Orchestra Days

IMB in cooperation with the Berlin Sinfonietta are thrilled to announce a new Workshop for Conductors:

A NEW EDITION OF THE ORCHESTRA DAYS WILL BE PUBLISHED SOON – STAY TUNED!

Orchestra Days
Four days of rehearsing, learning, filming and recording in Berlin
with the Berlin Sinfonietta and Gil Raveh
TBA in 2024

“Orchestra Days” is our latest development in creating new opprotunities, aiming exclusively at advanced conductors, who are in necessity to gain more experience in a professional orchestra rehearsal setting and produce a high quality audio/video recording.

For the past ten years IMB established itself as leading organizers of successful conducting masterclasses, with hundreds of satisfied past-participants who attended our events. During these years we have been approached by growing number of conductors regarding the possibility to offer them different kinds of opprotunities in order to advance their conducting skills, not necessarily in a masterclass setting. We know that the more advanced conductor is not in need to be under the guidance of a teacher anymore, as much as in the need for substantial time periods of rehearsing and recording, without any “interference” in the flow of the session. Moreover, we are aware that the times are changing, and that in these technological days, the video-sample requirement for a job application has become the most important and crucial factor of such application. A “standard” masterclass with large number of participants, where emphasis is on teaching and learning, is not the right setting to achieve these specific goals. “Orchestra Days” was created exactly for that purpose. We are very happy that whilst offering each conductor substantially longer conducting sessions with the Berlin Sinfonietta by reducing and strictly limiting the maximum number of conductors in comparison to a normal masterclass, we have managed to keep the participation fees at the same affordable level.

 Orchestra Days essential details:

  • The Orchestra Days provide the opportunity to have daily rehearsals with the Berlin Sinfonietta*. 
  • The event is aimed and suited for advanced conductors (preferably with academic graduation in orchestral conducting) with solid background and abilities who wish to expand and develop their rehearsal technique together with the Berlin Sinfonietta, in a friendly and uncompetitive environment.
  • No “Maestro” will be present during the sessions. Nevertheless, established Conductor and IMB Founder and Director, Gil Raveh, will be leading and supervising all the sessions at all times and will be there to guide, comment and assist with conducting issues, and help with technical and musical problems, advices, translation or in any other situation. The players of the Berlin Sinfonietta will also be able to give their valuable feedback form their point of view.
  • All the sessions will be recorded in high quality audio and video. (Stereo recording with H4n Zoom Recorder, and a 4K Camera behind the orchestra facing the conductor.) Participants are welcome to bring their own filming equipment if they wish to have further camera angels for later editing.
  • Each conductor may select up to two movements from the common chamber orchestra repertoire**, and will have the opportunity to focus on them, rehearse and prepare them for a dedicated session of run-throughs on the final rehearsal.
  • The Orchestra Days are strictly limited to 7 advanced conductors.
  • Beside the 7 participants of the Orchestra Days, no passive participation or any auditors are allowed in the sessions. (Attendance in the other conductors’ session is not obligatory.)
  • Each conductor will have appx 120 minutes in total (average 30 minutes per day), and will receive all of the raw audio and video recording materials***.
  • Besides the morning rehearsals there will be no other activities.
  • At the end of the Orchestra Days wee will have a run-throughs session on the final rehearsal. The orchestra will be dressed with concert outfit.
  • Conductors are welcome to choose movements from a concerto as well (not piano) as long as they have a soloist. In case a conductor needs an addition of players (extra players) it can be arranged at the conductor’s expense. (subject to approval and availability)
  • The final deadline to join is 20.6.2022 With less than six registered conductors until that date the Orchestra Days will be postponed, or will be modified to accommodated the number of already registered conductors (minimum 5). (For example – omitting the 4th day. In such case of 5 conductors, each conductors will get all the time with the orchestra in three sessions instead of four, meaning 42 minutes a day instaed of 30, and 126 minutes in total instead of 120.)
  • Location: The Orchestra Days will take place in the center of Berlin at the very intimate St. Lukas Church, Bernburger Str. 3-5, 10963 Berlin. The church has great atmosphere and superb acoustics that provides perfect conditions for the Orchestra Days requirements and is were we have most of our orchestral activities and concerts. 

Daily Schedule:

  • Monday 10:00 – 14:00 Orchestra Rehearsal with filming and recording****
  • Tuesday 10:00 – 14:00 Orchestra Rehearsal with filming and recording
  • Wednesday 10:00 – 14:00 Orchestra Rehearsal with filming and recording
  • Thursday 10:00 – 14:00 Final Orchestra Rehearsal – Run-throughs with filming and recording.
    The final rehearsal should be dedicated for run-throughs of the selected and previously rehearsed movements as “in concert performance” with filming and recording.

Please do not hesitate to contact us for any inquiry or question you have by emailing us at contact@international-masterclasses-berlin.de 

IMB

 

 

*30 players – 2fl; 2ob; 2cl; 2fg; 2hn; 2tr; tp; str (The rehearsals are in English or German.) Orchestra players may change from session to sessions due to unusual sessions lengths and the general plan of the Orchestra Days.
**Subject to approval of IMB and Berlin Sinfonietta and the availability of the orchestra parts. A movement can be chosen and rehearsed by more tahn one participants.,
(Any piece from our past masterclasses programs that suited this orchestra size is theoretically OK.)
***As we are recording in very high quality, the files are expected to be very big. Please bring with you a portable hard drive (or any other storage device with enough free space) in order to copy all of the audio and video files. If you do not own such a device we will be able to provide one at additional costs. We are using PC (not Mac), please consider that and any compatibility issues. All the videos will be given after the last session. Copying such heavy files might take longer time than average.
****Rehearsal plan: 10:00-11:30 3 Conductors, 11:30-11:45 Pause, 11:45-12:45 2 Conductors, 12:45-13:00 Pause, 13:00-14:00 2 conductors.

A NEW EDITION OF THE ORCHESTRA DAYS WILL BE PUBLISHED SOON – STAY TUNED!

 

*Conditions and terms 

When it is relevant the conditions and terms are referring for masterclasses and the “Orchestra Days”

By applying to a masterclass or “Orchestra Days” the applicant agrees with the teaching methods and the artistic decisions made by the teacher of the course , the managing director of the orchestra and manager of IMB. The teacher of the course, the managing director of the orchestra and manager of IMB reserve the right to not allowing certain participants participate in the final concert. Orchestra players may change from session to sessions due to unusual sessions lengths and the general plan of the Masterclass/Orchestra Days. In a case that the teacher of a course will not be able to fulfil his obligation to lead the masterclass because of illness or other unexpected reason (Force Majeure), the organizer will come with a substitute teacher. In case that a substitute teacher could not be found in a short notice, the organizer will take the role of the teacher, and the masterclass will not be cancelled. The organizer reserves the right to change the repertoire when necessary. A notification in that case will be published in the IMB website and all applicants will receive an email with the new selected pieces. The masterclasses are limited to twelve (“Orchestra Days” limited to max seven participants, with less than six participants, the “Orchestra Days” will ne postponed.) active participants. In a case that a masterclass/”Orchestra Days” will not reach the number of ten active participants, IMB reserves the right to cancel or postpone the masterclass. A notice will be sent maximum thirty days before the beginning of the masterclass. In special cases the organizer reserves the permission to accept more than twelve participants for a course but not more than fifteen. The daily schedule is subject to changes. IMB is not responsible by no means to organize accommodation possibilities, travels and meals for the participants during the course. The participant place in the course is secure ONLY after a payment of the deposit is received on IMB’s bank account. If a participant can not attend the course after payment, IMB will do the best in order to find another participant to take his place. When a different candidate will be found, that will pay the FULL tuition fees, ONLY then IMB will pay back the already paid fees to the withdrawn participant. IMB offers the option to use the already paid tuition for a future masterclass, as long as there is an available place and ONLY when a substitute candidate was found. In case that a participant withdraw his participation in less than six weeks (42 days) before the beginning of a masterclass, IMB reserve the right to not refund the already paid, deposit or any part of the tuition fees by the cancelling participant, regardless if a substitute participant had been found or not. In a case that a substitute participant could not be found, IMB reserve the right to keep the whole tuition or part of it and not to pay it back to the participant who canceled his/her participation. A participant that will not follow the agreed payment process and installments plan, as well as one that will not be in contact (emails) regarding his situation, will be considered as a participant who withdrew from the masterclass and will be subject to the above conditions. In case the masterclass will be canceled by the organizer, IMB will pay back the already paid applicants fees fully. In case of an unforeseen cancellation due to a Force Majeure IMB reserve the right to keep part or all of the already paid fees, and not to pay it back. In such case IMB will reschedule the masterclass/”Orchestra Days” and the already fees will be used for the participation. IMB is by no means responsible for any expenses regarding the masterclass/”Orchestra Days” such as flight tickets, hotel bookings, etc, and will not reimburse them in any case. IMB is not responsible directly or indirectly for any damages and/or injuries and/or any health issues that may happen to the participant during his/her participation in the masterclass/”Orchestra Days” and his stay in Berlin . IMB is the rightful owner of all media material from the masterclass/”Orchestra Days”, and may use any footage, pictures, videos etc, for their (IMB) own PR purposes.

Covid-19 

The masterclasses will take place with compliance to the local regulations regarding Covid-19 as hygiene, distancing and all any other regulations. All participants agreeing to comply with those regulations.
In case the local authorities in Germany will not permit the execution of the masterclass from any reason, IMB will payback the already paid fees.
Each participant should inform himself/herself about the actual regulations regarding traveling and entering into Germany from the country of origin, and act accordingly. 
IMB will not refund the paid fees in a case that the masterclass is taking place, and a participant will not comply with all the requirements of the authorities to enter Germany and/or to enter the the masterclass venue, and as a result will not be able to participate in the masterclass.