Marie Bucoy-Calavan has been named the inaugural recipient of the May Festival Choral Conducting Fellowship. She will enter her third year of studies in CCM’s DMA in Choral Conducting program this fall.
We are delighted to report that DMA candidate Marie Bucoy-Calavan has been named the inaugural recipient of the May Festival Choral Conducting Fellowship. This new position was established thanks to the incredible foresight and generosity of Ginger Warner and was created as part of an ongoing collaboration between the May Festival and CCM’s Department of Choral Studies. Each year, a May Festival Fellow will be selected from CCM’s pool of Doctor of Musical Arts in Choral Conducting students and will serve as the Assistant Conductor of the May Festival Chorus.
“The new May Festival Choral Conducting Fellowship provides unique professional training for CCM’s doctoral choral conducting students,” explains Director of Choral Studies Earl Rivers, “providing them opportunities to conduct rehearsals, as well as to attend May Festival Board and Artistic Planning meetings to learn how a world-renowned Choral Festival is successfully produced.”
Bucoy-Calavan will begin her duties with the May Festival Chorus next fall. As Assistant Director she will be responsible for running select rehearsals and smaller sectional rehearsals. In addition Bucoy-Calavan will conduct some concerts within the community. Commenting on her appointment, Bucoy-Calavan says, “I am very excited and honored at the chance to have a mentorship with [May Festival Director of Choruses] Robert Porco. I attended the Conducting Masterclass that the May Festival held a year ago, and was inspired by his musical insights and skill for teaching conducting. I look forward to the fall and to the prospect of working with the May Festival Chorus.”
Learn more about the May Festival Choral Conducting Fellowship.
About Marie Bucoy-Calavan
Marie Bucoy-Calavan has conducted a diverse range of vocal ensembles, from primary and secondary level choirs, to community, collegiate, and professional choruses and opera productions. Bucoy-Calavan finished her Bachelor of Arts in Music and Masters of Music in Choral Conducting at California State University, Fullerton, where she served two years as the Graduate Assistant Conductor of both the University Singers and Chamber Choir, under the direction and mentorship of Dr. Robert Istad. She has sung with symphonic chorus ensembles under the batons of Carl St. Clair, Bramwell Tovey, John Williams, Eric Whitacre, Keith Lockhart, John Mauceri, Steven Mercurio, and John Alexander in distinguished venues, including Walt Disney Concert Hall, Hollywood Bowl and the Liszt Academy in Budapest, Hungary.
Bucoy-Calavan has also participated as a conducting fellow in masterclasses with Dale Warland, Craig Hella Johnson, Robert Porco, Ragnar Bohlin, Jerry Blackstone, Paul Rardin, John Alexander, Jacques Lacombe, David Hayes, Mark Gibson, Arthur Fagan, William Dehning, Patrick Quigley and Elmer Thomas. Bucoy-Calavan has ventured in opera conducting, having served as the Assistant Conductor of California State University, Fullerton’s full production of Gaetano Donizetti’s Elixir of Love. This past spring, Bucoy-Calavan acted as Assistant Conductor of CCM’s Opera d’Arte undergraduate production of Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro, and will be conducting performances of the Spring 2014 production of Ravel’s L’enfant et les sortileges.
Most recently, Bucoy-Calavan placed second in the 2013 American Choral Directors Association National Choral Conducting Competition, held in Dallas, Texas. This fall, she will be begin her third year of pursuing her Doctorate of Musical Arts in Choral Conducting at UC’s College-Conservatory of Music under the tutelage of Choral Studies faculty members Earl Rivers and Brett Scott, will be Director of the University of Cincinnati Men’s Chorus, and teaching introductory conducting for undergraduate students.
About the May Festival
Established in 1873, the May Festival is directly responsible for the development of Cincinnati’s modern music life. Music Hall, the city’s primary concert venue, was built specifically to house the Festival’s performances. The prestigious roster of Festival Music Directors has included, among others, Theodore Thomas, Max Rudolf, James Levine, and currently, James Conlon.
For more information on the 2013 season, visit www.mayfestival.com.
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