Offering tracks in choral and orchestral conducting, the Graduate Conducting Program of the Bard College Conservatory of Music is a two-year curriculum that culminates in the master of music (MM) degree. Led by renowned conductors James Bagwell and Leon Botstein, the program equips its graduates with the broad-based skills and experience necessary to meet the special opportunities and challenges of a conducting or conducting-related career in the 21st century.
In addition to codirecting the Graduate Conducting Program, Maestro Bagwell is the director of Bard’s undergraduate Music Program, associate conductor of The Orchestra Now, and principal guest conductor of the American Symphony Orchestra. Maestro Bagwell is a regular guest conductor for the Tulsa Symphony, recently conducting Mozart's Requiem and Brahms' Ein Deutches Requieum. Additionally, he regularly prepares the Concert Chorale of New York for performances with the New York Philharmonic, Los Angeles Philharmonic, and the Mostly Mozart Festival.
Leon Botstein
Codirector
Leon Botstein is the President of Bard College, music director of The Orchestra Now and the American Symphony Orchestra, and conductor laureate of the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra. Additionally, Maestro Botstein is the founder and co-artistic director of the annual Bard Music Festival.
Program Highlights
The Graduate Conducting Program balances a respect for established traditions with the flexibility and curiosity needed to keep abreast of evolving musical ideas. In addition to instruction in conducting, the curriculum includes an innovative, four-semester music history sequence (shared by the two tracks), voice lessons and diction for choral conductors, instrument lessons for orchestral conductors, and foreign language study, ear training, and composition for all students.
Program Highlights
Unique to the program is its access to the varied resources at Bard: the Conductors Chorus, the Orchestral Conductors Ensemble, the orchestra and chorus of the Bard Music Festival, and other affiliated music programs. All conductors work with each of these ensembles, regardless of their specified concentration.
Why I Chose Bard
Emmanuel Rojas, orchestral conducting Class of 2024
One of the main reasons in choosing to attend is the well-rounded curriculum the program offers that is needed for the modern day conductor, all thoughtfully curated by Professor James Bagwell. Another is the resources that the college offers to the Conservatory, such as having our own Frank Gehry concert hall that our orchestras can not only perform in but even regularly rehearse in. It is literally a home away from home after working as an usher at the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles for 7 years.
