‘A phenomenal weekend’: Hertford’s new Conducting Programme
17 February 2026
The Hertford Conducting Programme was launched last weekend with great success. The college welcomed 16 students from Hertford and other Oxford colleges for an intensive programme focused on both orchestral and choral conducting. Participants studied with four distinguished tutors: Director of Music Lucy Joy Morris, Peter Stark, Adam Hope and Jamie Sperling.
The cohort comprised experienced musicians, including some with substantial prior conducting experience and others approaching conducting for the first time. Over the course of the weekend, participants engaged in a rich programme of workshops and masterclasses, explored wider aspects of musical leadership such as score preparation, concert programming and the conducting of plainsong, and gained practical experience working with both instrumentalists and singers. The programme also included individual tuition, allowing participants to receive tailored guidance from the tutors.
A particular highlight was a masterclass led by Peter Stark, Professor of Conducting at the Royal College of Music and conductor of the European Union Youth Orchestra, who brought a wealth of experience to the programme. He worked with participants in great detail on baton technique for conducting recitative with soloist and orchestra, offering practical and insightful guidance. Five participants were then able to put this work into practice by conducting the HCMS Orchestra. Further highlights included an energising workshop on music and movement with Adam Hope, incorporating principles of Kodály and Dalcroze, and a Saturday afternoon session in which participants conducted the Hertford Chapel Choir in movements from Fauré’s Requiem.
This pilot weekend marked the beginning of what Lucy Joy Morris hopes will become a regular programme. Reflecting on the weekend, she commented: ‘It was inspiring to see such talented students wholeheartedly engage with an educational experience beyond their comfort zones, approaching it with enthusiasm, curiosity, and a genuine sense of enjoyment.’ One participant said, ‘The HCP was a phenomenal weekend. I learned so much in the few days we were working together, and I have come out of the programme a much more capable conductor, musician, and leader. The experience of the tutors is unmatched and I now have a lot of wisdom to take back to my ensembles.’
If you would like to be kept informed about future opportunities with the Hertford Conducting Programme, please contact the Director of Music at lucyjoy.morris@hertford.ox.ac.uk.