ICWF 2012: Bartok, Dvorak, Beethoven
ICWF 2012: Bartok/Dvorak/Beethoven
From July 16-26, 2012 the International Conducting
Workshop and Festival is again proud to hold a workshop in Zlin,
Czech Republic hosted by the Bohuslav Martinů Philharmonic, led by two
of the most internationally esteemed conducting teachers: Larry
Rachleff (Rice University) and Donald Schleicher (University
of Illinois). They will be assisted by Benjamin Loeb (ICWF
Artistic Director).
As in the past, we will offer conducting training and critique in a
non-competitive, professional and supportive atmosphere. It is a great opportunity to immerse oneself
deeply in important standard and challenging orchestral repertoire which will
include Bartok Concerto for
Orchestra, Dvorak Symphony #8 and his Cello Concerto, Beethoven
Symphonies #5, 7, and 9 and the Egmont Overture.
The schedule currently includes 11 Orchestra sessions, 7 Sextet
sessions, at least 8 discussion, study and special subject
sessions, and a Chamber
Music Concerts. Each full participant will have 65 minutes of podium time
with the full orchestra and at least 30 minutes with the sextet.
In the Orchestra sessions, generally conducting slots are 10
minutes long, but this year, we will schedule the time flexibly after
consulting with faculty, so that a participant may choose to have four slots,
which are each longer rather than the usual six slots. In the Sextet sessions,
participants will conduct a string quintet plus piano, which covers woodwinds
and brass parts. Parts of some quintet
sessions will be devoted to difficult excerpts that are pre-selected from the
workshop repertoire that all participants 
will be expected to prepare. In the remainder of the sextet sessions,
passages are to be selected by the participant.
Each conductor will have individual choice of repertoire during orchestra
sessions. In all sessions, podium time
slots will be flexibly and transparently pre-assigned.
Levels of Participation
For this workshop we are offering only one level of participation, 65-minutes, which
represents the amount of time with the full orchestra. Sextet
sessions will be relatively equally divided among all conductors, but may be
slightly unequal due to the focus on excerpts, rather than individual
conductors.
Auditing is also available, but does not include any active podium
time. The auditor level is designed for those either who have little experience
and training, but show promise, or those with ample opportunity to conduct throughout
the year, but want to use this workshop as a chance to observe master
teaching.
All tuition fees include hotel and two meals each day.
Fees must be paid in $US.
All sessions will be Digitally Recorded and ample opportunity will be provided
to view session recordings. At the end of each conducting session, each
conductor will receive a copy of the video file either on flash drive, card or
DVD. ICWF will provide DVD’s, but
participants must provide other storage media (hard drive is most recommended).
Concerts
Concurrent with the workshop, the International Conducting Workshop Festival will present one Chamber Music Concerts featuring faculty and guest artists. Participants will not perform on these concerts. The repertoire on these concerts will be devoted to music of the three composers and their contemporaries. All rehearsals and concerts are open to the participants.
Filharmonie Bohuslav Martinů
The
Bohuslav Martinů Philharmonic Orchestra is named after one of
the great Czech composers. The orchestra has made many radio recordings and CDs
of his works since it was founded in the 1960's.
The repertoire of the The Bohuslav Martinů Philharmonic Orchestra consists
of nearly all symphonic works of different periods including a considerable
number of contemporary compositions. The
members of the orchestra have formed several chamber groups whose performances
supplement the concert season. Cooperation
with radio and television stations together with recording activities has
become a regular part of the orchestra's work. Some activities in recent years
included recordings for the label Vienna Modern Masters, which concentrates on
contemporary music recordings; Sergei Rachmaninov's complete symphonic works
recorded for Bayer Records (Germany); and music of Antonín DvoÅ™ak for Albany
Records (USA). Orchestra has recorded also movie music for Hollywood and new
works of the contemporary american composers.
The home of the The Bohuslav Martinů Philharmonic Orchestra is
Zlín, a town in the east of the Czech Republic. With a population approaching
one hundred thousand, it is a modern industrial center, owing its development
to the BATA company, the founder of which Tomaš Batá succeeded in successfully
combining his entrepreneurship and his philosophy of life.
Accommodations
All participants will stay in single rooms at a hotel located within easy walking distance to the rehearsal and performance facilities. Breakfast and one additional meal (usually lunch) is included in the tuition fee. All rooms have free wireless Internet access. It is possible to arrange for spouses to stay at the hotel for a small additional cost.