CONDUCTING INSTITUTE
The Conducting Institute is a premier program for gifted conductors ages 18 and older, led by the Festival’s music director and resident conductors. Nine fellows are selected each year and rotate through assistant roles with the festival orchestra and two Young Artist Orchestras.
Each week includes two sessions with a repertory orchestra made up of students and string fellows, giving every conducting fellow roughly thirty minutes of podium time across a broad range of repertoire. Fellows also receive two performance opportunities during the festival: one overture-length work with the Festival Orchestra and a second performance—typically movements of a larger piece—with the Young Artists Orchestra.
The curriculum includes three weekly classes: one devoted to score study and two covering professional disciplines such as programming, rehearsal technique, music library operations, and working effectively with orchestral staff. Each fellow also receives private instruction focused on the repertoire they will conduct with the Young Artists and Festival orchestras.
Beyond podium time, fellows are fully immersed in the musical life of EFM. They are encouraged to record their rehearsals and performances, and to attend all festival concerts, master classes, and other artistic activities. The result is a deeply rich, comprehensive, and highly immersive summer of music-making.
AUDITION REQUIREMENTS
Music
- Several recent samples of your conducting demonstrating a variety of repertoire (no more than 30 minutes total)
- Samples would ideally include a mix of both rehearsal and performance and should be a front view of the conductor at a reasonable distance
Documents
- Cover Letter of Interest
- 1 letter of recommendation
- CV/Bio (250 words or less)
Note: Only individuals who are legally authorized to work in the United States may apply.
FESTIVAL DETAILS
Dates
June 27 - August 1
Location
Guilford College, Greensboro, NC
Eligibility
Ages 14-24
Application Deadline
Submit by February 1
Programs Offered
Orchestra
Chamber music
Private study
Master classes
Seminars and workshops
TUITION
$6,475
Five-week program
Tuition - $2,995
Room & Board - $3,080
Fees (Health, Activity, Cleaning, ID Card, Key, & Security) - $400
HOW TO APPLY
The deadline for receipt of completed applications and the audition recording is January 24, 2026.
STEP 1
Review the following steps before starting your online application.
All applicants must submit a completed Application for Admission and pay the non-refundable application fee through Acceptd (link is under Step 4). The fee for submitting your application and audition via Acceptd will be $40 prior to January 1, 2025, and $80 thereafter. Requests for financial assistance will be considered after you have fully completed the application process. EFM Alumni receive an application fee waiver.
STEP 2
Know your video audition requirements.
Applicants interested in attending Eastern Festival of Music must apply and submit a video audition, following the instructions, before a decision on acceptance and requests for financial assistance can be made. Audio recordings without video are not accepted.
STEP 3
Prepare and submit your files.
Please read these instructions carefully before submitting your audition recording.
Select your music according to the repertoire requirements.
Record your video audition, using quality equipment. Recordings that have been edited or enhanced will not be accepted. Upload your application materials and videos through Acceptd.
Acceptable Media File Types Include:
- Video – MP4, MPEG, MPG, MOV, AVI, WMV, M4V, FLV, WEBM, M2V
- Documents – PDF, PS, DOC, DOCX, PPT, PPS, PPTX, XLS, XLSX, OPT, SXW, ODP, SXI, ODS, SXC, RTF, TXT
- Images – JPG, JPEG, PNG, GIF, BMP, TIFF
STEP 4
Prepare to pay the Application Fee.
The fee for submitting your application and audition via Acceptd will be:
- $40 prior to January 1, 2025
- $80 thereafter
STEP 5
Begin your online application on Acceptd.
