Conducting Fellowship
The Art of Conducting with Maestro Raffaele Livio Ponti
This is an opportunity for educators and conductors from all disciplines to refine their conducting techniques, practice new concepts, and explore best practices in programming and score analysis. Fellows will shadow Maestro Ponti at all activities during the week leading to a mainstage concert, which may include staff meetings, in-school educational visits, adult enrichment programs, community engagement, and/or patron benefit events. Fellows will attend all rehearsals and concerts, will gain podium time with the orchestra, and will receive video recordings of their conducting that can be used for auditions and/or promotions. Select participants may have the opportunity to serve as Cover Conductor to Maestro Ponti with the professional orchestra during the mainstage season.
BENEFITS
- Virtual private lessons. Fellows will receive two individual and private 30-minute virtual conducting lessons via Zoom scheduled at their convenience.
- Score study in the repertoire for each orchestral program.
- Podium time with a professional orchestra.
- Opportunity to video record Fellow’s conducting.
- Valuable resume material.
- Off-podium experience including staff meetings, in-school educational visits, adult enrichment programs, community engagement, and/or patron benefit events.
- Select participants may be chosen to the position of Cover Conductor for a symphony performance.
FELLOW REQUIREMENTS
- Fellows must have completed at least one semester of collegiate conducting instruction or equivalent experience.
- Fellows must be 18 years of age or older.
- Participation Fee: $1,200 payable to Punta Gorda Symphony.
- Audit Fee (with no podium time): $250 payable to Punta Gorda Symphony.
- Travel, food, and lodging are the responsibility of the Fellow.
APPLICATIONS
Application submissions are ongoing. Please email resume and a front-view video recording (limit to approx 5 minutes) of your conducting (chorus, band, orchestra, or ensemble) to fellow@PGSymphony.org.
ABOUT MAESTRO PONTI
The 21/22 season will be Maestro Ponti’s ninth as Music Director of our Punta Gorda Symphony, which has grown and flourished under his leadership. His superb musicianship and dynamic personality have attracted professional musicians and guest artists from around the world, resulting in sold-out concerts for the past three seasons.
Ponti’s professional career began at an early age. At seventeen, he performed in the trumpet section of the Rochester Philharmonic and two years later, he became assistant principal trumpet to Bernard Adelstein of the Cleveland Orchestra. He is the former Principal Conductor and Music Director of the Italia Konzert Opera International, where he continues as a regular Guest Conductor. For ten seasons, he served as Conductor of Education and Outreach with the Austin Symphony. Currently, he appears with prominent orchestras around the United States and Europe. He is the Artistic Director and Conductor of the Paducah Symphony in Paducah, Kentucky and Director of Orchestral Studies at Florida International University.
Maestro Ponti is a champion of music education in the community with school visits, master classes and an annual Youth Concert. His community outreach also extends to adults, with his exciting Behind the Notes and pre-concert classes and his innovative program “The Symphony as a Business Model”, which has attracted new businesses and patrons to the orchestra.
His drive and vision on the podium, as well as in the community have led the symphony to earn the prestigious Charlie award for “Outstanding Achievement in the Arts”, Florida Weekly’s “Best” and Harbor Style Magazine’s “Best Performing Arts” organization. Maestro Ponti was named a “Leader of Distinction” by the Florida Weekly in September 2014. In 2015, he was honored with a Proclamation given by the Mayor and City Council Members of Punta Gorda. In December 2017, Maestro Raffaele Ponti accepted the Charlotte County School Board Award as Business Partner of the Year on behalf of the Punta Gorda Symphony to recognize his contribution to music education in our county.
Raffaele Ponti’s reviews have dubbed him a “rising star”, “charismatic”, “electrifying”, “empowering” and his audiences agree. We in Southwest Florida are indeed fortunate that he has made this his home.
