London Conducting Academy

An introduction from Denise Ham

Latest news

8 February 2022

Applications for the 2022/23 course are now open! The early applications deadline is 1st March. The course will take place from September 2022 to July 2023 at The Amadeus in Maida Vale, London. Register your interest here.

The year-long part-time course providing comprehensive training in the art and technique of conducting.

Led by Denise Ham, one of Europe's foremost teachers of conducting

Led by Denise Ham, one of Europe's foremost teachers of conducting Taught by Denise Ham HonARAM, GTCL, ARCM, LTCL, together with other distinguished tutors and soloists.

Fortnightly day-long sessions

Allows working musicians to access the benefits of a consistent and personal course of study alongside other work or study.

Comprehensive course

Including technique both with and without baton, based on the Toscanini-Barzin method; in-depth score study, rehearsal technique and orchestral psychology.

Work with performers in each session

Course accompanists, ensembles and soloists are present across the year. Learn from fellow students and observers.

“It has been most wonderful studying with Denise over the year and on such a fantastically organised course. It was everything that I hoped for!
The structure and delivery of the course was perfectly suited to my needs musically and practically with work commitments. I have learnt a huge amount over the year and really feel that I’ve developed as a conductor with the insight and guidance from Denise.”

- Benjamin James, Founder & Artistic Director of Illyrian Ensemble, Principal Conductor of Barnet Youth Orchestra, Associate Conductor of Lewisham Concert Band.

APPLY 2022/23 COURSE

Early applications deadline 1st March. Or register interest.

OBSERVE A SESSION

Watch the course on any of the dates below. First visit is free.

WORKSHOP DAYS

Next session: to be announced.

Participate or observe

Year course: Repertoire & tutors

September 2021 - July 2022

Course Director:

Denise Ham

Guest teacher:

Sian Edwards, Dominic Grier, John Longstaff and Michael Rosewell

Location

The Amadeus, 50 Shirland Rd, London W9 2JA. Some sessions may take place online.

Accreditation

Additional sessions may be available at additional cost to prepare for diploma exams at RQF levels 4 to 6.

Notice

Provisional schedule, subject to change. Updated 4/3/21

Autumn 2021

Thursday 23rd September (closed to observers)

Mozart - Overture “The Marriage of Figaro”, Symphony no 39 in E flat
Denise Ham

Thursday 7th October (closed to observers)

Mozart - Symphony no 39 in E flat
Denise Ham

Thursday 21st October

Mozart - Overture & Symphony
Denise Ham, ensemble session

Thursday 11th November

Stravinsky - Octet
Guest teacher: Sian Edwards

Thursday 25th November

Dvorak - Serenade for strings
Denise Ham

Thursday 9th December

Dvorak - Serenade for strings
Denise Ham, ensemble session

Spring 2022

Thursday 6th January

Tchaikovsky - Eugene Onegin: preparation & score study
John Longstaff

Thursday 20th January

Tchaikovsky - Eugene Onegin (excerpts)
Michael Rosewell, ensemble session

Thursday 3rd February

Beethoven - Symphony no 5 in C Minor
Denise Ham

Thursday 24th February

Beethoven - Symphony no 5 in C Minor
Denise Ham

Thursday 10th March

Beethoven - Symphony no 5 in C Minor
Falla - Suite no 2 from “Three-cornered Hat”
Denise Ham, ensemble session (Beethoven, morning)

Thursday 24th March

Falla - Suite no 2 from “Three-cornered Hat”

Summer 2022

Thursday 21st April

Brahms - Symphony no 4 in E Minor
Denise Ham

Thursday 5th May

Brahms - Symphony no 4 in E Minor
Denise Ham

Thursday 19th May

Brahms - Symphony no 4 in E Minor
Denise Ham, ensemble session

Thursday 9th June

Debussy - La Mer
Dominic Grier

Thursday 23rd June

Rimsky-Korsakov - Scheherazade
Denise Ham

Thursday 7th July

Rimsky-Korsakov - Scheherazade
Denise Ham, ensemble session

September 2022 - July 2023

Course Director:

Denise Ham

Guest teacher:

Dominic Grier, Robert Houlihan, John Longstaff, Colin Metters

Location

Maida Vale, London. (The Amadeus, 50 Shirland Rd, W9 2JA)

Accreditation

Additional sessions may be available at additional cost to prepare for diploma exams at RQF levels 4 to 6. Contact us in advance of the course start date.

Notice

Provisional schedule, subject to change. Some sessions may be held online if required due to coronavirus rules.

Autumn 2022

Thursday 15th September

Extended technique sessions
Mozart - Symphony no 38 in D 'Prague'
Beethoven - Overture ‘Egmont’
Denise Ham

Thursday 29th September

Extended technique sessions
Mozart - Symphony no 38 in D 'Prague'
Beethoven - Overture ‘Egmont’
Denise Ham

Thursday 13th October – Ensemble session

Extended technique sessions
Mozart - Symphony no 38 in D 'Prague'
Beethoven - Overture 'Egmont'
Denise Ham

Thursday 3rd November

Verdi - Overture 'La Forza del Destino'
Stravinsky - Three movements from 'Soldier's Tale'
Ear training and score reading
Robert Houlihan

Thursday 17th November

Tchaikovsky - Serenade for strings
Denise Ham

Thursday 9th December – Ensemble session

Tchaikovsky - Serenade for strings
Denise Ham

Spring 2023

Thursday 12th January

Bruch - Violin concerto in G minor
Denise Ham, soloist TBA

Thursday 26th January – Ensemble session

Bruch - Violin concerto in G minor
Denise Ham, soloist TBA

Thursday 9th February

Kodaly - Dances of Galanta
Colin Metters

Thursday 2nd March

Dvorak - Symphony no 8 in G
Denise Ham

Thursday 16th March

Dvorak - Symphony no 8 in G
Denise Ham

Thursday 30th March – Ensemble session

Dvorak - Symphony no 8 in G
Denise Ham

Summer 2023

Thursday 20th April

Mozart/Handel - Recitatives
Denise Ham

Thursday 4th May

Ravel/Schumann - Score preparation
John Longstaff

Thursday 18th May

Schumann - Symphony no 2 in C
Dominic Grier

Thursday 8th June – Ensemble session

Schumann - Symphony no 2 in C
Dominic Grier

Thursday 22nd June

Ravel - La Valse
Denise Ham

Thursday 6th July – Ensemble session

Ravel - La Valse
Denise Ham

Read our frequently asked questions

Frequently Asked Questions

"After doing a number of weekend conducting workshops and week long masterclasses both in London and Budapest, I decided that I needed a conducting course that lasted much longer and was more progressive if i was to really improve my conducting technique. I could not have made a better decision than to put myself in the hands of Denise Ham and the other excellent tutors at the London Conducting Academy - within a matter of weeks my conducting had changed radically and I realised that by the end of the course I would emerge a much better conductor indeed.

Catching the early morning flights back and forth from Belfast to London has been absolutely worth it, as the marvellous repertoire has been varied and the tuition extremely informative. The atmosphere and class setting, not to mention the friendships made has made for a very memorable experience. My only regret is that a course like this didn’t exist when I first started conducting."

- Gary Shields M.A (Mus) - Ormeau Concert Band, Aughnaskeagh Silver Band, Lisburn Young Defenders and Roses Lane Ends temperance Flute Bands

Staff

Denise Ham - Course Director

Denise is responsible for course design and programming, and is the main teacher for the course.

Guest teachers

Each year a number of sessions are led by guest teachers, such as Mark Wigglesworth, Colin Metters, Toby Purser and Christopher Seaman, and each year John Longstaff leads a session focussing on score preparation.

Performers

Accompanists including Jeremy Cooke, Sam Hanson, Satoshi Kubo and Marc Verter play in each session, and are joined by an ensemble of between five and twenty orchestral players at least four times a year. Soloists are engaged for concerto repertoire.