Bucharest Conducting Academy

Welcome to the BRAHMS BELOVED: Bucharest Academy International Conducting Masterclass and Bucharest International Conducting Competition, two events organized by Bucharest Conducting Academy and Bucharest Symphony Orchestra, Edition VII, taking place from July 13 to 18, 2025, in the vibrant city of Bucharest, Romania! We’re thrilled to have you—whether as an active or passive participant—for this transformative six-day journey into the heart of Johannes Brahms’ masterpieces and Sergei Rachmaninov’s romantic brilliance and for the competition as well.

Get ready to immerse yourself in the “BRAHMS BELOVED” Masterclass and a thrilling international competition, guided by Maestro John Axelrod and the esteemed Bucharest Symphony Orchestra.

We just launched the Gala Awards BRAHMS RACHMANINOV ♥️ Orchestra Simfonică București concert, where the first three winners will conduct the Bucharest Symphony Orchestra at the Romanian Athenaeum.

All participants gets free entrance to the gala concert!

Bucharest International Conducting Masterclass & Competition 2025

Download the Brochurehttps://conducting.academy/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/BCA-2025-Keynote.pdf

Schedule

BRAHMS BELOVED: Bucharest Academy International Conducting Masterclass with John Axelrod & Bucharest Symphony Orchestra, in Bucharest, Romania.
July, 13-15
Masterclass: seats limited to 20 active students.

The Bucharest International Conducting Competition
uly, 16-18

July 18
General dress rehearsal and Winners Awards Gala Concert, held at the Romanian Athenaeum

APPLY NOW
https://conducting.academy

Bucharest Conducting Academy announces the 7th Edition:
BRAHMS BELOVED: Bucharest Academy International Conducting Masterclass and Bucharest International Conducting Competition

https://conducting.academy

Bucharest, Romania – The Bucharest Conducting Academy proudly presents the Bucharest Conducting Academy International Masterclass and Competition, Edition VII, scheduled for July 13 to 18, 2025, in Bucharest, Romania. This prestigious event features the “BRAHMS BELOVED” Masterclass with Maestro John Axelrod and the Bucharest Symphony Orchestra, focusing on Johannes Brahms’ Academic Festival Overture, Op. 80, Tragic Overture, Op. 81, and Symphony No. 4, Op. 98, followed by the conducting competition including Sergei Rachmaninov’s Piano Concerto No. 2 with acclaimed soloist Eva Garet.

https://conducting.academy/application/

Event Overview
The 7th edition offers a dynamic six-day program blending intensive training with a competitive showcase:
👉🏾 Masterclass: “BRAHMS BELOVED” (July 13–15): Three days of rigorous instruction in conducting techniques, score interpretation, seminars and video analysis, with active and passive participants leading the Bucharest Symphony Orchestra.
https://conducting.academy/the-masterclass/

👉🏾 Competition (July 16–18): A two-day competition across multiple rounds, concluding on July 18 with a dress rehearsal and Winners Awards Gala Concert at the Romanian Athenaeum.
Competition Repertoire: A Journey into Mastery
https://conducting.academy/the-competition/

The competition repertoire showcases Brahms’ genius with an added Rachmaninov highlight:
👉🏾 Johannes Brahms – Academic Festival Overture, Op. 80: Composed in 1880, this spirited work offers a lively yet technically demanding contrast, originally written for the University of Breslau.
👉🏾 Johannes Brahms – Tragic Overture, Op. 81: Also from 1880, this dramatic piece challenges conductors to convey its intense, somber power.
👉🏾 Sergei Rachmaninov – Piano Concerto No. 2, Op. 18: Exclusive to the competition, this emotive masterpiece, featuring soloist Eva Garet, explores themes of rebirth and love, demanding precision and passion from conductors.
👉🏾 Johannes Brahms – Symphony No. 4, Op. 98: Composed in 1885, this monumental work, with its 32-variation passacaglia finale referencing Bach’s Cantata no. 150, blends complexity and emotional depth inspired by Sophocles’ tragedies. Maestro John Axelrod calls it "the Mt. Everest of symphonic literature."

Maestro John Axelrod, Principal Conductor of the Bucharest Symphony Orchestra, shares his vision:
"The ‘BRAHMS BELOVED’ Masterclass unites Brahms’ profound mastery with the competition’s romantic intensity of Rachmaninov’s Piano Concerto No. 2. From the Academic Festival Overture to the Symphony No. 4, and with Eva Garet’s brilliance, conductors will rise to extraordinary challenges."
Winners Awards Gala Concert and Dress Rehearsal

The competition concludes on July 18 at the Romanian Athenaeum with:
👉🏾 Dress Rehearsal: Winners will rehearse with the Bucharest Symphony Orchestra earlier in the day, perfecting their performances.
👉🏾 Gala Concert: Featuring:
3rd Prize: Academic Festival Overture, Op. 80 by Johannes Brahms.
2nd Prize: Piano Concerto No. 2, Op. 18 by Sergei Rachmaninov, exclusive to the competition and gala, with soloist Eva Garet.
1st Prize: Symphony No. 4, Op. 98 by Johannes Brahms, following a pause.

https://conducting.academy/application/

A Transformative Experience
Active participants will conduct the Bucharest Symphony Orchestra, guided by Maestro Axelrod’s 30 years of expertise. The program explores Brahms’ personal narrative—his devotion to Clara Schumann—and Rachmaninov’s emotional depth in the competition phase, enhancing interpretive richness. Eva Garet, a prodigious Romanian pianist celebrated for her past Academy performances, elevates the competition and gala with her artistry. Passive participants can observe this immersive environment.

Application and Further Information
Conductors worldwide are invited to apply for the BRAHMS BELOVED: Bucharest Academy International Conducting Masterclass and Bucharest International Conducting Competition, Edition VII. The process requires a €50 application fee and a video submission, with a jury selecting a limited number of active participants; passive participation is also available. Details and application are available on conducting.academy.

https://conducting.academy/application/

About the Bucharest Conducting Academy
The educational department of the Bucharest Symphony Orchestra, Bucharest Conducting Academy nurtures the next generation of conductors through elite training and performance opportunities, each edition spotlighting a unique repertoire for a focused, enriching experience.

About the Bucharest Symphony Orchestra
Founded in 2007, the Bucharest Symphony Orchestra is a cornerstone of Romania’s classical music scene. Known for its dynamic performances and global collaborations, fostering talent and advancing musical innovation.

Here are the Edition 6 winners, congrats to everyone!

Winners - Bucharest Conducting Academy | asociația orchestra simfonica bucuresti Congratulations everyone! Special congratulations for the winners and bravo for all participants! 2024 1st Award & Bucharest Symphony Orchestra Award – Noemi Pasquina 2nd Award – Dominic Grier 3rd Award – Jaehyuck Choi 2023 1st Award Chih Yuan Michael Chang, Taiwan 2nd Award Chih Yuan Michael...

Winnners Awards Gala

Bucharest Conducting Academy Winners Awards Gala, @bucharestsymphonyorchestra 2024 Orchestra Simfonică București ► ☎️ Booking 📞 (+4) 0723-958-111 Abonați-vă ► drepturile rezervate © Asociatia Orchestra Sim...

More than a half of the seats for the Bucharest International Conducting Masterclass, 2024 with John Axelrod and Orchestra Simfonică București - Bucharest Symphony Orchestra are already filled in.
This year we dare you at the to take the "Tchaikovsky Challenge and Perfect Your Podium Performance".

Apply now to secure your seat

Bucharest Conducting Academy / & Bucharest Symphony Orchestra presents the - Bucharest Conducting Academy | asociația orchestra simfonica bucuresti BMI International Conducting Masterclass & Competition IV, National Academy of Music, Bucharest, July 14-20, 2022. Maestro John Axelrod & Bucharest Symphony Orchestra.

John Axelrod: This July 10-19, I once again serve as conducting professor of the Bucharest Conducting Academy Bucharest International Conducting Masterclass, 2024 and President of the Jury of the Bucharest International Conducting Competition with the Orchestra Simfonică București - Bucharest Symphony Orchestra, of which I am Principal Conductor. This year we dare you to take the Tchaikovsky Challenge and Perfect Your Podium Performance. For this 6th edition, all participants will have maximum podium time and more opportunity to conduct this core repertoire. Much of Tchaikovsky's major works are featured: The Serenade for Strings, Rome and Juliet, Piano Concerto 1, Polonaise from the opera Eugene Onegin and of course the Symphony No. 6, "Pathétique."

Tchaikovsky said of this final symphonic work: “I am already thinking of a new large composition, that is, of a symphony with a secret program.” He entitled the work "The Passionate Symphony", employing a Russian word, Патетическая (Pateticheskaya), meaning "passionate" or "emotional", which was then translated into French as pathétique, meaning "solemn" or "emotive".

After a failed start with an E flat Symphony which later became his 3rd Piano Concerto, in 1893, Tchaikovsky finally was inspired to make another attempt at his "Grand Symphony.". He wrote to his nephew Davydov: "I had the idea for another symphony, this time with a programme, but such a programme that will remain an enigma to everyone—let them guess; the symphony shall be entitled: A Programme Symphony (No. 6); Symphonie à Programme (No. 6); Programm-Symphonie (No. 6). "

What is that secret program? That enigma? Is it a Requiem?

Pushkin was not the only influence on Tchaikovsky's imagination. Shakespeare had an indelible impact on his compositional output. There is a famous line that rings loudly when considering this work: At a time when he suffered immensely from moral indignation, poor health and societal pressure, these words from Hamlet take on a deeper meaning:

“Devoutly to be wish'd. To die, to sleep; To sleep, perchance to dream—For in that sleep of death what dreams may come, When we have shuffled off this mortal coil, Must give us pause, there's the respect, That makes calamity of so long life”

As a student of Ilya Music and Leonard Bernstein, I learned from the best. I have conducted this work over 20 times with orchestras around the world. Let me share what wisdom I have gained. We will explore this and more in Bucharest. We welcome you and look forward to a meaningful musical collaboration.

Yours, John

Sign up on

Bucharest Conducting Academy / & Bucharest Symphony Orchestra presents the - Bucharest Conducting Academy | asociația orchestra simfonica bucuresti BMI International Conducting Masterclass & Competition IV, National Academy of Music, Bucharest, July 14-20, 2022. Maestro John Axelrod & Bucharest Symphony Orchestra.

NEW: Bucharest International Conducting Masterclass, 2024 Gala Concert for active students on July 15!
Masterclass has few seats left and is capped at 25!

John Axelrod: "With your success on the podium, you have the best chance to win prizes and concerts. And this year, we will add a masterclass gala concert prior to the Bucharest International Conducting Competition to offer masterclass participants to also have a public podium performance. The Orchestra Simfonică București - Bucharest Symphony Orchestra selects the best conductors on a vote. So take the challenge and perfect your podium performance in Bucharest!"

Tchaikovsky, Bucharest Symphony Orchestra and the sixth edition of the Bucharest International Conducting Masterclass and Competition - Bucharest Conducting Academy | asociația orchestra simfonica bucuresti Tchaikovsky, Bucharest Symphony Orchestra and the sixth edition of the Bucharest International Conducting Masterclass and Competition