Conducting Masterclass

Beginning in 2025, all members of NC ACDA are invited to submit applications for the Conducting Masterclass, to be held in Charlotte, NC on Saturday, October 11th at Queens University of Charlotte. This event is a part of the annual Fall Conference of the North Carolina Chapter of the American Choral Directors Association.

The application videos will be viewed and adjudicated by a panel of experienced choral conductors who live out-of-state. These adjudicators will select a maximum of 4 finalists to participate in a masterclass with clinician Dr. Carole Ott, the Director of Choral Activities at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Finalists will be given a piece to prepare for the masterclass and will conduct the Davidson Chorale from Davidson College. NC ACDA offers gratitude to Professor Renata Berlin, the Director of Choral Activities at Davidson College.

Selection Criteria

The selection committee will be guided in their acceptance process by the following criteria: 

Conducting gesture

Style and articulation

Interpretation and expression

Overall effectiveness

Application Requirements

Applicants must submit a front-facing video (video cannot exceed 6 minutes) conducting one selected work.  Videos may be in WebM, .MPEG4, .3GPP, .MOV, .AVI, .MPEGPS, .WMV, .FLV, or .ogg formats. Please ensure the applicant’s name and / or institution name does not appear in the name of the file. The title of the video can be the composition name and composer. 

The video recording can include an audio recording of a choir performance, a live choir, or piano accompaniment only. The work can be SATB, SSA, or TTB. The recording should not be in rehearsal format, but rather conducting a run-through of a piece. The video should not identify the individual or institution in any way (background or apparel).

Application Date Range: April 1 - July 1, 2025

Application Fee: $30/applicant