NOI+F Conducting Academy

Font Size

Skip to Section

About • Apply + Audition • 2024 Repertoire • Faculty • Fees

About

The NOI+F Conducting Academy provides training and mentorship for emerging conductors. Selected conducting fellows will work with conductors Marin Alsop and Mei-Ann Chen, as well as in a variety of settings including seminars and conducting sessions (with piano and string quintet and also with chamber orchestra). Fellows will have the opportunity to work alongside resident composers to prepare public performances of contemporary music. 

As a conducting fellow, you can expect the following activities over the course of the week: three seminars/discussions, three conducting labs (with piano/string quintet), two chamber orchestra rehearsals in preparation for a public concert and multiple rehearsal observations led by Marin Alsop with the NOI Philharmonic.

Auditors may attend all sessions and receive one conducting session with piano. Auditors will receive private consultations with Mei-Ann Chen to review their conducting videos and receive individualized feedback.

All who are 18 or older by Sat, June 7, 2025 may apply. The typical age range for NOI+F is 18-30. 

Conducting Academy Capacity:

  • Up to 6 conducting fellows
     
  • Up to 20 auditing participants

Key Dates

  • Applications Open: Thu, Oct 31, 2024

  • Applications Due: Tue, Feb 4, 2025, 11:59 ET

  • Admission Decisions Released: Mon, Mar 3, 2025

  • Conducting Academy Dates: Sun, June 7, 2025 -Sun, June 15, 2025

 

   

Apply + Audition

 

Application Requirements

  • Resume (2 pages maximum)

  • A letter of recommendation addressing your musicianship

    • Letters of recommendation may be submitted directly with your application OR emailed to noi@umd.edu by your recommenders. Please have them include the subject line, "Letter of Recommendation, 'Your Name'." 

  • Video excerpts of your conducting showing at least 2 contrasting works, each no longer than 3 minutes. Total video should not exceed 6 minutes. All videos must be front-facing, from the point of view of the orchestra. The conductor should occupy at least 1/5 of the total frame in the conducting video submitted.

    • A document describing the works contained on the video, including repertoire, date/location of the performance or rehearsal and ensemble.

Please also submit a front-facing video recording (iPhone quality is fine) of you simultaneously singing and conducting the following short excerpt: Mahler Symphony No. 2, from the beginning of Mvt. II, Andante con moto, to Rehearsal No. 3, Nicht eilen, sehr gemacht.
 

APPLY HERE

 

  
 

2024 Repertoire

 

  • Gustav Mahler: Symphony No. 2 in C minor, "Resurrection"

  • Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 4 in F minor

  • Maurice Ravel: La Valse

  • New works written by NOI+F composition fellows 

  

Faculty

 

One of the foremost conductors of our time, MARIN ALSOP represents a powerful and inspiring voice. Convinced that music has the power to change lives, she is internationally recognized for her innovative approach to programming and audience development, deep commitment to education, and championing of music’s importance in the world. The first woman to serve as the head of a major orchestra in the United States, South America, Austria and Britain, she is, as The New York Times put it, not only “a formidable musician and a powerful communicator” but also “a conductor with a vision.”

The 2023-24 Season marks Alsop’s fifth as Chief Conductor of the ORF Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra, which she leads at Vienna’s Musikverein and Konzerthaus, as well as on recordings, broadcasts and international tours; her first as Artistic Director & Chief Conductor of the Polish National Radio Symphony; and her first as Principal Guest Conductor of London’s Philharmonia Orchestra. She also holds positions as Chief Conductor of the Ravinia Festival, where she curates and conducts the Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s annual summer residency, and as the first Music Director of the National Orchestral Institute + Festival (NOI+F) at the University of Maryland, where she launched a new academy for young conductors and leads the NOI+F Philharmonic each June.

A full decade after becoming the first female conductor of London’s Last Night of the Proms, Alsop made history again in September 2023, as both the first woman and the first American to guest conduct three Last Nights in the festival’s 128-year history. In Spring 2024, she made her company debut at The Metropolitan Opera, leading John Adams’s oratorio El Niño in a fully staged new production starring Julia Bullock and Davóne Tines. Other 2023-24 highlights include a new production of Bernstein’s Candide with the ORF Vienna Radio Symphony, an all-American program to inaugurate her four-season Philharmonia appointment, Penderecki’s seldom-heard opera The Black Mask with the Polish National Radio Symphony, and returns to the podiums of the Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France and Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra. 

In 2021, Alsop assumed the title of Music Director Laureate and OrchKids Founder of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, which she continues to conduct each season. During her outstanding 14-year tenure as its Music Director, she led the orchestra on its first European tour in 13 years, released multiple award-winning recordings, and conducted more than two dozen world premieres, as well as founding OrchKids, its groundbreaking music education program for Baltimore’s most disadvantaged youth. In 2019, after seven years as Music Director, Alsop became Conductor of Honour of Brazil’s São Paulo Symphony Orchestra (OSESP), with which she continues to undertake major projects each season. Deeply committed to new music, she was Music Director of California’s Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music for 25 years, leading 174 premieres.

Alsop has long standing relationships with the London Philharmonic and London Symphony Orchestras, and regularly guest conducts such major international ensembles as The Cleveland Orchestra, New York Philharmonic, Thee  Philadelphia Orchestra, Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra, Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, Budapest Festival Orchestra and Orchestre de Paris, besides leading the La Scala Orchestra, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra and others. In collaboration with YouTube and Google Arts & Culture, she spearheaded the “Global Ode to Joy” (GOTJ), a crowd-sourced video project to celebrate Beethoven’s 250th anniversary in 2020.

Recognized with BBC Music “Album of the Year” and Emmy nominations in addition to Grammy, Classical BRIT and Gramophone awards, Alsop’s discography comprises more than 200 titles. These include recordings for Decca, Harmonia Mundi and Sony Classical, as well as her acclaimed Naxos cycles of Brahms with the London Philharmonic, Dvořák with the Baltimore Symphony and Prokofiev with the São Paulo Symphony. Recent releases include a live account of Candide with the London Symphony Orchestra & Chorus; a Kevin Puts collection with the Baltimore Symphony; and the first installment of a complete Schumann symphonic cycle for Naxos with the Vienna RSO.

The first and only conductor to receive a MacArthur Fellowship, Alsop has also been honored with the World Economic Forum’s Crystal Award. Amongst many other awards and academic positions, she served as both 2021-22 Harman/Eisner Artist-in-Residence of the Aspen Institute Arts Program and 2020 Artist-in-Residence at Vienna’s University of Music and Performing Arts; is Director of Graduate Conducting at the Johns Hopkins University’s Peabody Institute; and holds Honorary Doctorates from Yale University and the Juilliard School. To promote and nurture the careers of her fellow female conductors, in 2002 she founded the Taki Concordia Conducting Fellowship, which was renamed in her honor as the Taki Alsop Conducting Fellowship in 2020. “The Conductor,” a documentary about her life, debuted at New York’s 2021 Tribeca Film Festival and has subsequently been broadcast on PBS television, screened at festivals and in theaters nationwide, and recognized with the Naples International Film Festival’s 2021 Focus on the Arts Award.

 

Praised for her dynamic, passionate conducting style, Taiwanese American conductor MEI-ANN CHEN is acclaimed for infusing orchestras with energy, enthusiasm and high-level music-making, galvanizing audiences and communities alike. Music Director of the MacArthur Award-winning Chicago Sinfonietta since 2011, her contract has been extended through the end of the 2028–2029 Season. Chen has been chief conductor of Austria’s Recreation–Grosses Orchester Graz at Styriarte since Fall 2021, following two seasons as the orchestra’s first-ever principal guest conductor, making her the first female Asian conductor to hold this position with an Austrian orchestra. She has served as the first-ever artistic partner of Houston’s ROCO since 2019, and since 2022, as an artistic partner with Northwest Sinfonietta. Highly regarded as a compelling communicator and an innovative leader both on and off the podium, and a sought-after guest conductor, she has appeared with distinguished orchestras throughout the Americas, Europe, Taiwan, the United Kingdom and Scandinavia, and continues to expand her relationships with orchestras worldwide (more than 150 orchestras to date).

Following her debut with Chicago Symphony Orchestra at the 2023 Ravinia Festival, Chen made debuts  at Indiana University, Springfield Symphony Orchestra, Colorado Springs Philharmonic and Denmark's Odense Symphony, as well as a return to the Tucson Symphony, and performances with Chicago Sinfonietta, ROCO and Austria’s Recreation–Grosses Orchester Graz. Chen's second half of the 2023-2024 Season kicks off on January 1 with her debut with Taiwan's One Song Orchestra’s televised New Year Concert. Of note is Chicago Sinfonietta’s March tour to Atlanta, the first under Chen. Winter and spring guest conducting includes Northwest Sinfonietta, her seventh return to San Francisco Symphony and debuts with the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra, the Orchestre National de France (Paris debut), Norway’s Stavanger Symphony, Sweden’s Uppsala Chamber Orchestra and San Francisco Conservatory. She will serve as a jury member for the 2024 MALKO Competition hosted by the Danish National Symphony (and also served on the 2021 MALKO Competition jury). Summer 2024 performances include ROCO’s EarShot showcase with the American Composers Orchestra during the League Of American Orchestra’s National Conference in Houston, TX, and her debut at the University of Maryland’s National Orchestral Institute + Festival, where she Lzo serves as a faculty member for the NOI+F Conducting Academy alongside Music Director Marin Alsop.

Recent performances include a return to Vienna’s Tonkunstler Orchestra at the Grafenegg Festival, conducting Beethoven's “Eroica” in a theatrical project in Graz at the STYRIARTE Summer Festival (received both TV & Radio broadcast on Austrian's well-known ORF "Klangwolke Werk" program), serving as the alumni speaker for the 152nd Commencement Ceremony at her alma mater, New England Conservatory, and her Spoleto Festival USA debut. Other highlights include an impressive Minnesota Orchestra debut, stepping in last-minute for Maestra Marin Alsop to conduct the popular New Year’s Eve concerts, international debuts with Germany’s Staatsorchester Darmstadt, Orchestra National du Capitole de Toulouse (France debut), Basque National Orchestra (Spain debut), Liechtenstein Symphony Orchestra and Helsinki Philharmonic in Finland. In North America, she debuted with American Composers orchestra at Carnegie Hall, Rochester and Buffalo philharmonics, and returned to Cincinnati and Pacific symphonies, Santa Fe Pro Musica, Canada’s Calgary Philharmonic, Norwegian Radio and Sweden’s Norrlandsoperan.

Other international guest credits include symphony orchestras of England’s BBC in London, Brazil’s São Paulo (OSESP), Denmark’s National, Aalborg, Aarhus, Odense and Copenhagen Philharmonic, Finland’s Tampere Philharmonic, Germany’s Badische Staatskapelle Karlsruhe, Musikalische Academie des Nationaltheater-Orchestesters Mannheim and NDR Radiophilharmonie Hanover, Mexico’s National, Norway’s Oslo Philharmonic and Trondheim, Netherlands Philharmonic at the Concertgebouw and residences in The Hague, Sweden’s Malmö, Gothenburg, Norrköping, Gävle and Helsingborg, Switzerland’s Basel and Lucerne, Taiwan Philharmonic, National Taiwan, and Kaohsiung City at WeiWuYing (the world’s largest performing arts center in Chen's hometown), Scotland’s BBC Scottish and Turkey’s Bilkent in Ankara. Other North American guest conducting credits include appearances with major symphonies of Atlanta, Baltimore, Detroit, Fort Worth, Houston, Indianapolis, National, Oregon, San Diego, Seattle, Toronto and Vancouver, to name a few.

As Music Director of Chicago Sinfonietta, Chen has made two recordings for Cedille Records: Delights and Dances (June 2013) and Project W–Works by Diverse Women Composers (released March 2019 by GRAMMY® nominated producer Jim Ginsburg), featuring world-premiere recordings for works by Florence Price, Clarice Assad, Jessie Montgomery and Reena Esmail. In 2018, Innova Records released ROCO's debut album ROCO: Visions Take Flight (produced by GRAMMY® Award producer Blanton Alspaugh) featuring five commissioned contemporary works by Karim Al-Zand, Reena Esmail, Derek Bermel, Anthony DiLorenzo and Marcus Karl Maroney. Invited by Marin Alsop, Chen recorded Miachel Daugherty's Time Machine for Three Conductors with UK's Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra on Naxos Records label in 2011.

A passionate advocate for music education, Chen dedicates significant time in mentoring young conductors through Chicago Sinfonietta Freeman Conducting Fellowship program since 2014 (helping to launch professional careers for more than a dozen young conductors), has been a mentor for the Taki Alsop Fellowship since 2022, and conducts ensembles at important educational institutions, such as Carnegie's esteemed NYO2 for young musicians (age 14–17), New England Conservatory (her alma mater), The Juilliard School, Manhattan School of Music, Peabody Institute of the Johns Hopkins University, University of Southern California. She also serves at various training programs, including the New World Symphony in Miami, Texas Music Festival, Boston University Tanglewood Institute, Ung Filharmoni in Norway, Austria's STYRIARTE Festival Youth Orchestra and SoundFlix Youth Orchestra project in Graz, and the newly created National Youth Symphony Orchestra hosted by the Taiwan Philharmonic in 2024 after leading Youth Orchestra Camp as artistic director of National Taiwan Symphony Orchestra Summer Festival (2016–2021). She also served as music director of the renowned Portland Youth Philharmonic in Oregon (2002–2007).

Past honors include being named one of the 2015 “Top 30 Influencers” by Musical America, the 2012 Helen M. Thompson Award from the League of American Orchestras, the 2007 Taki Concordia Fellowship founded by Marin Alsop and 2005 first Prize Winner of the Malko Competition (she remains as the only woman in the competition history since 1965 to have won First Prize). Chen is conductor laureate of the Memphis Symphony after serving as music director (2010–2016). Born in Taiwan, Chen came to the United States to study violin in 1989 at Walnut Hill High School for the Arts, received a violin performance undergraduate degree from New England Conservatory before becoming the first student in New England Conservatory’s history to be awarded double master’s degrees simultaneously in both violin and conducting, and earned a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in conducting from University of Michigan.

 

  
 

Fees

Fees and tuition for the Conducting Academy include:

Application Fee

  • $50 if submitted on or before Sun, Dec 15, 2024

  • $70 if submitted on or after Mon, Dec 16, 2024

  • University of Maryland students apply with no fee! Email noi@umd.edu for further instructions.

Tuition Fee

  • Fellowship Tuition: $950

  • Auditor Tuition: $495

  • A 50% deposit will be required upon acceptance. The remaining balance will be due on or before May 15, 2024.

  • Tuition assistance is available for fellows demonstrating financial need. 

Housing & Parking

Fellows and auditors are responsible for arranging travel to and accommodations in College Park, MD. NOI+F staff will provide nearby suggested options upon acceptance. Please note: travel and housing options/requirements may be updated due to local health and safety guidelines with regard to the COVID-19 pandemic.

  • Conducting academy fellows are responsible for procuring their own housing in College Park, MD during their residency. Sublets for the duration of the NOI+F Conducting Academy near the University of Maryland campus can be found through a variety of websites. A list of resources will be provided to all fellows upon acceptance. Other housing options may be available through UMD Greek Life Housing.

  • Participants who wish to park their car on the University of Maryland campus will be required to purchase a parking permit from the University. Campus parking fees are set by the University’s Department of Transportation Services and are not under the purview of NOI+F. Discounted satellite parking options will be made available closer to the festival. More information will be made available regarding the cost and specific parking locations upon acceptance.

  

Questions + Additional Information

If you have additional questions or would like additional information, contact us at noi@umd.edu or 301.405.2317.

NOI+F is subject to University of Maryland COVID-19 guidelines. At this time, UMD does not require proof of COVID-19 vaccination. However, COVID-19 vaccines are strongly recommended. We encourage fellows, faculty and staff to assess their personal COVID-19 health risk and take appropriate measures. Additional information can be found here: https://umd.edu/4Maryland