Girton Conducting Course

25/08/2026

Last Saturday, this year’s course came to an end. Once again, we were delighted to host 40 students, from 11 different countries, for another intensive week of study and professional development.

The excellent facilities at Chichester University, including its dedicated music conservatoire block and beautiful chapel, were buzzing with activity!

Our award-winning residential course offers piano workshops, sessions with professional string quintet and full orchestra, alongside a wide range of supporting classes in baton technique, applied aural skills, score study and interpretative approach. These are all led by our much-respected faculty of teaching staff: Dominic Grier, Denise Ham, Cathal Garvey, Leif Tse and John Longstaff.

Colin Metters (RAM Professor Emeritus of Conducting), joined us again this year as a special guest, teaching an insightful masterclass, alongside offering some transformative individual lessons.

We are hugely grateful to the Sussex Chamber Orchestra, led by Abigail Dance, for involvement in our orchestral sessions. Also to pianists Anastasia Matkovskaia, Julian Chan, Joshua Harris and Jonathan Lilley for their superb playing as our team of course accompanists.

Hopefully, our students had a rewarding musical and social experience — we are all looking forward to next year! 🎶

As usual, dates and repertoire for 2027 will be advertised soon, and early application is advised, as there’s always a waiting list.

16/06/2026

We are looking forward to welcoming this year's students to Chichester University in August!

Again, it's a truly international course, with conductors joining us from over 12 different countries for an intensive week of study and musical development.

A couple of places have opened up, so if you are interested in coming to this year's course but missed the original deadline, now is your chance. Visit our website for further details, and to apply.

An internationally renowned conducting course for students in full-time study, professional performers, educators, and ambitious amateurs wishing to develop their conducting skills and technique

30/12/2025

The Girton Conducting Course 2026 is now open for applications!

Once again, we will be based at the University of Chichester, with its dedicated music conservatoire facilities and iconic chapel for our orchestral sessions.

As ever, our experienced tutors include Dominic Grier, Denise Ham, Cathal Garvey and Leif Tse, with John Longstaff as Principal Accompanist. Professor Colin Metters also joins us to give a special guest masterclass.

They will provide expert guidance on all areas of the craft of conducting, including: musical approach and performing traditions, authority and communication, rehearsal and aural skills, score study, and general technique (based on the Toscanini-Barzin method).

Students benefit from dedicated individual and group sessions, working with professional pianists, two professional string quintets, and a repertoire orchestra drawn from members of the Sussex Chamber Orchestra and other renowned local ensembles.

We offer tuition for Professional/Advanced and Intermediate level conductors, plus a dedicated stream for those with less experience or formal training.

Do visit our website for further details and to apply. We hope to see some of you there!

An internationally renowned conducting course for students in full-time study, professional performers, educators, and ambitious amateurs wishing to develop their conducting skills and technique

05/09/2025

Nearly a week ago, this year’s course came to an end. We were privileged to host 40 students, from 16 different countries, for our usual intensive week of study and professional development, this year in the superb facilities at Chichester Uninversity.

With a refreshed timetable, the new location, a special guest masterclass with Colin Metters, and perhaps the finest orchestra we’ve assembled so far, this was undoubtedly the best course yet!

We trust our students had a rewarding musical and social experience, and we can’t wait for next year 🎶

Dates and repertoire for 2026 will be advertised soon, and early application is advised, as there’s always a waiting list.

12/08/2025

With just under two weeks to go until this year's course at Chichester University, it looks set to be our best yet!

Over 40 international and UK-based participants will work intensively with our expert tutors, professional pianists and string players, and members of the Sussex Chamber Orchestra, to explore and develop their approach to conducting.

Guest tutor and renowned pedagogue, Professor Colin Metters, will lead a special masterclass during the week; and our students will also benefit from supporting sessions in score study, rehearsal technique, performance psychology, aural awareness, conducting for opera and ballet, and orchestral string playing techniques.

There are still places open for observers, both residential and non-residential. Please email [email protected] to enquire.

www.girtonconductingcourse.com

21/01/2025

The Girton Conducting Course 2025 is now open for applications, and we look forward to seeing some of you there!

This year, we are relocating to state-of-the-art facilities at Chichester University, in one of the UK's renowned historic cathedral cities. We've also added an extra day and more ensemble/orchestral time, so the course will run from Sunday 24th to Saturday 30th August.

Check out the website for further details, and to apply!

An internationally renowned conducting course for students in full-time study, professional performers, educators, and ambitious amateurs wishing to develop their conducting skills and technique

24/08/2024

This year's course ended just over a week ago, with 40 active participants from 16 different countries having benefitted from the customary intensive Girton Conducting Course experience — six action-packed days of piano and orchestral workshops, plus a wide range of supplementary sessions, including technique classes, score study, rehearsal technique, ear training and performance psychology.

We're all exhausted but very much looking forward to next year's course, from 24th to 30th August 2025!

14/06/2024

Welcome to the official page of the Girton Conducting Course! Now in its fourth year, this highly successful residential summer course for orchestral conductors has established itself as one of the foremost training programmes of its kind in the UK.

Our experienced tutors, from the Royal Academy of Music and London Conducting Academy, provide expert guidance on all areas of the craft of conducting, including: musical approach and performing traditions, authority and communication, rehearsal and aural skills, score study, and general technique (based on the Toscanini-Barzin method).

Students benefit from dedicated individual and group sessions, working with professional pianists, a professional string quartet, and a repertoire orchestra drawn from members of the East Anglia Chamber Orchestra and other renowned local ensembles.

We offer tuition for Professional/Advanced and Intermediate level conductors, plus a dedicated stream for those with less experience or formal training.

Accommodation and all meals are provided, in the beautiful setting of Girton College, at the University of Cambridge.

An international Cambridge based conducting course for students in full-time study, professional performers, educators, and ambitious amateurs wishing to develop their conducting skills and technique