Building on the success of the partnership between the Irish Youth Choir and RTÉ Orchestras, Quartet and Choirs to offer a Conductor in Training Scheme, the organisations are now seeking applications for the 2016/17 season. This funded and extended trainee choral conducting programme follows from the inaugural partnership of 2012. In addition to access to IYC’s Artistic director Greg Beardsell and to all activities and programmes associated with the Irish Youth Choir, the successful applicant for this programme will have access to the RTÉ Orchestras, Quartet and Choirs, in particular to the RTÉ Philharmonic Choir and Chorus Master Mark Hindley and Mary Amond O’Brien of RTÉ Cór na nÓg.

The candidate must be available to rehearse with the RTÉ Philharmonic Choir in Dublin on most Wednesday evenings during term times,  and will have the opportunity to take sectionals and shadow Mark Hindley as he prepares the choir for upcoming concerts, mostly in collaboration the RTÉ NSO. A bursary is to be made available to assist the 2016/17 conductor in training to engage with this unique opportunity. 

The successful candidate will play the fullest part possible in all IYC activities as performer (s/he will sing with the choir) and understudy for Greg Beardsell. There will be an opportunity to conduct the IYC in one piece in public performances: other opportunities will arise to give additional support and training to singers during the annual residential course, during Irish Youth Chamber Choir rehearsals and performances and in other Irish Youth Choir training contexts.

Irish Youth Choir/RTÉ Orchestras, Quartet and Choirs are seeking applications for the position of Conductor In Training for 2016/2017 with a closing date of Friday, 30th September 2016. Shortlisted applicants will be notified on Tuesday 4th October and interviews/auditions will take place in Dublin on Saturday 15th October 2016.

This competitive mentoring opportunity is open to musicians in the early stages of their conducting career who have had some experience of conducting choirs. Candidates should be aged 35 years or under on 01 October 2016. As part of the audition process, short-listed applicants will be invited to conduct singers from the Irish Youth Choir and RTÉ Philharmonic Choir in a prescribed piece, the title of which will be provided closer to the date of interview and audition.

Interested conductors should submit a letter of application, along with a CV outlining their conducting experience to date to Dermot O’Callaghan, CEO, Association of Irish Choirs, Irish World Academy of Music and Dance, University of Limerick, Limerick, or email aoic [at] ul.ie by Friday, 30th September 2016.