Students at Birmingham receive guest talks from eminent choral leaders

Conducting students on the renowned Birmingham MA course in Choral Conducting will this semester participate in a series of online masterclasses with leading choral musicians and teachers from across the world. 

As part of a continuing international collaboration, started by the Department of Music in response to the sudden interruption to music-making last academic year, students will have the opportunity to ask questions and gain insights from leading educators and conductors from across the world. Curated by Professor Simon Halsey, Birmingham students will engage virtually with:

• James Jordan (Professor, Westminster Choir College; USA) 
• Eric Whitacre (Grammy Award-winning Composer and Conductor)
• Olivia Sparkhall (Composer, Conductor, and Music Educator)
• Naveen Arles (Vocal Leader & Animateur; Artistic Director, London International Gospel Choir)
• Bob Chilcott (Composer and Conductor)
• Amanda Quist (Director of Choral Activities, University of Miami; USA)
• Neil Ferris (Chorus Director, BBC Symphony Chorus) 
• Ēriks Ešenvalds (Composer and Conductor) 
• Anthony Trecek-King (Director of Choral Activities, University of Hartford; USA)
• Jeffrey Douma (Professor, Yale University; USA) 
• Patrick Russill (Head of Choral Conducting, Royal Academy of Music) 
• Paul Spicer (Head of Choral Conducting, Royal Birmingham Conservatoire)

Choirs and choral training are an integral part of University Music in Birmingham, and offer unrivalled opportunities for young singers and conductors at any university in the UK. For more information about the MA Music: Choral Conducting pathway, or if you would like to find out more about choirs at University of Birmingham, please contact Gavin Allsop (g.m.allsop@bham.ac.uk).