About

“The best experience of my life”

The starting point of our work is that the goal should be that artistic performance is truly a living process, not simply a re-creation of what was rehearsed. We aim to show that releasing the expressive power of group music-making is most effectively achieved through a highly organised and systematic approach on the part of the conductor. Far from being confining, this is the only way to open the door to real spontaneity of interpretation and making the process of music-making with large groups truly thrilling.

The core of our teaching is from the great conducting school of the St Petersburg Conservatory, starting from the teaching of Nicolai Malko (Mravinsky’s teacher), through his student Nicolai Rabinovich and his student Yuri Simonov, the teacher of CA Directors Jonathan Brett and Maciej Żółtowski.

We aim to produce the very best classes – as well as providing an immediate step forward in knowledge and understanding, our programmes provide a secure basis for effective development in the longer term.

Our team

As a conductor, Jonathan Brett demonstrates the highest level of musicianship and technical understanding. He also has the great gift of being able both to explain and demonstrate the theory and practice of his art most effectively.

Maxim Vengerov

My heart is with you! I am extremely happy that my best disciples and young colleagues Jonathan Brett and Maciej Żółtowski took this fantastic initiative to promote professional conducting. Wishing the Conductors’ Academy every success and looking forward to helping achieve it.

Yuri Simonov

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Mastering Time

Like stage magic, conducting is an activity steeped in mystery – many see the results but the complexity of the processes means that it is one of perpetual learning. This series of presentations explores the component tasks, exposes some of the myths, analyses the challenges and examines the principles underlying the connection between gesture and high quality sound.

In the words of one of our past participants: "This is a course for people who want their music to be the best it can possibly be – for the orchestra, for the composer, for the audience and for themselves. This course is about what really works and is taught by someone for whom it really does."

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