CONDUCTORS INSTITUTE HISTORY - By Dr. Donald Portnoy
The Conductors Institute will celebrate its 50th anniversary July 2026. The Institute was
established in 1976 by Dr. Donald Portnoy at West Virginia University in Morgantown, West
Virginia. Dr. Portnoy was artist in residence and conductor of the symphony and chamber
orchestras at WVU. During the same period, he was conductor of the Pittsburgh Civic
Orchestra, Music Director of the Pittsburgh Opera Theater. Also soloist and guest conductor
with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. In 1986 the Institute moved to the University of South
Carolina in Columbia, South Carolina. Dr. Portnoy held the Ira Koger Endowed Chair in the
Fine Arts at USC. He was also director of orchestral studies, and conductor of the USC
Symphony and Chamber orchestras. He was also music director of the Augusta Symphony in
Augusta, Georgia for 18 years. In 2024 the Institute moved to the College of Charleston in
historic Charleston, South Carolina.
The Institute will again be in Charleston, SC this summer July 5 - July 17, 2026. Participants of
the Institute receive a no nonsense tutorial from a faculty of 5 conductors and 2 composers, who
have vast experience in professional, commercial, and academic worlds of music.
During the 50 year period, 30 distinguished conductors were on the faculty: Sergiu
Commission, formerly conductor Baltimore Symphony; Kenneth Schermerhorn, formerly
Conductor Nashville Symphony; Paul Vermel, formerly director of the conducting program at
the Alpen Festival; Otto-Werner Mueller, professor of conducting at Curtis and Juilliard; and
others.
The Institute during its 50 years has always promoted American music. 28 American
composers were on the faculty - many more than once. William Schuman, Lucas Foss, Morton
Gould, Joan Tower, Samuel Adler, John Corigliano and others.
During the past 50 years over 1,700 conductors have participated in the program. Many are
now conductors of major, regional, community, youth and academic orchestras. Marin Alsop,
formerly conductor Baltimore Symphony; Keith Lockhart, Conductor Boston Pops; Jo Ann
Falleta, Conductor Buffalo Symphony; Thomas Wilkins, and others. Maestro Portnoy has had
the opportunity to conduct both the Baltimore and Buffalo Orchestras.
Participants come from all states, Europe, Asia, and South America.
Recently the Institute established the Maestro Portnoy Scholarship Fund. Those who wish to
contribute should go to conductorsinstitute.com for complete information and application.
The institute is one of the longest running summer conducting programs in the United States.
The fifty year mark is an extraordinary accomplishment. The Institute is proud that this program
designed for and by conductors has received national and international acclaim.
