Instrumental Conducting Department News

Andrew Altenbach to conduct at Cincinnati Opera, Brevard Music Festival, and Minnesota Opera

Doctoral student Andrew Altenbach as been engaged as Assistant conductor to the Cincinnati Opera for Summer 2007, where he will be assisting Stefan Lano in a production of Cosí fan Tutte and Richard Buckley in Aida. He has been engaged with the Minnesota Opera for the 2007-2008 season as Assistant Conductor, where he will be covering rehearsals, backstage conducting, rehearsal pianist and coach for productions of Un Ballo di Maschera, L'italiana in Algiers, Romeo and Juliet, Croesus, and Rusalka. He will also appear as guest conductor with the Brevard Music Center Orchestra and members of the Janiec Opera Company.

Thomas Heuser to study in Zlin, Czech Republic

Masters student Thomas Heuser has been admitted as a top-level participant at the 2007 International Conducting Workshop and Festival in Zlin, Czech Republic, where he will work with the Bohuslav Martinu Philharmonic Orchestra and Maestro Larry Rachleff. Scheduled for two weeks in June, the program highlights great works in the French orchestral tradition.

Charles Latshaw named 2007 Karajan Conducting Fellow

Masters student Charles Latshaw has been selected by members of the Vienna Philharmonic and the American Austrian Foundation as 2007 Herbert von Karajan Conducting Fellow. He will spend five weeks in July and August at the Salzburg Festival, in Salzburg, Austria, with the orchestras including the Vienna Philharmonic, Berlin Philharmonic, East-West Divan Orchestra, and conductors including Daniel Barenboim, Simon Rattle, Franz Welser Möst, and Riccardo Muti.

Robert Mirakian named Music Director of the Richmond Philharmonic

Doctoral student Robert Mirakian has been appointed Music Director of the Richmond Philharmonic (Richmond, VA) starting in September 2007. He will conduct eight concerts annually with the orchestra, audition new members, create programming, fundraise, and promote the orchestra with its board.

Robert Mirakian to join the Janiec Opera Company

Doctoral student Robert Mirakian has been appointed General Manager and Conductor of the Janiec Opera Company at the Brevard Music Center (Brevard, NC) for Summer 2007. He will oversee
all scheduling of performers and artistic staff for the company and conduct the production of Camelot.

Christian Crans joins conducting staff of Pensacola Opera

Doctoral student Christian Crans has been named the Assistant Conductor to the Pensacola Opera. He will also serve as the Music Director of the young artist program.

Scott Voyles named 2006-2007 Artist Apprentice of American Opera Projects in New York City

Masters student Scott Voyles has been engaged as the 2006-2007 Artist Apprentice of the American Opera Projects in New York City. Among his numerous duties will be assisting Artistic Director Steven Osgood in all AOP productions, overseeing the Composer and the Voice Series, Libretto Reading Series and spearheading a new AOP initiative that brings scenes from AOP productions of the previous ten seasons to colleges and universities around the country. He will also work with the New York City Opera.

Philip Mann appointed conducting fellow at Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra

Masters student Philip Mann has been appointed the Paul E. & Martha K. Schmidt Conducting Fellow for the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra beginning with the 2006-2007 season.

Scott Voyles named Assistant Conductor of the Ensemble Modern at the Klangspuren Festival 2006 in Schwaz/Tirol, Austria and Transart Festival in Bolzano, Italy

Masters student Scott Voyles has been engaged to assist Franck Ollu and the Ensemble Modern in two performances at the Klangspuren Festival 2006 in Schwaz/Tirol, Austria. While a member of the International Ensemble Modern Academy, he will perform with members of the ensemble and the Academy in Schwaz/Tirol as well as in one performance at the Transart Festival in Bolzano, Italy.

Robert Mirakian appointed Assistant Conductor to 2006 National Repertory Orchestra

Doctoral student Robert Mirakian will be assistant conductor to the National Repertory Orchestra in Breckenridge, CO this summer. He will conduct two programs with the orchestra and cover conduct more than twenty symphonic and pops performances.

Blake Richardson appointed 2006 Conducting Fellow at the Chautauqua Institute

Masters student Blake Richardson has been appointed the David Effron Conducting Fellow at the Chautauqua Institute and will lead performances with the orchestra, the ballet, the theater, opera, and the vocal department. The David Effron Conducting Fellowship is awarded to a gifted student pursuing a career in conducting. The applicant must be enrolled in a graduate conducting program. Mr. Muffitt will guide the studies of the conducting fellow. The deadline is March 15 for submission of a videotape and completed application with resume. The conducting fellowship pays for room and board and provides a $2,000 stipend.

Philip Mann named 2006 Karajan Conducting Fellow

Masters student Philip Mann has won the 2006 Karajan Fellowship for Young Conductors. The award will allow him to attend the Salzburg Festspiele to work with and observe numerous noted conductors and orchestras.

Thomas Heuser to attend 2006 Monteux School

Masters student Thomas Heuser will be attending the Pierre Monteux School for Orchestral Conductors and Musicians in Hancock, Maine, throughout July. Starting the first week in August, he will be attending the annual IRAS Conference in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, where he will be performing chamber music on the Sturges Young Artist Fellowship.

Philip Mann named Assistant Conductor of the Hot Springs Music Festival

Masters student Philip Mann has been named Assistant Conductor of the Hot Springs Music Festival in Hot Springs, Arkansas. There he will be conducting concerts and working as an associate producer for a multi-disc project on the Naxos label.

IU Jacobs 2006 Summer Music Festival

This year's summer music festival features four orchestral concerts, guest conducted by Joshua Bell, Clifford Colnot, Michael Stern and Leonard Slatkin. Also, the Opera Department will stage a production og Gilbert and Sullivan's The Mikado, guest conducted by Raymond Harvey. View the Summer Music Festival Website for more details.

Blake Richardson to attend 2006 Kurt Masur Masterclass

Masters student Blake Richardson was personally selected by Maestro Masur to participate in a week-long masterclass at the Manhattan School of Music.

Dongmin Kim appointed conducting fellow at Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra

Doctoral student Dongmin Kim has been appointed the Paul E. & Martha K. Schmidt Conducting Fellow for the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra beginning with the 2005-2006 season.

Charles Latshaw appointed assistant conductor of Columbus Indiana Philharmonic

Masters student Charles Latshaw has been appointed assistant conductor to the Columbus Indiana Philharmonic for the 2005-2007 seasons. He will also serve as music director to Columbus' Philharmonic Youth Orchestra and the Philharmonic Youth Ensemble.

Hebe de Champeaux appointed assistant conductor of Richmond Symphony Orchestra

Masters student Hebe de Champeaux has been appointed assistant conductor to the Richmond Symphony Orchestra of Richmond, Indiana for the 2005-2006 season.

Violinist and conductor Jaime Laredo to join IU School of Music faculty.

View the complete school of music press release>