A Weekend of Insight, Connection, and Musical Growth: Inside Our First Professional Conductors’ Workshop
Earlier this autumn, we opened our doors for something entirely new: a two-day Professional Conductors’ Workshop designed to give mid-career conductors the rare opportunity to work intensively with a high-level ensemble in a warm, candid, and deeply collaborative environment.
What unfolded was a weekend that exceeded every expectation, an energising blend of music-making, practical discovery, and human connection that left both our participants and our singers inspired long after the weekend came to a close.
Why we launched this workshop
Since Epiphoni began, we’ve believed not only in delivering high-quality performances but in nurturing musical leadership. Our singers bring together professionalism, artistry, and a genuine love for the craft, and we’ve long wanted to share that environment with the next generation of conductors.
This workshop was born from that ambition: a space for conductors who had already moved beyond the basics and were now seeking a supportive but rigorous place to refine technique, try new approaches, and prepare for upcoming engagements.
Across the weekend, our Artistic Director Tim Reader and one of our regular guest conductors Noah Max led sessions that combined hands-on podium time, real-time feedback from the choir, and one-to-one coaching. Our aim was simple: to offer something genuinely meaningful, practical, and artistically enriching.
A choir that teaches as much as it sings
A defining aspect of the workshop was the integral role played by our choir. Epiphoni’s singers offered not only their musicianship but their candour, warmth, and collaborative curiosity.
For many participants, hearing directly from the ensemble was one of the most powerful elements of the experience:
I found the coaching so informative and supportive… but receiving feedback from the choir was perhaps even more instructive. It reminded me that conducting is first and foremost for the performers’ benefit; that you are there to support and galvanise their efforts and potential.
Conducting participant
And the simple, electrifying experience of standing in front of a responsive choir made a deep impression:
Standing in front of the choir and having the chance to conduct them was how I imagine it feels driving a Rolls Royce!
Conducting participant
Creating a warm, pastoral space for honest exploration
One of the things we are most proud of is the environment the workshop fostered, one shaped by trust, generosity, and kindness. We wanted conductors to feel they could try things, take risks, and ask questions openly.
Hearing that this intention resonated so strongly was really encouraging for us:
You have cultivated the most pastoral environment imaginable. You really must have the friendliest choir on the planet… what makes Epiphoni so special is how welcoming, supportive, inclusive, and kind everyone is
Conducting participant
And for those arriving with nerves (as so many of us do), the choir’s openness made a real impact:
…such a lovely group of musicians and I felt really welcomed and put at ease from the start (having come with some considerable nerves). I was so grateful that they were willing to give their weekends up for free to help me and the other conductors.
Conducting participant
An experience that lingers
In the days following the workshop, we received messages that reminded us why this project matters:
“One week on from the course, I’m still smiling just thinking about it. I can’t recall a more engrossing recent experience.”
“This was genuinely one of the most gratifying musical experiences of my entire life… I feel so grateful to have had the privilege of learning from Tim, Noah, and the choir.”
Knowing the weekend had such a lasting impact has only strengthened our commitment to making this workshop a regular part of our work.
A shared performance to close the weekend
We rounded off the workshop with something especially memorable: a collaborative sing-through of Parry’s Songs of Farewell, bringing together everything we’d explored over the two days. We invited a small audience, exclusively Epiphoni members and close supporters, which created a relaxed but meaningful atmosphere for the conductors to put their learning into practice.
Sharing the music in this way gave the weekend a wonderful sense of achievement. It allowed the conductors to experience the repertoire afresh, with the added energy of an audience, while keeping the spirit of the workshop (supportive, open, and collaborative) at the heart of it. For us as a choir, it was a joy to see their confidence bloom and to witness how quickly their work with us had taken root.
Stay connected
If you’re interested in future conducting events and would like to participate or find out more, let us know via our form.
