ECE Conducting course
18 – 26 July 2020

Please note that this is advance notice only. Full details of this course and booking will become available shortly.

The English Choral Experience Conducting Course offers immersive music-making with world-renowned conducting and vocal pedagogues.

Set at the 12th-century Dore Abbey, the ECE Conducting Course is unique: a small group of participants collaborate and support each other, guided and nurtured by an extraordinary team of tutors. Participants receive a truly exceptional amount of time with tutors.

The ECE choral conductors spend the week exploring a group of pieces from off the beaten track, giving valuable ideas to freshen up their programmes and, often, support composers from neglected groups.

The ECE Conducting course supports participants with a large teaching team; each conductor receives input and support from all five of our tutors over the course of the week.

• Sarah Tenant-Flowers, a conductor, ensemble singer, and animateur, provides one-to-one tuition and leads masterclasses and workshops.
• Ghislaine Morgan is an expert in vocal pedagogy for choirs; she offers insight into how to encourage healthy, expressive singing among singers of all ages and levels.
• Paul Spicer, conductor, teacher, composer, and writer, directs the ECE course and works directly with participants on the Conducting Course.
• Daniel Galbreath is a researcher and conductor specialising in contemporary music and young voices. Daniel directs the Conducting Course, and leads workshops with conductors. Prior to the course beginning, you will have two video chat sessions with Daniel, helping you prepare for the course.
• Darrel Chan assistant directs the ECE Course and coaches participants. Darrel currently teaches across several educational projects in Malaysia.

Conductors receive an extremely high quantity of podium time:

• Conductors form a small consort, which they conduct in turns, called the Scholar’s Choir
• Conductors also conducting the ECE Consort, a small group drawn from the English Choral Experience choir, in traditional late-night compline services and a Sunday Eucharist service at the Abbey.
• Two Advanced Conductors will also lead a piece with the main ECE Choir, in both rehearsal and performance. All conductors sing with the main choir, watching Paul Spicer at work.

Registration: You will be notified of acceptance soon after registration. All fees must then be paid by May 31, 2020, unless you are paying on an instalment plan. You will receive scores and other materials after the May 31 payment deadline.

Fees: Although participants receive a huge amount of time and support from a large team of tutors, we strive to keep the course fee competitive, and offer generous financial aid. This year’s fee is £495.

Fees may be paid, if needed, in instalments, as agreed with the course director.

Financial Aid: A central objective of the ECE Conducting Course is that it should be affordable to whomever wants to participate. Every year, we distribute a total of ca. £2,500 in financial aid. If you are interested in attending, but are concerned about money, please get in touch with course director Daniel Galbreath.