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International Conductors Guild

Mentorship Program

The International Conductors Guild Mentorship Program is one of our most important organizational benefits we offer.  And, let's face it, all of us, at some point in our career or lifetime, need to be able to talk with someone, confidentially, to answer, assist, or guide us on our path.  Guild Mentors act as a confidential resource for member conductors who want to work with experienced conductor mentors/colleagues for advice and guidance in their music careers. Guild Mentors are a special group of conductors who bring a wealth of experience and knowledge, both on and off the podium, to the Mentorship program. 

All Guild Mentors have worked with professional, academic, or community ensembles throughout the world, and are active performers and educators possessing a wide range of musical and professional expertise. So much of our professional and developmental training is acquired “on the job", or after formal schooling has ended.  Let our Guild Mentors guide and assist you in your musical journey.  

Active members of the International Conductors Guild are asked to COMPLETE THIS FORM and include as much information as possible regarding your mentor questions/issues.  Once the Mentor form is completed, you must email your CV or resume to [email protected].  All mentor requests must include the online form and a CV/resume in order to be considered for a mentorship session. 

International Conductors Guild Mentoring Committee Co-Chair, Professor Larry Isaacson, and Co-Chair, Mr. Peter Stafford Wilson, will review all mentorship requests and you will be contacted regarding a mentor. Below are a range of possible topics for ICG Mentors to address, however all topics will be considered: 

  • conductor training - Guild workshops, graduate schools, who, what, where, and how,
  • musical scholarship - concerns or questions of a particular score or work
  • professional and academic career development -early, mid - , late
  • orchestra, opera, ballet, chorus, wind ensemble, jazz, pops, etc.
  • interdisciplinary concerns - see above,
  • women conductor topics
  • board of directors issues
  • administration issues - budgeting, personnel, staff, etc.
  • DEI concerns
  • building community support
  • repertoire and program building
  • diverse programming
  • fundraising
  • ensemble building
  • preparing for auditions/interviews 
  • acoustics
  • youth orchestras
  • community orchestras
  • education concerts
  • technique - baton, rehearsal, etc.
  • musician conflict resolution
  • management 

Please be certain to complete the "Why I need a mentor" section on the form, including 1-2 important topics that you’d like to discuss so that we can find a suitable mentor for you. We will assign you a mentor based on the information and topics that you send to us.  Mentor sessions are usually 30-60 minutes with the possibility of continuing at another time, depending on your mentor’s availability.  These are not normally ongoing, long-term mentee/mentor relationships, but a chance to interact with a mentor around a particular question or issue. 

Guild Mentors are available to International Conductors Guild members via phone, Zoom, Whatsapp, Facetime, or email conversation. The ICG Mentorship Program is an educational service and membership benefit for active Guild members, and should not be seen as a job placement service, nor as a mechanism for specific career advancement.

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International Conductors Guild Mentors

Christopher Blair, Emily Freeman Brown, Michael Charry,
Peter Cokkinias, Arthur Fagan, JoAnn Falletta,
Harvey Felder, Thomas Gamboa, Victoria Gau,
Lawrence Golan, Paula Holcolm, Jerry Hou,
Larry Isaacson, John Koshak, Sasha Mäkilä,
Jonathan McPhee, Jeffery Meyer, Harold Rosenbaum,
Dominique Royem, Neal Stulberg, Markand Thakar,
Carl Topilow, Angel Velez, Carolyn Watson,
Peter Stafford Wilson, Diane Wittry, Scott Woodard,