Things to do · Arts and crafts
Learn to conduct an orchestra or choir
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Conducting is a skill of gesture, preparation and rehearsal, and short courses put you in front of real singers or players to practise beat patterns, cues and starting and stopping. Introductory choral courses are open to people new to leading a choir, and summer symposiums let you either conduct or audit.
Moderate£100 to £500 / $130 to $650A few weeksIndoorsWith othersUK and US
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Ways in and what they cost
| Where | Format | Cost (as last listed) |
|---|---|---|
| Association of British Choral Directors (abcd), online | Choral Conducting: An Introductory Guide, two Saturday mornings on Zoom (January 2026 run), for people new to leading choirs | £75; £52.50 for members |
| Royal School of Church Music (RSCM), London | Choral Conducting Course, four Saturdays at the Charterhouse (autumn 2026 run), for church musicians of any experience, 18 and over | £300; £250 for members; bursaries available |
| Morley College London | Introduction to Orchestral Conducting, 10 Friday evenings from 8 January 2027 | £205; £155 concession |
| George Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia | Mason Orchestral Conducting Symposium, 28 June to 2 July 2027, with daily podium time | $695 to conduct; $325 to audit |
| University of South Carolina, Columbia | Summer Conducting Workshop, choral track in 2026; 2027 dates not yet announced | $400 to conduct; $225 to audit |
The abcd course covers beat patterns, starting and stopping, pauses, ritardando and dynamics, and the RSCM course covers preparing music and gesture and running a pacy rehearsal.
What courses expect of you
Entry requirements vary a lot. The RSCM course says keyboard skills are not required, while Morley College's orchestral course asks for intermediate to advanced playing or singing and good music theory, and says it is not a beginner musicianship course.
Summer symposiums usually offer two ways to take part. Conducting participants get podium time; auditors attend the sessions without conducting, and at George Mason they play in the ensemble. Some workshops are selective, such as the University of Utah's Conductor's Workshop, which takes up to eight participants who apply with a conducting video.
How to start
- Decide between choral and orchestral conducting; choral introductions usually ask for less previous training.
- Read the entry requirements, as some orchestral courses expect good music theory and an instrument or voice at intermediate level.
- Book a short introduction, such as an online choral course, before a longer course with podium time.
Where to go
- Association of British Choral Directors (abcd): courses and events UK
- Morley College London: Introduction to Orchestral Conducting UK
- George Mason University: Mason Orchestral Conducting Symposium (Virginia) US
We opened these links on 13 November 2026 and found them to be what we say. Dates, places and prices are on the official page, where they stay up to date.
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Pick a day, or a month, and we will set out how to get ready, step by step, with a date and a reason for each. Courses and classes have start dates and can fill up, so the plan begins with finding and booking one. Kit comes after the first session, once you know what you need.
Questions people ask
Can an amateur learn to conduct?
Yes. The abcd's introductory course is aimed at people new to leading choirs, and George Mason's summer symposium says it has served beginning conductors as well as professionals.
Do I need to read music to learn conducting?
For most courses, yes. Morley College's orchestral course asks for good music theory, including key and time signatures, and score study is a core part of the teaching.
What is an auditor on a conducting course?
An auditor attends the sessions but does not conduct. It costs less, for example $325 against $695 at George Mason's symposium as last listed.
How much does a conducting course cost?
As last listed, from £75 for the abcd's online introduction and £205 for Morley College's 10-week course, to $400 to $695 to conduct at US summer workshops.
Where this comes from: abcd, Choral Conducting: An Introductory Guide; RSCM, Choral Conducting Course 2026; Morley College London, Introduction to Orchestral Conducting; Mason Community Arts Academy, Summer Conducting Symposium; University of South Carolina School of Music, Summer Conducting Workshop; University of Utah School of Music, Conductor's Workshop. Opened 13 November 2026.
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