Conducting Workshop with Carl Topilow

January 9-12, 2025

Conductor Carl Topilow, author of The Orchestral Conductor’s Career Handbook, will be hosting a conducting workshop on January 9, 10, 11, and 12, 2025 in Cleveland. Each of the 14 participants will receive 60 minutes of podium time.

All sessions will be held at the Cleveland Pops offices in Beachwood, OH, a suburb of Cleveland. Participants will be conducting members of the Cleveland Pops Orchestra, a professional union orchestra performing at Severance Music Center and throughout Northeast Ohio. There are ample hotel choices within a 15-to-20-minute walk or 5 minutes by car to the office.

Included in the workshop are conducting sessions on rehearsing and accompanying as well as discussion sessions on rehearsal techniques and programming, the audition and interview process, and pops concerts.

Participants are encouraged to record each of their conducting sessions for their personal archives.

Tuition is $1295; there is no application fee.

  • July 26, 2024 – applications may be sent

  • November 4, 2024 - deadline for applications

  • November 11, 2024 - final notification of acceptance

  • November 18, 2024 – a $500 non-refundable hold deposit due

  • December 2, 2024 – balance of full payment due

To apply, send a resume and two contrasting videos of your conducting to carl@clevelandpops.com. As applicants may be accepted on a rolling basis, meaning that applicants may be accepted before the application deadline, early application is encouraged.

Seminar Schedule

  • 1:00 p.m. Check- in.

    1:15 p.m. Participants introduce themselves: background, musical philosophy, statement of purpose

    Conducting Session #1 - 2:30 - 5:30 p.m. | Conducting session with string quintet.

    Select two movements or the Walker Lyric for Strings

    • Holst - St. Paul Suite

    • Motzart - Divertimento K 138

    • George Walker – Lyric for Strings

    • Warlock – Capriol Suite

    Conducting Session #2 - 7:00-10:00 p.m. | Conducting session with orchestra.

    • Beethoven - Symphony #5, movements 1, 2 and 3

  • Conducting Session #3 - 9:00 a.m. - Noon |Conducting session with orchestra.

    • Debussy - Afternoon of a Faun (Arnold Schonberg version for 11 players)

    Guest Speakers TBD

    Discussion session #1 - 1:30–2:30 p.m. | Efficient rehearsing and programming

    Discussion session #2 - 2:45-3:45 p.m. | Winning a job and keeping it!

    Discussion session #3 - 4:00-5:00 p.m. | Pops concerts

    Conducting Session #4 - 7:00 - 10:00 p.m. | Conducting session with orchestra.

    • Copland - Appalachian Spring (original version for 13 players)

  • Conducting Session #5 - 9:00 a.m. - Noon | Rehearsal workshop. Conducting session with string orchestra. Select one of the following pieces:

    • Britten – Simple Symphony, 3rd movement

    • Grieg – Holberg Suite, 4th movement

    • Mahler – Symphony #5, 4th movement (Adagietto)

    • Puccini – Crisantemi

    • Still – Dances of Panama

    Conducting Session #6 - 1:30 - 4:30 p.m. | Rehearsal workshop continued. Conducting session with string orchestra.

    Cleveland Orchestra Concert - 8:00 p.m. | Discount tickets will be made available if you’d like to attend (about a 20-minute drive to Severance Hall).

  • Conducting Session #7 - 9:00 a.m. - Noon | Conducting session with orchestra. Select one of the following pieces:

    • St. Saens - Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso for Violin and Orchestra

    • Faure – Elegy for Cello and Orchestra St.

    • St. Saens – Violin Concerto #3, 2nd movement

    • Wieniawski - Violin Concerto #2, 2nd movement

Here are comments from participants in Carl’s May 2024 workshop

  • The positive atmosphere Maestro Topilow created from the very beginning and the consequent friendly attitude from the musicians and camaraderie among the conductors made this the best workshop experience of my life.

    Giovani Briguente, May 2024 workshop attendee

  • This workshop met my expectations and then some. The repertoire selected, discussion sessions, musicians’ support, Maestro Topilow’s expertise and support made this a most positive experience.

    Jacob Campbell, May 2023 and, May 2024 workshop attendee

  • I want to take this opportunity to offer a heartfelt thank you for providing such an incredible experience through your workshop. You are an excellent teacher and a masterful conductor, and you interact with everyone in such a positive manner. Despite my initial nervousness, I felt reassured by your care and expertise.

    Mark Douglass, May 2024 workshop attendee

  • This workshop exceeded my expectations. The dedication and responsiveness of the orchestra, the gentle teaching and magic of Carl Topilow, and the familial chemistry of the class made this unforgettable.

    Quinn Mason, May 2024 workshop attendee

  • Maestro Topilow, thank you for an amazing exchange of creative ideas, for inspiration, for laughs and conversations, for invaluable lessons, and for your kindness and commitment to teaching.

    Nadya Potemkina, May 2024 workshop attendee

  • The repertoire included a nice set of quality selections of music, a good variety of styles with challenges for the conductor, I also enjoyed the fact that we could select what we thought would help us individually. The outstanding camaraderie was a big plus, all naturally built by the sincere, supportive, and beautiful persona of Maestro Topilow.

    Sebastian Serrano, May 2024 workshop attendee

Former Student Testimonials

“I can definitely say that our time together and your teaching on efficient rehearsing made all the difference!”

— Gaddiel Dombrowner

Recent winner of the Kussewitzky Conducting Competition in Grosseto, Italy; winner of the 3rd Turchak Conducting Competition 3rd prize winner of the Blue Danube Opera Conducting

“I have absorbed more than I can possibly measure about conducting and the orchestral world from Carl Topilow going back to my years as his Assistant Conductor with the National Repertory Orchestra. From intricate details in orchestral scores to his invaluable and practical advice on presenting Pops concerts, I have had the privilege of learning from Carl for decades – and hope to continue to do so through his new book!”

— Alfred Savia

Artistic Advisor & Principal Conductor, Indianapolis Opera; Conductor Laureate, Evansville Philharmonic Orchestra

“My time spent learning to be an orchestral conductor with Carl was incredibly meaningful and helpful. From Carl I learned how to run an efficient rehearsal (a MUST for an assistant conductor especially), how to successfully engage my colleagues and get their best from them, and how to really dive deep into a score and arrive at a convincing interpretation through preparation and decision-making. He has continued to be a lifelong mentor for me, and I am extremely grateful for all his guidance and insight throughout my career.”

— Chelsea Tipton

Music Director and Conductor, Symphony of Southeast Texas; Pops Conductor, New Haven Symphony

“Carl Topilow has at the same time the detailed, refined expertise of a Swiss watch craftsman and the energy of a master. His infinite curiosity brought him to have a technical knowledge of every instrument and repertoire (from pops to crossover, from opera (I'm Italian and every now and then he'd quote for me lines from Italian operas) - to symphony. His efficiency in rehearsing is exemplary: going straight to the core of the problem with few incisive words and fixing it. Then his performance energy is at the same time strong and calm: he has a certain way of making people feel at ease that playing for him becomes easy: yet you're doing exactly what he wants!

On a personal side, his curiosity and generosity are outstanding: he considered me family from day 1 (of course speaking Italian to me - he speaks a number of foreign languages easily and wouldn't miss a chance to use them!) and was glad to spend hours with me, making sure I was prepared to do my best for my concerts and duties. And the best part is that it's a "life subscription": once you've studied or worked with him, you can always go back to ask suggestions, ideas and projects and with his fine humor, he'll be there with answers and advice. I'm very grateful to have had the chance to be his assistant at NRO and to have stayed in touch since, I owe him a lot!”

— Stefano Sarzani

Staff and Conducting Assistant, Lyric Opera of Chicago; Frequent opera guest conductor

“I am grateful that Carl understands the value of experiential learning. There is no substitute for standing on the podium and experiencing the incredible organism that is an orchestra and being allowed to experiment — sometimes more successfully than others. I am profoundly grateful for the numerous opportunities Carl presented to me during my years as Assistant Conductor of the NRO, and for the wisdom and perspective he offered during that time.”

— Mark Russell Smith

Music director and Conductor, Quad Cities Symphony; Conductor and Director of the Orchestral Program, University of Minnesota

“Here’s a book I wish had been available when I was starting out as a conductor. If you want to shave about 10 years off your learning curve, make this book your professional go-to guide. I worked under Carl at the beginning of my career and have continued to cherish our friendship through the present day. He is the real deal: a conductor who understands deep down what it takes to be successful. Just look at his career, and you’ll see the proof right there. Do yourself a favor and invest in The Conductor’s Journey – A Guide for the Young and Emerging Conductor. I know I already have!”

— Paul Haas

Music Director and Conductor, Symphony of Northwest Arkansas Music Director and Conductor, and the Thunder Bay Symphony Orchestra

“I was always impressed with Carl’s practical knowledge of and experience with the repertoire, to the point where he could accurately predict what would happen in a particular spot. ‘The horn will be sharp in this chord, the violas will rush in these measures, this tempo change will be tough because…’ as examples. Many of those predictions have been borne out in my own experience!”

— Steven Smith

Music Director and Conductor, Richmond Symphony; Former Assistant Conductor, Cleveland Orchestra

Here are just a few of the students with whom I have worked:

CIM Masters in Orchestral Conducting

  • Mélisse Brunet

    Conductor, Northeastern Pennsylvania Orchestra and Lexington Philharmonic Orchestra; Director of Orchestral Activities at University of Iowa

  • Major Dwayne Milburn

    Faculty, UCLA; former Conductor and Arranger, Continental Army Band (Fort Monroe, Virginia,) The U.S. Army Band “Pershing’s Own” (Washington, DC), and the U.S. Army Europe Band and Chorus (Heidelberg, Germany)

  • Jason Seber

    Former Education Conductor, Louisville Orchestra; former Associate Conductor, Kansas City Symphony, frequent guest conductor

  • Steven Smith

    Conductor, Richmond Symphony (VA); former Assistant Conductor, Cleveland Orchestra, former Conductor, Santa Fe Symphony

  • Deanna Tham

    Currently Assistant Conductor, Oregon Symphony; former Conductor, Boise Youth Orchestra; Louisville Youth Orchestra, Assistant Conductor, Jacksonville Symphony, Omaha Symphony

  • Robert Tuohy

    Conductor, Limoges Symphony and Opera (France); former Assistant Conductor, Montpelier Symphony (France)

NRO Assistant Conductors

  • Robert Franz

    Former conductor Boise Philharmonic, resident conductor, Houston Symphony, conductor, Windsor Symphony

  • Nicholas Hersh

    Former associate conductor, Baltimore Symphony, frequent guest conductor

  • Stilian Kirov

    Conductor of the Illinois Philharmonic and the Bakersfield Symphony; former Associate Conductor, Seattle Symphony and Memphis Symphony

  • Jose-Luis Novo

    Conductor, Annapolis Symphony, frequent guest conductor

  • Mark Russell Smith

    Conductor, University of Minnesota, Quad Cities Symphony

  • Chelsea Tipton

    Conductor Beaumont, TX; pops conductor, New Haven Symphony, former Assistant Conductor, Toledo Symphony