Alexander Polishchuk
Summer Conducting Academy
27. July - 10. August 2025
An excellent opportunity to study in Austria with outstanding conductor and music educator
Maestro Alexander Polishchuk. This two-week conducting masterclass with two pianists and the professor of the renowned Rimsky-Korsakov Conservatory of St. Petersburg will provide students with the groundwork they need, to be equipped for any orchestral performance, competition or audition. Sessions with the two pianists will give each student of different levels the daily possibility to learn and develop the technical skills of the Ilya Musin method. This method gives the conductor the ability to express their interpretative thinking and make it visible. Ilya Musins idea was to develop the artistry of the conductor, dedicating technical skill to phrasing and enabling the emotional inner world to be expressed in a way, that it can clearly be understood by the orchestra and therefore turn into the desired interpretation of the artist - the conductor.
The excellent working atmosphere of the countryside of Bad Aussee allows to deeply focus on understanding the repertoire.
Level 1 (Beginner)
Mozart - Symphony Nr. 41 (1st, 2nd movement)
Beethoven - Symphony Nr. 2 (all movements)
Tchaikovsky - Serenade for Strings (all movements)
Level 2 (Advanced)
Debussy - Prelude a l’apres midi d’un faun
Beethoven - Symphony Nr. 5 (all movements)
Brahms - Symphony Nr. 1 (1st and 4th movement)
Mozart - Symphony 39 (all movements)
Strauss - Fledermaus Ouverture
Level 3 (Individual preparation for competitions, auditions and concert performances)
Any program upon the participants request
Tuition includes daily lessons with Prof. Polishchuk for the time span of the entire masterclass: a total of 240 minutes podium time (40 min. per day for six days) for level 1 and 2 students. A total of 480 minutes podium time (40 min. for 12 lessons). Practical, in-depth working on the score with two pianists from the Rimsky-Korsakov Conservatory, St. Petersburg.
Active participants
Level 1 and 2: EUR 1.250 - daily work with Prof. Polishchuk (including EUR 50 application fee)
Level 3: EUR 2.500 - daily work with Prof. Polishchuk (including EUR 50 application fee)
Lessons for level 1 and 2 students will consist of six days and will be held on alternating days in the afternoon
Lessons for level 3 students will be held in the morning and consist of 12 days
Lessons for 3rd level students will be available to observe by 1st and 2nd level students
Passive participants
EUR 600 - being present at all classes (opt-in for single lessons is possible)
Spectators
Daily Visiting Pass EUR 30
The masterclass will be held at the "Narzissendorf Grundlsee", which is in close proximity (walking distance) to the lake Grundlsee. This secluded area is perfect for focussed studying in the middle of the nature and scenery, that served as the inspiration for Richard Strauss, Johannes Brahms and Gustav Mahler, while at the same time providing all the amenities needed for productive work and relaxation.
Accommodation is not included in the fee. The festival suggests to book at the Narzissendorf Grundlsee. Please reach out to our team for requests with your booking.
The maximum number of participants is: 6 students for level 1, 6 students for level 2 and 4 students for level 3. The masterclass will only be held if a minimum number of participants register for the masterclass. The number for passive students is limited to 3 participants.
Maestro Alexander Polishchuk. This two-week conducting masterclass with two pianists and the professor of the renowned Rimsky-Korsakov Conservatory of St. Petersburg will provide students with the groundwork they need, to be equipped for any orchestral performance, competition or audition. Sessions with the two pianists will give each student of different levels the daily possibility to learn and develop the technical skills of the Ilya Musin method. This method gives the conductor the ability to express their interpretative thinking and make it visible. Ilya Musins idea was to develop the artistry of the conductor, dedicating technical skill to phrasing and enabling the emotional inner world to be expressed in a way, that it can clearly be understood by the orchestra and therefore turn into the desired interpretation of the artist - the conductor.
The excellent working atmosphere of the countryside of Bad Aussee allows to deeply focus on understanding the repertoire.
Level 1 (Beginner)
Mozart - Symphony Nr. 41 (1st, 2nd movement)
Beethoven - Symphony Nr. 2 (all movements)
Tchaikovsky - Serenade for Strings (all movements)
Level 2 (Advanced)
Debussy - Prelude a l’apres midi d’un faun
Beethoven - Symphony Nr. 5 (all movements)
Brahms - Symphony Nr. 1 (1st and 4th movement)
Mozart - Symphony 39 (all movements)
Strauss - Fledermaus Ouverture
Level 3 (Individual preparation for competitions, auditions and concert performances)
Any program upon the participants request
Tuition includes daily lessons with Prof. Polishchuk for the time span of the entire masterclass: a total of 240 minutes podium time (40 min. per day for six days) for level 1 and 2 students. A total of 480 minutes podium time (40 min. for 12 lessons). Practical, in-depth working on the score with two pianists from the Rimsky-Korsakov Conservatory, St. Petersburg.
Active participants
Level 1 and 2: EUR 1.250 - daily work with Prof. Polishchuk (including EUR 50 application fee)
Level 3: EUR 2.500 - daily work with Prof. Polishchuk (including EUR 50 application fee)
Lessons for level 1 and 2 students will consist of six days and will be held on alternating days in the afternoon
Lessons for level 3 students will be held in the morning and consist of 12 days
Lessons for 3rd level students will be available to observe by 1st and 2nd level students
Passive participants
EUR 600 - being present at all classes (opt-in for single lessons is possible)
Spectators
Daily Visiting Pass EUR 30
The masterclass will be held at the "Narzissendorf Grundlsee", which is in close proximity (walking distance) to the lake Grundlsee. This secluded area is perfect for focussed studying in the middle of the nature and scenery, that served as the inspiration for Richard Strauss, Johannes Brahms and Gustav Mahler, while at the same time providing all the amenities needed for productive work and relaxation.
Accommodation is not included in the fee. The festival suggests to book at the Narzissendorf Grundlsee. Please reach out to our team for requests with your booking.
The maximum number of participants is: 6 students for level 1, 6 students for level 2 and 4 students for level 3. The masterclass will only be held if a minimum number of participants register for the masterclass. The number for passive students is limited to 3 participants.
Online-Registration
Send your biography and two links of videos of you conducting (length app. 5-10 minutes, varying in style and tempo) to the festival E-Mail address: [email protected]. Depending on your sent material, Maestro Polishchuk will suggest the student level and consider the best fitting repertoire.
The registration deadline is the 31 May 2025. The results will be announced end of May. The deadline for the payment of the participation fee is 30 June 2025. Late payment will result in a proposal for active participation to the next applicant.
Bank details:
Name of recipient: "Verein der Musikfreunde Inneres Salzkammergut e.V."
Address: Erich-Landgrebe-Weg 164, 8990 Bad Aussee
Bank account number: AT76 4501 0353 5770 0000 (IBAN)
Bank code: VBOEATWWSAL (SWIFT)
Bank name: Volksbank Salzburg, Filiale Bad Aussee
Send your biography and two links of videos of you conducting (length app. 5-10 minutes, varying in style and tempo) to the festival E-Mail address: [email protected]. Depending on your sent material, Maestro Polishchuk will suggest the student level and consider the best fitting repertoire.
The registration deadline is the 31 May 2025. The results will be announced end of May. The deadline for the payment of the participation fee is 30 June 2025. Late payment will result in a proposal for active participation to the next applicant.
Bank details:
Name of recipient: "Verein der Musikfreunde Inneres Salzkammergut e.V."
Address: Erich-Landgrebe-Weg 164, 8990 Bad Aussee
Bank account number: AT76 4501 0353 5770 0000 (IBAN)
Bank code: VBOEATWWSAL (SWIFT)
Bank name: Volksbank Salzburg, Filiale Bad Aussee
Alexander Polishchuk
Servant of the Music
“He has the ability to find new colours in the palette of sound shades and manages to make them come alive so that even well-known pieces sound new. The conceptual search of the composer, the meticulous work on nuances and style, are admirable.”
Michel Lethiec, Artistic Director of the “Festival Pablo Casals de Prades”
“Being a conductor is the art of knowing when not to disturb the orchestra.”
This classical quote, used by Herbert von Karajan to explain his work, also applies to the Ukrainian-born conductor Alexander Polishchuk, as he does not consider himself a signpost that everyone has to follow. He loves to create art in collaboration with others - a creation process which eventually results in a mutual interpretation which is not forced.
The course for his career was set at the age of six when Polishchuk, the son of a forensic scientist and a journalist, discovered his love for singing, playing the piano and later on conducting choirs. As a teenager, he realized that being a conductor was more to him than just a profession, it became his vocation. The catalyst for this decision was when Polishchuk was asked to prepare an excerpt of Tchaikovsky‘s opera “Eugene Onegin”. The list of his favourite composers is long and varied and includes Russian masters such as Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninoff and Shostakovich as well as Mozart, Haydn, Beethoven, Brahms, Mahler, Wagner and Strauss (both Johann and Richard!)
Born in 1960, Alexander Polishchuk initially studied in his native city of Kiev and continued his education as a conductor in St. Petersburg. One of his most influential teachers was the legendary Ilya Musin, the founder of the Leningrad Conducting School, whose students included Valery Gergiev, Semyon Bychkov, and Tugan Sokhiev. In 1988, Polishchuk was a finalist in the “Competition of Young Conductors of the USSR.” After graduating in 1991, he stayed on as assistant to Maestro Musin for two more years – an honour rarely awarded.
Polishchuk was appointed Music Director of the Symphony Orchestra of St. Petersburg in 1991, taking over the State Symphony Orchestra with the same position five years later. He has also been a guest conductor at the Mariinsky Theatre. Polishchuk’s first major breakthrough was in 1999-2000, staging a new production of Tchaikovsky’s “The Nutcracker” for the Royal Opera House at Covent Garden, London. During that time, Polishchuk also performed with the Russian Chamber Orchestra of London at Shell Center, South Bank, St. John’s Smith Square, and at the Royal Festival Hall. In 2001, Polishchuk was appointed Artistic Director and conductor of the Novosibirsk Chamber Orchestra.
In past years Alexander Polishchuk conducted concerts all over the world, including at the Wiener Musikverein and Konzerthaus, in Tokyo, Copenhagen, Taiwan, and China, and took part in numerous festivals in Russia, France, and Germany. He also performed with various Opera and Ballet companies: Mariinsky Theatre, Mikhailovsky Theatre - St.Petersburg; as Principal Guest Conductor at National Opera and Ballet House in Kiev, Ukraine; in "Helikon-Opera" (Moscow), Yekaterinburg and Volgograd Theatre and others.
He conducted new productions of "Nutckraker" (Tchaikovsky), London; "Pique Dame" (Tchaikovsky), "Ulan-Ude" and "Aleko" (Rakhmaninov), St. Petersburg.
In 2006, Polishchuk was awarded the title Honoured Artist of the Russian Federation. Since 2008, he has been conductor of the House of Music of St. Petersburg. Polishchuk was a visiting professor at the Royal College of Music in Stockholm, Music University Vienna (MDW), Royal College of Music London, Cornell University USA, and the Chinese Conservatory of Beijing. Since 2013 Polishchuk has held a professorship in conducting at the Saint Petersburg Conservatory. He has been teaching at the Conservatory since 1989 as an assistant to Ilya Musin and held his own classes as a student-counsellor from 1993.
For more information visit the professors Website.
Michel Lethiec, Artistic Director of the “Festival Pablo Casals de Prades”
“Being a conductor is the art of knowing when not to disturb the orchestra.”
This classical quote, used by Herbert von Karajan to explain his work, also applies to the Ukrainian-born conductor Alexander Polishchuk, as he does not consider himself a signpost that everyone has to follow. He loves to create art in collaboration with others - a creation process which eventually results in a mutual interpretation which is not forced.
The course for his career was set at the age of six when Polishchuk, the son of a forensic scientist and a journalist, discovered his love for singing, playing the piano and later on conducting choirs. As a teenager, he realized that being a conductor was more to him than just a profession, it became his vocation. The catalyst for this decision was when Polishchuk was asked to prepare an excerpt of Tchaikovsky‘s opera “Eugene Onegin”. The list of his favourite composers is long and varied and includes Russian masters such as Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninoff and Shostakovich as well as Mozart, Haydn, Beethoven, Brahms, Mahler, Wagner and Strauss (both Johann and Richard!)
Born in 1960, Alexander Polishchuk initially studied in his native city of Kiev and continued his education as a conductor in St. Petersburg. One of his most influential teachers was the legendary Ilya Musin, the founder of the Leningrad Conducting School, whose students included Valery Gergiev, Semyon Bychkov, and Tugan Sokhiev. In 1988, Polishchuk was a finalist in the “Competition of Young Conductors of the USSR.” After graduating in 1991, he stayed on as assistant to Maestro Musin for two more years – an honour rarely awarded.
Polishchuk was appointed Music Director of the Symphony Orchestra of St. Petersburg in 1991, taking over the State Symphony Orchestra with the same position five years later. He has also been a guest conductor at the Mariinsky Theatre. Polishchuk’s first major breakthrough was in 1999-2000, staging a new production of Tchaikovsky’s “The Nutcracker” for the Royal Opera House at Covent Garden, London. During that time, Polishchuk also performed with the Russian Chamber Orchestra of London at Shell Center, South Bank, St. John’s Smith Square, and at the Royal Festival Hall. In 2001, Polishchuk was appointed Artistic Director and conductor of the Novosibirsk Chamber Orchestra.
In past years Alexander Polishchuk conducted concerts all over the world, including at the Wiener Musikverein and Konzerthaus, in Tokyo, Copenhagen, Taiwan, and China, and took part in numerous festivals in Russia, France, and Germany. He also performed with various Opera and Ballet companies: Mariinsky Theatre, Mikhailovsky Theatre - St.Petersburg; as Principal Guest Conductor at National Opera and Ballet House in Kiev, Ukraine; in "Helikon-Opera" (Moscow), Yekaterinburg and Volgograd Theatre and others.
He conducted new productions of "Nutckraker" (Tchaikovsky), London; "Pique Dame" (Tchaikovsky), "Ulan-Ude" and "Aleko" (Rakhmaninov), St. Petersburg.
In 2006, Polishchuk was awarded the title Honoured Artist of the Russian Federation. Since 2008, he has been conductor of the House of Music of St. Petersburg. Polishchuk was a visiting professor at the Royal College of Music in Stockholm, Music University Vienna (MDW), Royal College of Music London, Cornell University USA, and the Chinese Conservatory of Beijing. Since 2013 Polishchuk has held a professorship in conducting at the Saint Petersburg Conservatory. He has been teaching at the Conservatory since 1989 as an assistant to Ilya Musin and held his own classes as a student-counsellor from 1993.
For more information visit the professors Website.
