Why study conducting at the HfMDK?

At the HfMDK, we believe that the conductors of tomorrow should not only receive excellent classroom instruction during their training, but should also gain as much practical experience as possible in front of ensembles, choirs and orchestras.

We offer you regular collaborations with various university ensembles (university orchestra, university choir), a wide range of cooperation projects with orchestras and choirs throughout Germany and a large network of opera houses and radio choirs for assistant positions.

A comprehensive, broadly positioned education is important to us and we see ourselves as a team in which we work together across classes and disciplines.

Our conducting degree programs are designed to develop strong artistic personalities who are able to rehearse and perform even the most complex and demanding choral and orchestral works with technical and musical mastery.

Our graduates are able to develop independent, thoughtful and meaningful interpretations on the basis of the specialist knowledge and sense of style of different genres and epochs they have acquired during their studies. They have a precise conducting technique and a stylistically differentiated and expressive body language, which also enables them to accompany both instrumental and vocal soloists with confidence.

They assume responsibility, acquire analytical and organizational skills and are able to communicate and implement their musical ideas clearly, efficiently in terms of rehearsal methods, in a contemporary manner and with pedagogical and psychological skills in dealing with ensembles of different sizes and at different levels.

Conducting projects take place several times a semester in front of professional orchestras. The Göttingen Symphony Orchestra, the Neubrandenburg Philharmonic Orchestra, the Bremerhaven Philharmonic Orchestra, the Stadttheater Gießen, the Rheinische Philharmonie Koblenz, the Staatstheater Mainz and the Staatstheater Darmstadt are among the permanent cooperation partners of the orchestral conducting class.

For students majoring in choral conducting, a professional vocal ensemble, the banda vocale frankfurt, is put together once a semester for a one-week rehearsal and concert phase.

For all conducting courses, there is also our conducting studio, where students can regularly gain practical experience. In addition, our students regularly work with the university's ensembles (university choir, university orchestra), both in rehearsals and in concerts. Several times a semester, we hold interdisciplinary class evenings with the composition or vocal departments.

We are pleased to be able to offer all students several assistant positions per semester, which provide an insight into the professional world. Our students assist at the Deutsche Oper Berlin, the Cologne Opera, the Staatstheater Wiesbaden and the RIAS Chamber Choir, among others.