Masterclass Choir Conducting 2026
IT GAVE US THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO DEEP IN THE UNDERSTANDING OF THE BEAUTIFUL REPERTOIRE WE HAD TO CONDUCT AND TO TRANSFER THESE DISCOVERIES TO OTHER PIECES.
Working with the choirs of the Academy of Vocal Arts during the rehearsals was an enriching experience. All the chorists were respondents and attentive, and they had a benevolent and nice attitude towards us, even though we are still students. What was astonishing for me is their ability to build the choir sound by listening one to each other, with a great conscience of the choir's sound.
Victoire Lion, participant Masterclass Choir Conducting 2023
The Academy of Vocal Arts warmly invites you to the fifth Masterclass Choir Conducting with Marc Korovitch and Silvère van Lieshout. The course will take place on 22, 23 & 24 May 2026 at the ACVA.
This masterclass contains several aspects of conducting: next to conducting technique and gestures, we will also be covering rehearsal techniques, improving your choir’s musical skills and how to make your (children’s)choir live up to its full potential.
All active conductors will have the opportunity to work with Cantamare Vocal Ensemble and selection choir Musicanti. Part of the masterclass is also observing a rehearsal of The Hague Children’s Choir, while analyzing the process in real time.
The Academy of Vocal Arts is an institute that stimulates children and youth to sing together. The concert choirs regularly perform at festivals and concerts in The Netherlands and abroad, with programs like the Matthäus Passion, Mozart Requiem or Can you Händel this, together with tenors and basses from the Vienna Boy’s Choir.
REPERTOIRE
Britten - Missa Brevis (Kyrie & Agnus Dei)
Koscár - Ave maris stella
Mendelssohn - Hebe deine Augen auf
Golle - Hoffnung das Segel
ACTIVE PARTICIPANTS
There are 10 active places available. Active conductors should be no older than 40 years of age. To apply, please send your CV mentioning your musical activities, conducting experience, teachers, courses etc. and a (recent) video link of your conducting to info@acva.nl.
The deadline to apply as active participant has passed. However you can still apply to be observing participant.
OBSERVING PARTICIPANTS
There is no age limit for observing participants. Please register to observe the masterclass by sending an e-mail to info@acva.nl. Deadline for application for observing participants is Wednesday 20 May.
SCHEDULE
22 May: 19.15-21.00h (active participants only)
23 May: 9.30-18.00h
24 May: 9.30-18.00h
On Saturday and Sunday lunch will be provided by the ACVA, as well as coffee/tea. For active participants we offer the possibility of staying in a hostfamily.
COSTS
Active participants: €475,-
Observing participants: €70,- per day
MARC KOROVITCH
Marc Korovitch, born in 1987, has studied choir conducting and orchestra conducting at the Sorbonne
University of Paris, Paris Conservatory of Music and at the Haute Ecole de Musique in Geneva, Switzerland.
Marc Korovitch is choir master of the Swedish Radio choir, musical director of Orchestre Colonne and chief
conductor of the Montenegrin Symphony Orchestra.
As of 2024 he will be chief conductor of the Choir and Orchestra of the Spanish Radio and Television. He
works on a regular basis with the Choeur de Radio-France, the Choeur accentus, the Croatian Radio Choir,
SWR vokalensemble, WDR Chor, the English Voices, the Netherlands Radio Choir and Serbian Radio and
Television Choir.
He is well known for his deep musicality and passion for music and conducting. He has been main subject
teacher choir conducting at the Conservatoire à Rayonnement Régional de Paris for several years.
SILVÈRE VAN LIESHOUT
Silvère van Lieshout, born in 1951, was director of the Academy of Vocal Arts for many years. He conducted
Cantamare Vocal Ensemble, selection choir Musicanti and ACVA VOCES in projects with the St Matthew Passion, St John Passion, Requiem of Mozart and Duruflé and the Stabat Mater by Pergolesi. In 2013 he won with Musicanti the Grand Prix in the International Youth Choir Festival in Komló, Hungary.
He was staff member of the National Institute for Choir singing. He founded the National Children’s and Youth Choir and conducted the Rotterdam Boy’s Choir. Next to being conductor, he wrote a method for sightreading: Jongleren.
He is ambassador of the European Music Festival for Youth in Neerpelt, Belgium, and was named Knight of the Order of Orange-Nassau in 2013.
