WEST CHESTER UNIVERSITY
CHORAL CONDUCTING SYMPOSIUM
July 16 – 19, 2025
The WCU Choral Conducting Symposium is designed to sharpen podium gestures and communication skills, enhance knowledge of repertoire, and deepen score study and analysis techniques. It is designed for working conductors in public/private schools, churches, and community choirs and is also suitable for advanced students ready for graduate study (masters or doctoral) in conducting. Conductors may participate in two ways: as Conducting Participants, who will get ample podium time and individual lessons with master teachers; or as Observers, who will be engaged in all activities but who will not conduct. All sessions will be video recorded and given to the participating conductors.
Registration opens at noon on Monday, January 13, 2025. Payment is required to secure a participant slot.
SYMPOSIUM
DETAILS
Daily Schedule
Wednesday-Friday, July 16-18, 2025
- 9:00-10:00am - Lessons with teachers
- 10:15am-12:00pm - Conducting Masterclass
- 12:00-1:30pm - Lunch
- 1:30-2:30pm - Score study, analysis, and performance practice session
- 2:45-4:30pm - Conducting Masterclass
- 4:30-4:45pm - Break
- 4:45-6:30pm - Lecture/Masterclass
Saturday Morning, July 19, 2025
- 9:30am-12:30pm - Conducting masterclass with chamber orchestra
Repertoire
G. F. Händel, Messiah
Elaine Hagenberg, Illuminare
Shorter choral works to be introduced and assigned in reading sessions and masterclasses.
Fees and Registration
Registration opens at noon on Monday, January 13, 2025. A $100 deposit is required to secure a Conducting Participant slot; there are 15 Conducting Participation spots available. All other participants will register as Observers.
Choral Conducting Symposium Registration
Participation Options/Workshops Fees
- Conducting Participant – $500
- Observer – $300
Contact Dr. Kimberly Adams with any additional questions.
Graduate Course Enrollment
The symposium offers a graduate course with variable credit options (1-3 credits). Contact Dr. Kimberly Adams if you are interested in registering for the associated course.
- Before Enrolling in the course, students must:
- Register for the symposium using the link below.
- Pay the symposium fee based on their level of involvement (Conducting Participant or Observer)
- Credit options by participation level:
- Conducting Participants may enroll for 2 or 3 graduate credits, depending on their needs.
- Observers may only enroll for 1 graduate credit due to their more limited participation in the symposium.
- Additional Details:
- Conducting Participants slots for the symposium are limited and tend to fill up quickly.
- Observer spots are unlimited.
- For graduate credit pricing, refer to the Tuition and Fees dropdown.
SYMPOSIUM
CLINICIANS
Dr. Hilary Apfelstadt is Professor Emerita of Choral Studies at the University of Toronto where she held the Elmer Iseler Chair in Conducting. From 2013–2018, she was artistic director of Exultate Chamber Singers in Toronto. After retiring from U of T, she served as Interim Executive Director of the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA) for a year and has recently done significant conducting residencies at McGill University in Montreal, at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and at the University of Redlands.
A native Canadian, she has led her university choirs in performances at ACDA conferences and at Podium, the national professional conference of Choral Canada. She has guest conducted numerous honors choruses and festivals throughout North America and internationally, including 40 all-state choirs and the National Youth Choir of Canada. Her teaching experiences range from public school to community ensembles to church choirs. A past-national president of ACDA, she holds leadership awards from Choirs Ontario, NC-ACDA, the Ohio Choral Directors Association, and both Central and Midwestern ACDA Regions.
During her career, Hilary Apfelstadt has mentored many conductors and advised multiple graduate conducting majors, many of whom now hold significant positions in the profession. She has published numerous articles and book chapters on leadership, choral pedagogy, and Canadian music. Her book on Canadian composer Ruth Watson Henderson, I Didn’t Want It To be Boring (Toronto: Prism Publishers), won Choral Canada’s award for Outstanding Choral Publication in 2018. She is co-editor of a new book, Choral Music by Women Composers (Chicago: GIA Publications, 2025), that features 225 composers spanning several centuries and nationalities.
Dr. Hilary Apfelstadt
Guest Clinician
Dr. Kimberly Adams
Symposium Host
Dr. Ryan Kelly
Symposium Host