Colin Metters
“Colin Metters is considered universally as one of the world's most sought after conducting pedagogues, in demand internationally as a performer, teacher, mentor and adjudicator. If the test of any great teacher is the respect that he commands from his students, then Colin Metters is without doubt a great teacher.”
Raymond Holden. Conductor, broadcaster, lecturer and distinguished author of books on conductors and conducting.
Continuing a lifetime commitment to music, conducting and teaching, Colin Metters maintains an ongoing involvement in mentoring and training aspiring conductors. His experience as a professional conductor and teacher over five decades is extensive and affords him an enviable reputation across the music profession. He has worked with orchestras from the UK and Europe, Australasia, Scandinavia, Baltic States, Vietnam and Korea, and given masterclasses in the UK, Russia, Scandinavia, Europe, Serbia, Croatia, Vietnam, Australia and the USA. He has served on a number of international juries including the 5th Prokofiev Competition in Russia, the 4th International Violin Competition in China, the Atlantic Coast International Conducting Competition in Portugal, the Matacic International Conducting Competition in Croatia, and a number of juries for Dirigentum Forum in Germany. In November 2024 he will be on the jury of the Korean National Symphony Orchestra International Conducting Competition in Seoul.
In 1983 he was appointed Head of Conducting at the Royal Academy of Music to design a new course with a brief “to establish and direct a conducting programme to be internationally pre-eminent”. During his 30 years at the RAM, the Conductor's Course was acknowledged internationally as one of the foremost conductor training programmes. In an international review of music conservatories, the New York Times cited the programme under Colin Metters' leadership as “world renowned”. The list of alumni graduating from those years includes Ed Gardner, Ludovic Morlot, Ilan Volkov, Rumon Gamba,Valentina Pellegi, Stefan Zilias, Jessica Cottis, Andre de Ridder, Toby Purser, Leo Hussain, Richard Farnes, Daniel Rustioni, and Mark Wigglesworth - to name just a few.
His reputation as an inspirational teacher is well-established and his holistic philosophy of teaching means his expertise is widely sought through masterclasses and as personal mentor. Colin Metters teaches each term at the Royal College of Music (his alma mater) as Visiting Guest Professor, is Professor Emeritus of Conducting at the Royal Academy of Music , and Guest Professor of Conducting at the Cracow Academy. As Artistic Advisor to the International Conducting Academy he will play a pivotal role in the first season of masterclasses through 2025.
Colin Metters writes: “My passion for music, music making and teaching remains undiminished, as does my commitment to working with aspiring conductors. The day may come when I decide to 'hang up my baton' but until then I shall continue to do whatever I can for conductors who reach out for guidance, inspiration or even just a little help along the way.”
Testimonials following previous CM masterclasses...
“Colin Metters' pedagogy interconnects intellectual rigour, emotional honesty and gestural clarity. With an unflinching eye, Metters guides, interrogates assumptions, demands musical integrity and challenges the students to turn up the volume on their own imagination.”
Carolyn A.
“Words cannot begin to describe how transformative it was to spend the week under your guidance. Your ability to seek values beyond the realms of possibilities has blinded me from my imagined boundaries – some I didn't even know to exist. I feel I have restored faith in the art of conducting and my path on it again. What an absolute blessing it's been for me to have crossed paths with you.”
Soo J
“Colin Metters' all-embracing, holistic approach to teaching challenges us to consider not just the music but also the psychology of being a conductor. The training I received from him will last me a lifetime.”
Jessica C
www.colinmetters.com
“Colin Metters is considered universally as one of the world's most sought after conducting pedagogues, in demand internationally as a performer, teacher, mentor and adjudicator. If the test of any great teacher is the respect that he commands from his students, then Colin Metters is without doubt a great teacher.”
Raymond Holden. Conductor, broadcaster, lecturer and distinguished author of books on conductors and conducting.
Continuing a lifetime commitment to music, conducting and teaching, Colin Metters maintains an ongoing involvement in mentoring and training aspiring conductors. His experience as a professional conductor and teacher over five decades is extensive and affords him an enviable reputation across the music profession. He has worked with orchestras from the UK and Europe, Australasia, Scandinavia, Baltic States, Vietnam and Korea, and given masterclasses in the UK, Russia, Scandinavia, Europe, Serbia, Croatia, Vietnam, Australia and the USA. He has served on a number of international juries including the 5th Prokofiev Competition in Russia, the 4th International Violin Competition in China, the Atlantic Coast International Conducting Competition in Portugal, the Matacic International Conducting Competition in Croatia, and a number of juries for Dirigentum Forum in Germany. In November 2024 he will be on the jury of the Korean National Symphony Orchestra International Conducting Competition in Seoul.
In 1983 he was appointed Head of Conducting at the Royal Academy of Music to design a new course with a brief “to establish and direct a conducting programme to be internationally pre-eminent”. During his 30 years at the RAM, the Conductor's Course was acknowledged internationally as one of the foremost conductor training programmes. In an international review of music conservatories, the New York Times cited the programme under Colin Metters' leadership as “world renowned”. The list of alumni graduating from those years includes Ed Gardner, Ludovic Morlot, Ilan Volkov, Rumon Gamba,Valentina Pellegi, Stefan Zilias, Jessica Cottis, Andre de Ridder, Toby Purser, Leo Hussain, Richard Farnes, Daniel Rustioni, and Mark Wigglesworth - to name just a few.
His reputation as an inspirational teacher is well-established and his holistic philosophy of teaching means his expertise is widely sought through masterclasses and as personal mentor. Colin Metters teaches each term at the Royal College of Music (his alma mater) as Visiting Guest Professor, is Professor Emeritus of Conducting at the Royal Academy of Music , and Guest Professor of Conducting at the Cracow Academy. As Artistic Advisor to the International Conducting Academy he will play a pivotal role in the first season of masterclasses through 2025.
Colin Metters writes: “My passion for music, music making and teaching remains undiminished, as does my commitment to working with aspiring conductors. The day may come when I decide to 'hang up my baton' but until then I shall continue to do whatever I can for conductors who reach out for guidance, inspiration or even just a little help along the way.”
Testimonials following previous CM masterclasses...
“Colin Metters' pedagogy interconnects intellectual rigour, emotional honesty and gestural clarity. With an unflinching eye, Metters guides, interrogates assumptions, demands musical integrity and challenges the students to turn up the volume on their own imagination.”
Carolyn A.
“Words cannot begin to describe how transformative it was to spend the week under your guidance. Your ability to seek values beyond the realms of possibilities has blinded me from my imagined boundaries – some I didn't even know to exist. I feel I have restored faith in the art of conducting and my path on it again. What an absolute blessing it's been for me to have crossed paths with you.”
Soo J
“Colin Metters' all-embracing, holistic approach to teaching challenges us to consider not just the music but also the psychology of being a conductor. The training I received from him will last me a lifetime.”
Jessica C
www.colinmetters.com
Jonathan Mann
British conductor, Jonathan Mann was hailed by Bernard Haitink for the “infectious joy in his conducting and music making”.
Recent highlights include debuts with the Ulster Orchestra (UK), Seongnam Philharmonic Orchestra (South Korea) and his Royal Festival Hall debut with the Chineke! Orchestra. Jonathan recently conducted acclaimed world premiere performances of the ballet White Doves in Belfast with Six Dance Collective.
He has conducted extensively internationally with recent collaborations as diverse as the Thailand Philharmonic Orchestra and Trinity Laban Symphony Orchestra (London). Jonathan is currently Music Director of UK based Ensemble Cambrica and Artistic Director of the International Conducting Academy.
As founder and Music Director of the Cardiff Sinfonietta, Jonathan Mann conducted broadcasts for the BBC and S4C and worked with soloists including Nicola Benedetti, Dame Evelyn Glennie, Benjamin Grosvenor, Sunwook Kim and Dennis O’Neill. At the start of 2020 the Cardiff Sinfonietta merged with the Welsh Sinfonia to form Ensemble Cambrica, an exciting new orchestra aimed at reaching the community in innovative ways.
Jonathan is increasingly in demand as a teacher of conducting. He was Artistic Director of the Cardiff International Academy of Conducting for seven years which provided intensive live and virtual courses for emerging conductors. Collaborations included the Ulster Orchestra, English Symphony Orchestra and NEW Sinfonia.
Passionate about inspiring young musicians, Jonathan regularly works with young musicians around the world. From 2015 - 2022 he was Artistic Director of the Immanuel Orchestra in Bangkok, Thailand which is modeled on the renowned Venezuelan music program ‘El Sistema’.
Prize winner at the Jeunesses Musicales International Conducting Competition in Bucharest, he received the George Enescu Philharmonic Orchestra prize and a special jury prize leading to his Polish debut with the Kielce Philharmonic Orchestra. He was also one of 20 finalists from 300 live auditionees to participate in the prestigious Besancon International Conducting Competition in France.
Jonathan Mann studied in London at the Royal Academy of Music and Guildhall School of Music and Drama. He was also the Sir Charles Mackerras Junior Fellow in Conducting at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music.
www.jonathanmannconductor.com
British conductor, Jonathan Mann was hailed by Bernard Haitink for the “infectious joy in his conducting and music making”.
Recent highlights include debuts with the Ulster Orchestra (UK), Seongnam Philharmonic Orchestra (South Korea) and his Royal Festival Hall debut with the Chineke! Orchestra. Jonathan recently conducted acclaimed world premiere performances of the ballet White Doves in Belfast with Six Dance Collective.
He has conducted extensively internationally with recent collaborations as diverse as the Thailand Philharmonic Orchestra and Trinity Laban Symphony Orchestra (London). Jonathan is currently Music Director of UK based Ensemble Cambrica and Artistic Director of the International Conducting Academy.
As founder and Music Director of the Cardiff Sinfonietta, Jonathan Mann conducted broadcasts for the BBC and S4C and worked with soloists including Nicola Benedetti, Dame Evelyn Glennie, Benjamin Grosvenor, Sunwook Kim and Dennis O’Neill. At the start of 2020 the Cardiff Sinfonietta merged with the Welsh Sinfonia to form Ensemble Cambrica, an exciting new orchestra aimed at reaching the community in innovative ways.
Jonathan is increasingly in demand as a teacher of conducting. He was Artistic Director of the Cardiff International Academy of Conducting for seven years which provided intensive live and virtual courses for emerging conductors. Collaborations included the Ulster Orchestra, English Symphony Orchestra and NEW Sinfonia.
Passionate about inspiring young musicians, Jonathan regularly works with young musicians around the world. From 2015 - 2022 he was Artistic Director of the Immanuel Orchestra in Bangkok, Thailand which is modeled on the renowned Venezuelan music program ‘El Sistema’.
Prize winner at the Jeunesses Musicales International Conducting Competition in Bucharest, he received the George Enescu Philharmonic Orchestra prize and a special jury prize leading to his Polish debut with the Kielce Philharmonic Orchestra. He was also one of 20 finalists from 300 live auditionees to participate in the prestigious Besancon International Conducting Competition in France.
Jonathan Mann studied in London at the Royal Academy of Music and Guildhall School of Music and Drama. He was also the Sir Charles Mackerras Junior Fellow in Conducting at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music.
www.jonathanmannconductor.com