and teachers

Based in London, each workshop focuses on a different genre of conducting and is led by a prominent female conductor in that field. This phase is for female music professionals and teachers of all ages (minimum age 19) wishing to supplement their careers by adding conducting to their professional portfolio.

London venues: Morley College, Royal Opera House, Barbican

WHAT THE PARTICIPANTS AND OBSERVERS SAY

“I learnt not only the standard technique but how different emotions and themes could be produced using certain gestures, and how your hands can produce these clearly.” Pilot workshop participant 2014

“The opportunity to practise conducting very good players is worth as much as anything else. In addition to that, I feel that I have a stronger technique now, and that I can be more effective in front of an ensemble. The coaching we got on presenting ourselves with confidence and authority was hugely useful.” Anna Krause, DPhil Student. Workshop participant 2015

“Working with the ensemble on the second day was an excellent experience. I appreciated the decision to spend the time on this, and not on basic score preparation/musicianship. It is sometimes difficult for the less qualified conductor, but one who has good musical knowledge, to access workshops which do not focus a lot on basic stuff concerning score prep, introduction to historically informed performance, or remedial aural coaching.” Workshop participant 2015

“…it was a hugely enriching experience; I learned a lot in my own sessions with Alice, but also from observing my colleagues in their sessions.” Maria Mauri, workshop participant 2015

“I came home from the day, which to be brutally honest I'd slightly assumed might be a 'functional' day's work, absolutely buzzing about it. I cannot recommend the workshop highly enough and hope that Alice's genius is shared far and wide!” Libby Burgess, workshop pianist 2015

“It was hugely inspiring to work with Alice and the young women conductors. In a very focused and supportive way, Alice coached […] students, all of whom manifestly benefited from her teaching. This was mentoring at its best - well-paced, full of insight and delivered with humour and immense perceptiveness. There was a real buzz about the day.” William Whitehead, workshop pianist 2015

“The inclusion of Alma Sheehan, stagecraft coach, was fantastic. My observation was that she worked with the participants to develop tools which they could use for finding their own confidence through postures and imagery.” Workshop observer 2015

WHO IS ELIGIBLE TO APPLY?

Women aged 16-25, in full-time education at conservatoire or university, and also those in sixth form planning to study music full time. Suitable for those who have never considered conducting and want to give it a try, as well as those who have some conducting experience.

Female music professionals and teachers of all ages (minimum age 19) wishing to supplement their careers by adding conducting to their professional experience. Suitable for experienced musicians and composers either needing conducting to complement their jobs or looking to branch out into conducting.

HOW TO APPLY

Send a 500-word statement telling us why you would like to take part in the workshop along with a one-page CV to womenconductors@morleycollege.ac.uk.

Specify your date of birth/age and which workshop you are applying to take part in. If your application is accepted, you will be invited to enrol formally via Morley’s website.

FEES (for the whole weekend)

Participant fee

UK Resident/UK Student/EU Resident: £150

Non-EU Resident: £300

Observer fee

£20 (weekend) or £5 (per session)

Limited bursaries available on participant fee.

Women Conductors @ Morley is run with generous funding and support from Arts Council England, the Worshipful Company of Musicians and the Colwinston Charitable Trust.