CU Boulder Wind Band Conducting Symposium
Hosted on our beautiful campus, the annual CU Boulder Wind Band Conducting Symposium is designed for individuals conducting professionally, including graduate students and those leading public school band programs, community and collegiate wind ensembles.
There are two available tracks intended to serve the individual needs of each conductor and provide the maximum amount of conducting time. All tracks will participate in a variety of clinics that focus on score study, repertoire selection and artistic development for the conductor.
Interested applicants will submit a brief conducting video with their application, via a private YouTube channel. Please select your preferred track; video submissions will be used to place applicants into the various tracks. All participants are expected to perform in the Symposium Band.
June 8-13, 2025
Clinicians
Guest clinician
Craig Kirchhoff, professor emeritus, conducting, University of Minnesota
CU Boulder clinicians
Matthew Dockendorf, Associate Professor, Interim Director of Bands
Branden Steinmetz, Assistant Teaching Professor, Interim Associate Director of Bands
Participation
Four levels of participation are available:
Chamber Conducting Track: (10 conductors, $750)
The Chamber Conducting Track is designed for teachers and conductors looking to improve their musicianship through small ensemble conducting. Prerequisite: Bachelor’s degree in music and/or music education. Throughout the symposium, participants will conduct two pieces of chamber winds repertoire and receive individual feedback from each conductor. Conductors will receive 45 minutes of conducting time and individual video follow-up sessions.
Band Conducting Track: (10 conductors, $750)
The Band Conducting Track is designed for teachers and conductors at all levels. Band conductors will work with clinicians in small groups and the Symposium Band. Prerequisite: Bachelor’s degree in music and/or music education. Conductors will receive 45 minutes of conducting time with clinician, as well as private video follow-up sessions.
Undergraduate Conducting Track: (4 conductors, $300)
This track is designed for junior or senior music education students looking to improve their conducting skills. Participants in this track will observe all conducting sessions and lectures. Additionally, participants will conduct the Symposium Band twice—Tuesday and Thursday afternoon.
Auditor ($100 for one day, $400 for the whole week)
Auditors are welcome to register to attend on a prorated daily basis! Only able to drop by for a couple of days out of the week? This option is for you! The Auditor Track is designed for the conducting student who is seeking to develop, refine, and hone their conducting technique. No conducting video is necessary for auditors.
All participants should bring their primary instrument and perform in the afternoon Symposium Band.
Registration
Registration for the 2025 conducting symposium will open on Jan. 21, 2025.
A deposit of $200 (or full tuition amount, if less than $200) is required upon registration. This deposit is non-refundable, unless conductor is asked by CU Boulder faculty member to defer participation. Prior to May 31, refund is in full excluding the non-refundable $200 deposit. Payment in full is due by May 31.
Housing + meals
Due to policy changes with conference services, we are unable to offer on-campus housing. Participants will need to secure their own lodging at a local hotel (a few of our suggestions here) or Airbnb. On-campus dining is available at the Center for Community and UMC Market. These dining centers accept credit and debit cards.
Homewood Suites in Boulder has offered a room block for this event at a discounted rate of $219/night. Interested? Register here before May 9, 2024.
Reservations canceled less than 48 hours in advance and no-shows will be charged one night’s room plus tax.
CU Boulder Preferred Hotel Program
Refund policy
All refunds will be processed on the card used to make the payment through the registration portal. Prior to May 31, refund is in full excluding the non-refundable $200 deposit. Payment in full is due by May 31. No refunds will be issued for cancellations June 1 or thereafter.
Tuition credit
For an additional fee, conductors may take the course for optional tuition credit through the University of Colorado Boulder Continuing Education. The course will be offered as Independent Study Music 5018-751. Information on how to register for course credit will be available by May 1.
2025 tuition credit registration instructions
Required supplies
All conductors must bring their own SD card to store their session recordings (we will provide the recording device). We recommend a 128GB card, but a 64GB card will work if you are able to save the files to your computer at the end of each day. Auditors do not need to bring an SD card.
2025 repertoire
Chamber conducting track
- Stravinsky–Octet for winds
- Beethoven–Octet for winds in E-flat, Op. 103
Band + undergraduate conducting track
- Florence Price/arr. Williams—“Adoration”
- Percy Grainger/ed. Fennell—“Lincolnshire Posy” (movements 2, 5 + 6 only)
- Gustav Holst/ed. Matthews—First Suite in E-flat (all movements)
- Cait Nishimura—“Chasing Sunlight”
- Frank Ticheli—“Simple Gifts” (movements 2, 3, 4)
Purchase scores
Music may be purchased directly from composers’ websites or any reputable sheet music companies.
Contact
Questions? Contact Ensembles Program Coordinator Rachelle Crowell at rachelle.crowell@colorado.edu, 303-492-6584.