Budapest Summer Film Music Conducting Workshop
26 - 29 August 2027 TBC
Pannonia Sound Studios
Budapest, Hungary
with Jonathan Brett, Dr. Yati Durant and the Pannonia Film Orchestra Budapest
In collaboration with Conductors Academy
Active participation for the workshop, including 30-minutes of orchestral conducting, with professional recording included.
Applications open soon!
Bonus: all applicants receive six weekly Better Conducting online classes from Conductors Academy free.
Learn-by-doing the complex art and technique of conducting orchestral film scores
We are delighted to open applications for a new film music conducting intensive workshop + recording session with the Pannonia Film Orchestra, in collaboration with Conductors Academy. The sessions take place in the Pannonia Sound Studios, Budapest.
The conducting workshop and sessions are geared toward specialised skills and techniques for advanced film music composers and conductors. The sessions will be recorded at the highest professional standards by the renowned Pannonia Sound Studios, enabling participants to record their own works for film or demos.
You will conduct your own film scores with a world-renowned film orchestra
Led by two renowned expert professionals in conducting and conducting for films with decades of conducting teaching experience, the workshops are with Jonathan Brett (Conductors Academy, English Classical Players, Moscow Philharmonic), and Dr. Yati Durant (MSCN, IMMSANE, Soundtrack_Cologne CineConcerts, Edinburgh Film Music Orchestra, Staatsorchester Braunschweig, WDR Funkhausorchester, Neues Rheinisches Kammerorchester).
Participants will develop and implement advanced orchestral conducting skills and translate them into the practice of specialised skills in conducting for film music orchestras. The aims of this workshop are the preparation of correct scores that include synchronisation (click or streamers/punches) for film and the usage of efficient gestures and conducting techniques to achieve this with an orchestra.
A Methods of Orchestral Film Music Sessions course (17 - 18 April 2027) will prepare participants for composing and directing their work specifically for the scoring session. The lead-up days to the session (26 - 29 August 2027) will involve theory, practical skills, lectures on conducting and to synch, and 1-to-1 sessions in preparing music and synch/click. Each participant will receive specific preparation supportand tutoring on the highest professional/pedagogic levels, in order to make the most of the time with the orchestra. At the end of the workshop, participants will receive all takes and stems of the ProTools recordings of their music, a video recording of their conducting, and a certificate of workshop completion from MSCN and Conductors Academy.
New for 2027:
We will be offering the following additional packages as add-ons to the workshop:
An orchestral session photography/video package with professional media photographer on hire
A post-recording mixing and editing session with professional mix-down
Learn how to get the most out of the orchestra and your music
Schedule TBC:
ONLINE 17 - 18 April 2027, Methods of Orchestral Film Music Sessions online preparation course with Dr. Yati Durant
The unique demands of the film music orchestra: what it can/will do
“To-click-or-not to click” methods of synch
The conductor’s “other jobs” with a film music orchestra
Review of works for the August session
IN BUDAPEST 26 August 2027, 10am - 4pm Introduction and Click/Synch
27 August 2027, 10am - 4pm Conducting rehearsals
28 August 2027, 10am - 4pm Recording preparation
finalising synch/click and technical finalisation
Final organisation for the conducting at the recording session
29 August 2027, 11am - 6pm, Conducting and recording with the 29-piece Pannonia Film Orchestra (w/optional mixing/mastering session afterward)
Evening reception and farewell
Application procedure
Applications from conductors and composers with previous experience conducting and recording of ensembles are preferred, although not strictly necessary. The theoretical and technical concepts of this course are designed to improve the conducting practice of conductors with basic technique and will be delivered in an easily understood format suitable for all musical backgrounds. The teaching is in English.
The application fee (€50) provides the preparatory classes – which will be available on video for anyone unable to attend on the dates listed above.
Each application will be carefully considered. Those selected for active participation will need to confirm their participation by paying a deposit of €500 within seven days of receiving their offer, and the rest balance by April 30th 2027.
Participants are responsible for their own accommodation in Budapest, although we will provide suggestions and organisational support on where to stay. For any further questions about the MSCN Budapest Summer Film Music Conducting Workshop 2027, please email us at info@mscnfilmmusicfestivalsacademy.com.
FMFA Complete programme 10% discount
We are also offering a 10% discount for the Complete FMFA Mentorship Programme, including the 2027 FMFA Mentorship Programme AND the 2027 Budapest Summer Film Music Conducting Workshop.
Previous participants of Budapest Summer Film Music Conducting Workshop are eligible for a 10% discount.
Please indicate your interest on the checkbox in your application. The discount applies to the combined programme fees, and does not require more than one application fee! (an additional €50 is saved! ).
Testimonials of the MSCN Budapest Film Music Conducting Workshop
“I would like to express my deepest gratitude to Dr. Yati Durant and Jonathan Brett for making this experience so incredibly meaningful and unforgettable. Your guidance, generosity, encouragement, and the trust you placed in us meant more to me than I can fully express.
Having the opportunity to conduct my own composition with a professional orchestra was genuinely a dream come true, and I feel extremely fortunate to have experienced such an important moment in my artistic journey under your mentorship. I will carry everything I learned from both of you into my future work as a composer and conductor, and I sincerely hope our paths will cross again. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for everything you have given us through this programme.” -Yağmur Üçkardeş, composer
“Thank you again for the incredible opportunity in Budapest. It was truly refreshing to be part of such a motivating, accepting, and encouraging community. I really appreciate both the theoretical knowledge and the practical experience I gained. Having such a supportive environment, both professionally and personally, gave me the confidence to conduct a professional orchestra for the first time.” - Annamari Matli, composer
“I can't thank you enough for all the work you've done for us, and how great and kindly you taught us during these three days.” - Milo Forilli, composer
Photos: Ágnes Karancsy
FAQ
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You can go to the application link HERE. The application fee is €50, which includes a one-hour 1-to-1 session to discuss your submission and develop a personalised plan for your participation in the workshop.
Former and current participants of any MSCN Film Music Festivals Academy programme, as well as MSCN Complete applicants, are exempt from paying the application fee.
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Yes, you can conduct your own composition!
As part of the project you will receive 30-minutes of podium time with the Pannonia Film Music Orchestra, which normally equates to the recording of a composition or film score of around 5-minutes at the highest professional standard.
Additionally, we will help you prepare your piece for the orchestra and mentor you throughout the process.
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Applications from conductors and composers with previous experience conducting and recording of ensembles are preferred, although not strictly necessary.
The theoretical and technical concepts of this course are designed to improve the conducting practice of conductors with basic technique and will be delivered in an easily understood format suitable for all musical backgrounds. The teaching is in English.
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Yes, absolutely.
We can also provide orchestra-ready compositions from many famous film music composers in our archives for you to prepare and conduct.
For educational purposes, we can use these compositions in the sessions, but they can not be recorded without the composer’s consent.
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The cost of recording in the Pannonia Studios Budapest with a professional 29-piece orchestra, including recording and engineering fees, in addition to the educational preparatory courses generates a significant cost. We feel our course offers the highest educational and professional standards at a very competitive cost to the participant. Most similar workshops cost a lot more.
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Application and Confirmation
Submission of an application does not guarantee participation in the workshop. Accepted applicants will receive an invoice and must pay the €500 deposit within 7 days to confirm their place.
The remaining balance will be invoiced once the final orchestra size has been confirmed (if applicable).
The deposit is refundable only if the workshop is cancelled by the organisers. If a participant withdraws after paying the deposit, the deposit is non-refundable.
If a participant withdraws after paying the full balance, any refund excluding the deposit may be considered only if the participant’s place can be filled by another applicant.
Minimum Enrollment Requirement
The Budapest Summer Film Music Conducting Workshop is subject to a minimum number of participants. The organisers reserve the right to cancel or postpone the workshop if sufficient enrolment is not reached or for other organisational reasons.
Deposit and Payment
Payment of the deposit confirms the participant’s place only if the workshop proceeds as planned. Payment of the deposit does not constitute a contractual guarantee that the workshop will take place.
Cancellation by the Organisers
If the workshop is cancelled by the organisers before the recording sessions are confirmed, all course fees paid will be refunded in full, excluding the application fee (if applicable).
Participant Withdrawal
If a participant withdraws from the workshop after paying the deposit, both the application fee and the deposit are non-refundable, regardless of the reason for withdrawal.
Recording Session Confirmation
Once the recording sessions with the orchestra have been confirmed and contracted, all course fees become non-refundable.
Force Majeure
The organisers reserve the right to modify, postpone, or cancel the workshop due to circumstances beyond their control, including but not limited to venue availability, travel restrictions, illness, or other unforeseen events.
Travel and Accommodation
Participants are responsible for arranging their own travel and accommodation. The organisers are not responsible for any travel, accommodation, or other related costs incurred in the event of cancellation or participant withdrawal. Participants are strongly encouraged to obtain appropriate travel and cancellation insurance.
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Jonathan Brett
As a performer, Jonathan Brett is known for his exceptional interpretative insight and flair combined with brilliance and clarity of technique. Added to a rare sense of daring, these attributes mean that his performances are imbued with a real sense of adventure. As a teacher, he is noted for exceptional knowledge about connecting gesture and sound and the clarity of his explanations as to how this can be most effectively achieved.
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Dr. Yati Durant
Dr. Yati Durant is a US born composer of concert and film music, lecturer, trumpeter, and conductor living in Berlin. His compositions and film scores have received many prizes from international festivals, and he has received commissions and premieres from many well-known artists and ensembles from around the world. His TV and Film credits include work for WDR, ARD, HBO, MTV, Disney, and many others. He is Director of CineConcerts@Soundtrack_Cologne, Music Director and Conductor of the Edinburgh Film Music Orchestra (2010 - 2019), Guest Conductor at Staatsorchester Braunschweig, Neue Rheinisches Kammerorchester, and other renowned orchestras at prestigious film events throughout Europe.
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Pannonia Film Orchestra Budapest
Budapest's reputation as a great music centre has made it one of the most active film music city in the world. With the most talented musicians, the Pannonia Film Orchestra combines the experience of the Pannonia Studio's 50-year professional base with a wold-class technical solutions. Our versatile orchestra, based in the Pannonia Studio, is made up of the most experienced musicians in film scoring and regularly records in both classical orchestral and modern styles, where string techniques and unique soundscapes are in demand. All the conductors we work with have excellent English communication skills and are highly skilled in classical and modern film scoring styles.