Orchestra

Saluzzo Opera Academy Summer Program in Italy

DATES: Alcina: July 15 - July 31 or Le nozze di Figaro: Aug 15 - Aug 31
Or July 15 - Aug 31 for both Sessions 1 & 2

Saluzzo Opera Academy ORCHESTRA

Come join our orchestra family and be guided by world-class conductors through an exciting summer of musical development. The Saluzzo Opera Academy Orchestra – a chamber orchestra - comprises some of the industry’s most promising and upcoming instrumentalists.

Apply

Our Final Application Deadline for our upcoming summer season is April 15th.

If you would like to be considered for both Saluzzo and Berlin opera academies, please apply through BOA by clicking here.

ABOUT THE PROGRAM:

Performing Italian opera in Italy is an invaluable experience we wish to share. Participants will look forward to an immersive experience in a school set in a 14th century monastery, adapted to state-of-the-art music education. Musicians are welcomed to all classes and instruction including:

A place in Saluzzo Opera Academy’s Orchestra playing for one or two of the summer festival operas
Participation in a chamber music concert where the orchestra presents chamber music pieces selected from presented suggestions
Italian language class
Instrumental audition training
Career workshops and roundtables
Daily access to practice rooms
Auditing access to all SOA activities
Conducting workshops
Masterclasses

Click here to read about a typical orchestra day at the Saluzzo Opera Academy’s summer program

ORCHESTRATION

SESSION 1:

Alcina - Handel

Flute
Piccolo
Oboe
Horn
Bassoon
Violins
Violas
Cellos
Double bass
Harpsichord

SESSION 2:

Le nozze di Figaro - Mozart

Flute
Piccolo
Oboe
Clarinet
Bassoon
Horn
Trumpet
Trombone
Timpani
Violins
Violas
Cellos
Double Bass

AUDITION REQUIREMENTS:

Please share two recordings that showcase your musicianship - these can be exerpts or solo pieces. These do not need to be professional recordings or performances. While video is preferred, audio is also welcome. (Youtube, soundcloud, drive, mp3s etc are fine)

TUITION:

Saluzzo Opera Academy strives to guide young musicians on their next steps towards a career as a professional. The program entails one or both of two 2-week periods in the summer.

€300: Single Session SOA Orchestra Tuition (One 2.5-week session)
€450: Double Session SOA Orchestra Tuition (6.5-week sessions including 2 weeks between operas to focus on auditioning)
€700: Single Session Shared-Room Accommodation (2.5 weeks)
€1700: Double Session Shared-Room Accommodation (6.5 weeks)

Musicians are welcome to book SOA accommodation or elect to find independent accommodation. Add-ons such as airport transfer package and private room accommodation are also available.

For this investment, you will experience one of Italy’s most charming cities, get to work under top conductors, and gain a community of musicians to help guide you towards professional success.

Conductors

Kevin Class

Born in Belgium, pianist and conductor Kevin Class studied at the Royal Conservatory of Brussels, as well as in the U.S and Canada. In 1997, the Belgian government named Kevin a Fellow of the Flemish Community in recognition both of his performances of the complete Piano Sonatas of Mozart and Schubert, and for his contributions to the performance and promotion of contemporary music, with Jan-Marisse Huizing describing him as “an important ambassador for today’s composers”.

Kevin has been active for more than 30 years as an orchestra and opera conductor. With a repertoire of more than 60 operas, Kevin has taken the podium of the National Opera La Monnaie in Brussels, the Royal Opera House at Covent Garden and the National Opera Studio in London, Shanghai Opera and Opera Illinois (Peoria). From 2001-2005 he served as Guest Music Director and Resident Conductor of the Illinois Opera Theatre. He has conducted the Northern Illinois Philharmonic, the Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestra, University of Kentucky Symphony Orchestra, Illinois New Music Ensemble, Ensemble Noir’ (Brussels) and orchestras in Taipei, Shanghai, Chongqing, Seoul, Kunming, Kuala Lumpur and Manila. He has helped train numerous young conductors who have appeared with such orchestras as the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Miami Symphony Orchestra, BBC Scottish Orchestra and numerous opera houses.

Additional 2019-20 performances include continued collaborations with Knoxville Symphony Orchestra concertmaster on KSO’s concert series William Shaub & Friends, conducting Tennessee Opera Theatre’s productions of Donizetti’s L’elisir d’amore and Menotti’s Old Maid and the Thief & Amelia al ballo, and concerts celebrating the 250th anniversary of Beethoven’s birth with performances of the complete Piano Trios with the Edison Piano Trio, and the complete Sonatas for Piano & Cello, with Wesley Baldwin.

Kevin is currently Associate Professor of Collaborative Piano and Music Director & Conductor of Opera Theatre at the University of Tennessee- Knoxville. Since 2014, Kevin has been conductor at Italy’s Arezzo Opera Festival. He also serves as head of the conducting and collaborative piano programs for Oberlin Conservatory’s summer program, Oberlin in Italy.

He has been profiled by BBC, NPR, PBS, Radio Noord Holland, KBS (Korea) and CCTV (China).