Vasily Petrenko Launches Academy for Young Conductors

Six young conductors will be selected for the academy, which will take place in Armenia in July 2024

The Russian-British conductor Vasily Petrenko has launched a new Academy for Young Conductors, which is set to take place in Yerevan, Armenia from July 2 to 6, 2024.

The Academy is co-organized by the Primavera Foundation Armenia, and participants will have the opportunity to work with the Armenian National Philharmonic Orchestra.

The course is targeted specifically at young conductors, who will lead the orchestra in individual rehearsals — as well as participating in Petrenko's seminar "Secrets of Conducting Off the Stage".

At the conclusion of the course, the participants (and Petrenko himself) will take part in a closing gala concert, presenting the pieces they have worked on the previous days. The entire Academy will take place in Aram Khachaturian Concert Hall.

All applicants must have been born between 1989 and 2006, and six applicants will be accepted. They will work with the orchestra for up to 20 minutes per day for four days, as well as receiving three individual sessions with Petrenko.

To apply, conductors should supply at least two recent, non-edited videos, plus an application letter of 300 words and a biography. The application deadline is June 3, 2024; you can find out more and apply here.

"The Academy is an opportunity for young conductors to have a workshop with someone more experienced, with a bigger career, and with a real orchestra," Petrenko said. "For me, the Academy is about supporting the growth, nurturing the talents of the next generation of conductors, and giving them chances."