Master Classes Upcoming event
The 72nd International Masterclass in Orchestral Conducting
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Conductors Application form
Workshop info
Place:
Karlovy Vary, Czech Republic
Dates:
July 23-27, 2022
Fee:
Conductors (active participants) - €2000,
Auditors (passive participants) - €500
Deadline for Applications:
till the class is full
Schedule:
July 22, Friday, 1st day: ArrivalJuly 23, Saturday, 2nd day: Sessions with 2 Pianos
July 24, Sunday, 3rd day: Sessions with 2 Pianos
July 25, Monday, 4th day: Orchestra rehearsal (2 per day)
July 26, Monday, 5th day: Orchestra rehearsal (2 per day)
July 27, Tuesday, 6th day: Morning: dressed rehearsal
Evening: Concert open for the public.
July 28, Wednesday, 7th day: Departure
Repertoire:
- Antonín Dvořák:
Overture "In nature", OP. 91
Overture "Carnival", op.91
Overture "Otello" (1892), OP. 93 - Pyotr Tchaikovsky:
Suite from the ballet "Sleeping Beauty" - Anatoly Lyadov:
"8 Russian Folk Songs"
Master Class information:
-
This workshop is open to conductors at all levels of proficiency, from beginners to professionals.
There is no age limit. - The official languages are German, English, Russian, Hebrew.
- Assistance with finding accommodation.
- All sessions can be videotaped.
- Final public concert will be videotaped.
- All active participants will conduct at the final public concert.
- The workshop fee covers all master class sessions.
Places are limited - please inquire today!
Please download fill in and send to us the Conductors Application form or follow to the end of the page to contact usAbout the Faculty:
Alexander Vitlin
ConductorIn 1963, circa 400 children applied for the first class of the School for Gifted Children at the Leningrad Conservatory. After a three-round audition, 20 children were admitted to study including myself.
Already in 1964 as one of the best students, I was selected for the radio broadcast recordings for the first time as well as Concerts of the School for Gifted Children in the music hall of the conservatory.
At the age of 10, I performed Beethoven's 1st Piano Concerto in Leningrad, at 12 years old the F-minor Concerto by Chopin, and at 15 years old, Prokofiev's 3rd Piano Concerto.
At the age of 12, I conducted Haydn's 101st Symphony in public and at 16, the C-major Mass by Beethoven.
During my studies, I did not miss any chance to accompany my fellow students, who were working on instrumental concerti, on the second piano.
From the age of 14, I developed my opera and symphony repertoire by regularly attending the lessons of executive conducting teachers (N.Rabinovich, A.Janssons, I.Mussin) at the Leningrad Conservatory and playing scores or piano reductions in these lessons.
Since 1992 I have been a member of the Berliner Virtuosen Ensemble.Many of my arrangements have become part of the ensembles main repertoire and have aroused enthusiasm among audiences and press everywhere.
In 2004 and 2006, I assisted Daniel Barenboim as the executive solo-repetiteur in productions such as "Moses and Aaron" (Schoenberg) and "Boris Godunov" (Mussorgsky) at the Staatsoper Unter den Linden Berlin, "with stunning success" as the Maestro stated.
In summer 2007, I was the assistant conductor and musical assistant in the production "Eugene Onegin" (Tchaikovsky) under the baton of Daniel Barenboim at the Salzburg Music Festival.
In 2008, I collaborated in the production of "The Gambler" (Prokofiev) and in 2013 in the production of "The Tsar's Bride" (Rimsky-Korssakoff) at the Staatsoper Unter den Linden Berlin and Teatro alla Scala Milano as the musical assistant of Maestro Barenboim and took over the conducting of several performances of it.
Since 2008 I have been conducting regularly at the Staatsoper Unter den Linden Berlin, including productions such as "Il barbiere di Siviglia", "La Traviata", "La Bohème", "Madama Butterfly", "Faust", among others.
Orchestrations of pieces that I have done myself, like Suite Op.17 and 6 Songs op.38 by Rachmaninoff and Five Poems of Anna Akhmatova op.27 by Prokofiev, have been rated very positively and authorized by big publishers (such as Boosey & Hawkes, London).
Karlovy Vary Symphony Orchestra was founded in 1835 by Josef Labicky as a seasonal spa orchestra. 40 years later Labicky's son August changed it into a constant symphony orchestra with many activities and universal repertoire. It was this orchestra that performed the continental (European) premiere of Dvorak's New-World Symphony in 1894. During the period of 1911-1941 Robert Manzer appeared at the head of the orchestra, he raise the orchestra on remarkable art level and started to work with famous celebrities of European music, e.g. P. Casalas, R. Strauss.
The Orchestra played the important role in Karlovy Vary after 1945 as well, when Josef Bartl became the leader. During each concert season (October-June) the orchestra gives serial concert cycles, special and opera concerts, and educational concerts for children. During the main spa season it performs at all traditional music events in Karlovy Vary - Festivals Mozart and Beethoven in Karlovy Vary, Young Stage and Dvorak's Autumn.
A number of renowned artists worked with the orchestra during past years - famous conductors such as Jiři Belohlavek, Dean Dixon, Aram Chatchaturjan, Zdeněk Košler, Charles Mackerras, Libor Pesek, piano players Emil Gilels, Ivan Moravec, violinists David Oistrakh, Vaclav Hudecek, Gidon Kremer and Josef Suk; violoncellist Mstislav Rostropovich; harpsichordist Zuzana Růžičková; singers Magdalena Hajjossyova and Eva Urbanova and many others. Vaclav Neumann, Vladimir Matej, Josef Hercl, and Radomil Eliska were the standing conductors with important influence on orchestra profile. In 1991-1998 Douglas Bostock from England was the orchestra Chief conductor and he made a few CD music recordings of W.A. Mozart, A. Dvorak, B. Smetana, Z. Fibich, V. Novak, and O. Nedbal with the orchestra. Now Mgr. Petr Polívka is the director of the Karlovy Vary Symphony Orchestra.
The Karlovy Vary Symphony Orchestra is a regular guest at concert stages in the Czech Republic (Prague Spring Festival) and abroad, especially in Germany and other European countries as well. It appears not only in symphony programs but also at opera festivals (Oviedo), performances with ballet (Bregenz), international competitions (Zaragoza) or cantata concerts (Antwerp, Bonn, Karlsruhe etc.)
There are all main works from classicism and romantic repertory and some works from 20th century in orchestra dramaturgy. The important part of the orchestra repertoire is formed by the Czech music - A. Dvorak's top symphonies, B. Smetana's My Country, works from L. Janacek, J. Suk, B. Martinu and other Czech composers. There is also suitable music works for popular open - air concerts, film music and musicals, operas and operettas and most of the famous instrumental concertos in the orchestra program. Orchestra maestros are also competent soloists presenting many concertos for stringed and wind instruments. The ability to productively cooperate with conductors, soloists and choruses, art responsibility, and professionalism make the orchestra one of the favorite representatives of the Czech music and cultural tradition of spa town Karlovy Vary.
