National Master's of Music in Orchestral Conducting

The National Master of Music in Orchestral Conducting (NMO) is a prestigious two-year master’s programme offered jointly by the Conservatorium van Amsterdam and the Royal Conservatoire in The Hague. This programme is presented in cooperation with several professional Dutch orchestras, including the Residentie Orkest, the Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra, and the North Netherlands Orchestra.

Students are taught orchestral conducting at a high technical and artistic level. Because of our collaboration with large professional orchestras, this master’s programme forms an outstanding bridge between education and practice, and also allows students the opportunity of developing and expanding their professional networks.
During the two-year programme students conduct large orchestras under the supervision of the ‘conductor on duty,’ usually the principal conductor. To prepare for working with the orchestra, students study the repertoire of the orchestra concerned under supervision of the principal teachers. Masterclasses are also organized by the partner orchestras, such as a two-day masterclass by Marc Albrecht with the NedPhO, or a masterclass by Kenneth Montgomery and the Orchestra of the Eighteenth Century. The master’s research project consists of research into orchestral repertoire or programming.

Requirements for admission to the NMO are high. Only two students are annually selected to participate in the National Master of Music in Orchestral Conducting.

1. Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Amsterdam
2. Nederlands Philharmonisch Orkest and Nederlands Kamerorkest, Amsterdam
3. Residentie Orkest, Den Haag
4. philharmonie zuidnederland, Brabant, Limburg and Zeeland
5. Noord Nederlands Orkest, Groningen
6. Radio Filharmonisch Orkest, Hilversum
7. Het Gelders Orkest, Arnhem
8. Het Balletorkest, Amsterdam
9. Het Symfonieorkest, Enschede
10. Rotterdams Philharmonisch Orkest, Rotterdam

The National Master of Music in Orchestral Conducting is supported by Het Kersjes Fonds.

The admission procedure for the National Master of Music in Orchestral Conducting differs from the other master's degree programmes at the CvA.