BERLIN OPERA ACADEMY

Berlin Opera Academy is the premier European opera training program for musicians, providing practical professional instruction to emerging artists in the most operatically important city in the world.

FACULTY

JIYOON LEE

String Masterclass Instructor

Konzertmeister of Staatskapelle Berlin, 1st prize at both Carl Nielsen and David Oistrakh Violin Competition.

SEBASTIAN MUELLER

String Masterclass Instructor

Principal Study Violin Teacher at the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna

PETER LEONARD
Conductor

Guest conducted the NY Philharmonic, Former artistic director and GMD of German opera houses

TOM SELIGMAN

Conductor

Conductor at the Royal Opera House Covent Garden in London since 2010 and heard on BBC

LUTZ DE VEER

Conductor

General Music Director at the Plauen-Zwickau Theater

CARLOS SPIERER

Conductor

Guest Conductor and Teacher at renowned opera houses such as San Francisco Opera, Frankfurt Opera & Komische Oper Berlin

DOMINIC WHEELER

Conductor

Head of Opera Studies at Guildhall School of Music

Christian Standridge

String Masterclass Instructor

Cellist in major world concert halls including those in Berlin, Paris, Zurich, and many in the USA.

BERLIN OPERA ACADEMY ORCHESTRA

Learn from:
• -  World-class conductors from the world's best opera houses and institutions
• -  Elite masterclass instructors from the Staatsoper Berlin or the Berliner Philharmonik
• -  Emerging professionals who want to help you find your next step

Late Application Deadline: To assist applicants with technical difficulties, BOA will accept late application submissions until March 30th, 2024.

DATES:

Session 1: July 13 - Aug 11

Session 2: Aug 14 - Sept 8

Complete Summer: July 13 - Sept 8

ABOUT THE PROGRAM:

With the goal of introducing performers to Europe's largest music market and providing the necessary skills needed to audition and flourish there, participants will look forward to a four-week immersive experience, including:

-  A place in Berlin Opera Academy Orchestra playing for our summer opera festival: OpernFest

-  Chamber music performance opportunities

-  German language class

-  Audition training

-  Career workshops and roundtables

-  Daily access to practice rooms

-  Auditing access to all BOA activities

-  Conducting workshops

-  Masterclasses

AUDITION REQUIREMENTS:

We ask that you upload two recordings that best display your musical abilities. We recommend one excerpt from an operatic or symphonic work and one solo or piano-accompanied piece, however, you may submit any recordings that you feel showcase your playing. Excerpts can be of any length and do not need to include piano accompaniment. The recordings do not need to be professional nor from a performance. Video is preferred, but audio-only is also accepted. Recordings must be submitted via link (eg: Youtube, Vimeo, Soundcloud etc). If using Youtube, please ensure your videos are uploaded as either Unlisted or Public videos (not Private).

TUITION:

Berlin Opera Academy strives to guide young musicians on the next steps towards a career in Germany. The program entails 4 or 8 weeks in summer.

€500: Single Session BOA Orchestra Tuition

€1000: Double Session BOA Orchestra Tuition

Scholarships are also available, with details available in the application form. Please note, scholarships are only available for course tuition, not accommodation.

All orchestra members are required to submit a refundable tuition installment of 500€ to hold their place at BOA. This will be refunded upon successful completion of the program after the summer ends. (BOA will begin processing all refunds in September following the program.)

At BOA, you will experience one of the world's most amazing cities, work under top conductors, and gain the skills necessary to work in a professional orchestra, all while enjoying some of opera's greatest masterpieces.

"Is it any surprise that audiences for classical music are holding up better in Germany than anywhere else? Agents and music administrators whose work takes them from country to country report half-empty halls, shortened seasons and restricted budgets — but not in Germany. Home-grown excellence attracts the crowds and funding remains on a scale that attracts envy elsewhere."

- Financial Times, 2017

...It was a truly rewarding musical experience but I also had a great time exploring the fascinating city of Berlin!...I thoroughly enjoyed working on the two masterpieces that are 'Le Nozze di Figaro' and 'Die Zauberflote' [by] two very different conductors, with different approaches to the music and rehearsal style. It was great to be able to understand the differences in style between the two operas, despite both being composed by Mozart and having been premiered only 5 years apart...

- Ellen Porter, BOA Alumni

PARTNER ACADEMY:

Your BOA application includes gratis consideration for our sister academy: Saluzzo Opera Academy.