The UBC School of Music offers excellent training for graduate conductors with ample leadership opportunities in collaboration with outstanding ensembles.
Degrees are offered with emphases in choral, orchestral, or wind conducting, and our Master of Music program features highly individualized instruction, exploration of diverse repertoires, private conducting study, and significant podium time.
Teaching assistantships in conducting and ensembles provide vital experiential learning opportunities throughout the Master of Music degree. In addition, collaboration among conducting faculty and students in all emphases makes it a cooperative and collegial learning environment.
Other conducting opportunities
Undergraduate and graduate students in all areas of study may elect courses such as fundamentals of conducting, instrumental conducting, and choral conducting, space permitting. Music education majors enjoy a full range of conducting courses as part of their curriculum and may be selected to serve as coaches or assistant conductors of university ensembles.
Opportunities for self-initiated performances abound at UBC, and future conductors are particularly apt to take advantage of these. The school also offers conducting workshops for external participants, including the annual Wind Conducting Symposium.
Why study conducting at UBC?
“UBC offers extremely individualized instruction with the conducting faculty and many on-the-job training experiences to help you in your professional life after your degree. The conducting faculty at UBC are absolutely fantastic. They are creative, they work very well together, and they offer their students the most exciting and ‘cutting edge’ experiences with composer residencies, conducting symposia, and ensemble tours.
Working with Dr. Taylor, I have rarely met a professor who always knows what to say, how to say it, and when to say it for each individual student. He is able to give each student exactly what they need at the right moment. He is able to say one thing to get to the heart of the problem and fix many issues with just that one statement. It’s an absolute joy to work with Dr. Taylor, and it is inspiring to watch him work. He is a true master teacher.
When I left UBC, I knew better what it meant to be an artist and a conductor. The conducting faculty at UBC are incredible role models for what it takes to be a successful and inspiring artist, teacher, and conductor. And to top it off, you get to live in Vancouver!”
— Christopher Ward (MMus’13)