Twin Rivers Conducting Workshop
On November 5-9, 2025, the Twin Rivers Conducting Workshop near Portland, Oregon (USA) will offer a five-day workshop for nine conductors, providing them with time on the podium to work on their conducting.
Video recordings of the concert and all the rehearsals with the orchestra are included in the price. Participants will be free to use those recordings in the future as demonstrations of their conducting. We offer five days intensive program on the basic orchestra repertoire – 130 minutes of podium time plus conducting a piece in concert. Every participant will have chance to prepare for orchestra rehearsals with the piano and string quartet ensemble under the guidance of conducting pedagogue Maestro Monika Stefaniak. Participants will also receive feedback from Dr. Mark Perlman, Music Director of Willamette Falls Symphony and Tualatin Valley Symphony.
Each participant will have 3 sessions with piano & string quintet, a total of 70 minutes, and 60 minutes conducting full symphony orchestra, plus the chance to conduct one piece in a public concert. The orchestras are two community orchestras based in the Portland, Oregon, USA area – Willamette Falls Symphony and Tualatin Valley Symphony.
REPERTOIRE
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Tualatin Valley Symphony:
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J. Strauss Jr. – Die Fledermaus Overture
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Beethoven – Coriolan Overture
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Brahms – Symphony No. 4, 1st mvt.
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We recommend to choose and focus on just one piece to work during piano and string quartet sessions and two orchestra rehearsals.
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Willamette Falls Symphony:
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Brahms – Tragic Overture
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Mozart – Overture to Le nozze di Figaro
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Beethoven – Symphony No. 6 ‘Pastorale’
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Dvorak – Symphony No. 8
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It is important to choose two pieces to allow organizers to compose the concert program from the first day of the workshop. (Each overture and each movement of a symphony will be considered a “piece”.) Each participant will be working with the one piece, chosen by organizers, to prepare well for the concert.
There will be a maximum of 9 conductors accepted to our workshop. Minimum number will be 6. Observers (who will not have podium time) will also be accepted.
One outstanding participant will be offered the chance to become the Assistant Conductor of the 2026 Oregon Mahler Festival (in July 2026).
All participants are expected to attend all sessions when they are not themselves conducting, observing the others’ sessions.
The language of the Twin Rivers Conducting Workshop will be English.
There is NO age limit for participants or observers.
The location of workshop is in the Portland, Oregon area:
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Tigard Friends Community Church (15800 SW Hall Blvd, Tigard, Oregon, USA), for the piano and string quartet sessions and Friday evening Tualatin Valley Symphony session.
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Oregon City United Methodist Church (18955 South End Rd, Oregon City, Oregon, USA) for the workshop sessions with Willamette Falls Symphony rehearsals and concert.
To apply, please send via email:
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A detailed CV / resume
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Links to 1 or 2 video recordings of their conducting available online (not necessary but encouraged) Do not attach video files to the email.
Submit by email to: twinriversworkshop@gmail.com. Application form available here.
The deadline for applications is September 20, 2025.
There is NO APPLICATION FEE. Early applications are welcome!
Application video guide (for participants only)
Applicants are not required to submit video links, but are encouraged to do so. The video excerpt should be up to 10 minutes long. It should be at least conducting two pianos if not a larger ensemble or orchestra, and with the view of the conductor’s face or from their side, with a duration of least 5 minutes with one take of camera. If applicants do not have online video to share, teachers will select based on the CV of the candidate.
The fee for the workshop is:
For active participants: $1795
For observers: $495 (no podium time)
After receiving the applications the teachers will select the participants. The decision will be made in a couple of days after the September 20th application deadline and acceptance emails will be sent.
The fee must be paid via Paypal or bank transfer by no later than September 30th. If we do not receive payment from any initial accepted applicants by September 30th , then those on the reserve list will be invited instead.
If any unexpected circumstances occur requiring cancelling of the workshop, the participation fees will be refunded in full.
Travel expenses, lodging accommodations, and meals are NOT covered in the fee (except for lunch on November 6 which is included). Transportation between the hotel and workshop venues and restaurants will be provided.
We will arrange with a local hotel to have a discounted rate for participants.
The workshop will begin at 10:00am on Wednesday November 5, 2025, and conclude on Sunday November 9, at 5:15pm after the concert.
About Dr. Stefaniak
Conductor, music theoretician, pedagogue, cultural manager
Dr. Monika Stefaniak is an active conductor and conducting pedagogue. Her main mentor and teacher was Prof. Jerzy Salwarowski, and she has studied under the guidance of such outstanding conductors as Sir Colin Davis, Helmuth Rilling, Peter Eötvös, Leonid Korchmar, and Gabriel Chmura. She was finalist and laureate of the audience award in International Conducting Competition in Chisinau (2011) and finalist of Ionel Perlea International Conducting Competition in Slobozia (2021). She has also been accepted to participate in other prestigious competitions in Besançon, London, Trento, Taipei.


About Dr. Perlman
Conductor, Philosopher, Author
Mark Perlman is Music Director and Conductor of the Willamette Falls Symphony and the Tualatin Valley Symphony (both in Oregon), as well as founder and Music Director of the Oregon Mahler Festival. Dr. Perlman has conducted orchestras across the U.S., as well as internationally in the U.K., Denmark, Russia, Romania and Bulgaria. He was featured on Romanian television for his September 11, 2006 concert in honor of victims of terrorism. The annual Oregon Mahler Festival has completed nine summer seasons, with performances of all the Mahler symphonies except No. 8 (planned for 2027).

HELP US GROW
Please consider helping us meet our financial goals.
We gratefully accept donations in any amount.
We will give name recognition in our programs and send you some wonderful swag for the following societies:
Silver Baton Society $300
benefits: 5 tickets, and recognition in program.
Gold Baton Society $500
benefits: 10 tickets and recognition in program
Platinum Baton Society $1000
benefits: 15 season tickets and recognition in program.