Conducting Lessons - Online, Group, and Private Options Available

I hold a doctoral (and masters) degree in conducting and a bachelors degree in music education. I am a university professor, teaching undergraduate and graduate courses in conducting and music education. Recently, I won an international conducting competition in Sicily, Italy, and was selected to conduct the US Army Band in Washington, DC. I was featured as a conducting fellow at the 2019 Midwest Clinic and have been awarded grants for conducting opportunities. I have conducted a wide range of ensembles, from large wind bands to pit orchestras for musicals, and everything in between! I have participated in a variety of conducting events including symposia and competitions and can help you prepare for any conducting experience. I was a collegiate drum major and often work with prospective field conductors preparing for auditions and the marching band/drum corps season.

Learn how to conduct or brush up on your conducting skills! Learn basic and complex meter patterns, how to cue, and elicit optimal musicality from any level group!

Having earned a Master's Degree in Conducting and spent time on many podiums conducting classics of wind band, orchestra, as well as my own works, I'd LOVE to work with someone if they need some guidance with their conducting.

I've been teaching music for over 35 years in all kinds of settings, including universities, public schools, community education programs, commercial music stores, and private practice. I've taught over 24,000 individual lessons and 160 sections of music classes on a variety of topics and hold both bachelor's and master's degrees in music. I am very client-centered while striving to meet generally recognized goals.

I have conducted orchestras since I was 5 years old. That is a strange claim to make, however it is true. My first experience of conducting a professional symphony orchestra in Ukraine stemmed from the fact that my family of professional musicians were members of the orchestra and principals of their sections of violin and viola. As my unusual talent of expression and facility was practiced during the orchestra rehearsals, I became very comfortable and aware of the finer details of hearing the layers of the orchestra, each musician and each orchestration color by the great composers works being performed. I also became very versed in the repertoire of the orchestral music early on. My subsequent coaching and study included such luminaries as David Zinman, music director of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, The Rochester Symphony Orchestra, Aspen Music Festival Director and the Swiss Symphony Orchestra. My other illustrious advisors in the world of conducting include Josef Brodsky, Jerzy Semkow. Having studied with Bruno Ferrandis at the Juilliard School and conducting the Juilliard Symphony Orchestra while majoring in Piano Performance and Composition have been some of the highlights. I would be happy to work with you at any level of your musical journey in conducting, interpretation and that magical aspect of listening to the music within as well as the details without. Beginners will become comfortable with the patterns, technique and the independence of hands, arms and relaxed body. The physicality and the expression of conducting has statistically produced some of the longest lived people. Indeed, expression combined with movement and an emotional release as well as communication are the keys to long and healthy life! Intermediate students will be at ease with the score, the communication with the sections and soloists of the orchestra and the magic of presence both to the direction or the musicians and on the other side, the energy of the audience. At more advanced levels, psychology becomes very interesting at this stage of work and each must find their own path on which I will gladly guide you. Also, the music - a limitless treasure which we will listen to together and following the score before us, we will conduct in person or on video conference to where we feel it should go and in many different paths diverge with the ever living interpretation and the freedom of tempi and rubato. I look forward to meeting you and to our wonderful times of music!

Training in conducting is more than just waving a pattern through the air. A good conductor is also a great communicator, and the best conductors don't just know how to conduct, but also how to rehearse and inspire an ensemble to present the best performance possible. Thomas studied conducting under the great Anthony Maiello. He has also studied studio conducting and rehearsal techniques with two-time Emmy award-winning composer Hummie Mann. Thomas has produced a small handful of concerts where he was also responsible for the conducting and rehearsing of the music. He also served as conductor on a number of studio recording sessions.