Conducting

We offer studies in Choral, Orchestral, and Wind Conducting.

 

Programs include the Master of Music degree, graduate and undergraduate certificates, and foundational instruction for undergraduate music students.

Chamber Choir, Lindsay Pope, conductor
Undergraduate Certificate

Undergraduate Certificate in Choral Conducting

 

Eligibility

This certificate is open to students pursuing a Bachelor of Music or Bachelor of Arts in Music degree.

Before applying to the certificate program, students must earn a grade of B or higher in first-year Music Theory and Aural Skills courses: MUSIC 112 (3 credits), 113 (3 credits), 114 (1 credit), and 115 (1 credit).

Interested students should meet with their Music advisor prior to beginning coursework for this certificate.

 

Description

The Certificate in Choral Conducting provides experiences beyond the minimum requirements of the undergraduate music degrees. This additional study further prepares music education students for student teaching, deepens the musicianship skills of performance majors, and benefits those students who are interested in pursuing a degree in choral conducting at the master's level.

 

Requirements

The Choral Conducting Certificate requires 15 credits. Courses may be completed in any order, with the exception of those with posted prerequisites.

A grade of B or higher is expected in all certificate courses.

 

Contact Dr. Lindsay Pope to apply

Certificate Checklist & Completion Form

 

MM Choral Conducting

Master of Music in Choral Conducting

The MM Choral Conducting is designed for the outstanding musician who aspires to a career as a choral conductor at the high school or collegiate level. To provide maximum conducting experience, the program is kept very small. Private studio instruction combined with ample podium time is at the core of the curriculum. In private lessons and seminars, conductors will refine their conducting and rehearsal techniques, develop score preparation skills, explore choral literature, and continue to develop a broad knowledge of music history and theory.

MM Choral Conducting Requirements
MM Orchestral Conducting

Master of Music in Orchestral Conducting

The MM Orchestral Conducting is designed for the outstanding musician who aspires to a career as an orchestral conductor at the high school, collegiate, or professional level.

MM Orchestral Conducting Requirements

 

MM Wind Conducting

Master of Music in Wind Conducting

The MM Wind Conducting is intended for musicians who desire to develop their musical leadership skills and improve their knowledge of wind repertoire through analyzing, studying, preparing, and conducting wind music.

MM Wind Conducting Requirements

 

Graduate Certificate

Graduate Certificate in Conducting (Choral, Orchestral, or Wind)

 

Description

A Graduate Certificate in Conducting prepares post-baccalaureate performers, educators, theorists, historians, composers, and other musicians to conduct music in a variety of settings. These credentials certify that students have acquired professional skills necessary to conduct, making them more competitive on the job market. Matriculating master’s students will usually distribute a certificate’s required courses (11 credits) over two years of study.

 

Certificate Requirements

Prerequisites: Matriculated students must have a baccalaureate degree with a music concentration before beginning coursework. Students must also pass an audition.

GPA Requirement: A grade of B (3.0) or higher in each course counted toward a certificate.

 

Certificate Requirements   Complete the Graduate Certificate Eligibility Form

 

Conducting Faculty

Lindsay Pope

Director of Choral Studies, Assistant Professor of Music

Lindsay Pope.
Lindsay Pope is Director of Choral Studies at UMass Amherst, where she directs the Chamber Choir and teaches conducting. Previously, she directed the programs at Mount Holyoke College and Williams College. She was also Assistant Conductor of the Dallas Symphony Chorus, for which her work was praised as “exemplary and well-prepared” (Texas Classical Review). Pope’s research interests include early music performance practice, the ethics of choral programming, and the intersection of women and gender studies with choral music.
Lindsay Pope.
Gonzalo Alexander Hidalgo Ardila

Director of Orchestral Studies, Assistant Professor

Hidalgo Ardila posed to conduct while sheet music falls around him.
From the conducting class of Eduardo Marturet and Teresa Hernández, Gonzalo has directed some of the most important youth and professional orchestras in Venezuela, Colombia, Peru, Brazil, United States and Argentina. Gonzalo was one of the finalists in the international competition for associate conductor of the Singapore Symphony Orchestra, as well as a finalist for the position of principal conductor of the Longwood Symphony Orchestra in Boston.
Hidalgo Ardila posed to conduct while sheet music falls around him.
Matthew Westgate

Chair and Professor; Director of Wind Studies

Matthew Westgate sitting with hands clasped.
Conductor Matthew Westgate “leads with a combination of expressivity and crispness” (San Francisco Chronicle). His performances are praised as “dramatic, incisive, and passionate” (Audiophile Audition) and full of “verve and swagger” (MusicWeb International).
Matthew Westgate sitting with hands clasped.