Advanced Course in Choral Conducting 7/2026

07.07.2026 00:00 - 10.07.2026 00:00

Registration ends: 23.06.2026 00:00 - If registration has already closed, please inquire about course places by calling 017 570 1810.

myyntipalvelu@valamo.fi, p. 017 5701 810

, 445€/College Hotel single room, incl. accommodation, teaching, meals, 430€/Guest House single room, incl. accommodation, teaching, meals, 340€/Guest House single room, incl. accommodation, teaching, meals

Kuva: Heikki Tuuli

Kuva: Heikki Tuuli

Course description

The aim of the course is to deepen students' readiness to work as a choir conductor. The course explores key areas of choir conducting, such as baton technique, analyzing and practicing repertoire, using a tuning fork, and teaching vocalization in a choir. The course is excellently suited for both experienced choir conductors and assistant conductors who already have experience in choir conducting. Teaching and working methods include practicing and conducting repertoire (4–5 pieces), lecture instruction, and video analysis. Participants are required to have previous experience in choir conducting and choir singing, as well as sight-reading skills. Piano skills are beneficial. A maximum of 10 active students will be accepted for the course. An unlimited number of passive students can be accepted. No discounts are granted on the course fee for active participants. The instructor is Mikko Sidoroff, Master of Music.

Price for active students 445 €/OH1, 430 €/VM1; for passive students 340 €/VM1, includes teaching, accommodation, and meals according to the program.

Course program

Tuesday 7.7.

Arrival and registration at the reception, meal from Restaurant Trapesa's buffet, available until 17:00. Accommodation is possible after 16:00.

18.00 Course opening and introduction

19.30 Evening meal

Lakeside sauna

Wednesday 8.7.

06.00 Midnight and Morning Service, First Hour in the main church

07.30 Monastery breakfast

09.00 Vocal warm-up

09.30 Teaching including a short break

12.00 Moleben or prayer service in the main church

12.30 Lunch

13.30 Teaching

15.00 Break, opportunity to buy snacks/coffee/tea from Trapesa

15.45 Teaching including a short break

18.00 Ninth Hour, Vespers, Small Compline and evening prayers in the main church

19.30 Evening meal

Thursday 9.7.

06.00 Midnight Service, Morning Service and Liturgy in the main church

07.30 Monastery breakfast

09.00 Vocal warm-up

09.30 Teaching including a short break

12.00 Moleben or prayer service in the main church

12.30 Lunch

13.30 Teaching

15.00 Break, opportunity to buy snacks/coffee/tea from Trapesa

15.45 Teaching including a short break

18.00 Vigil in the main church

19.30 Evening meal

Sauna (institute sauna)

Friday 10.7.

07.30 Monastery breakfast

09.00 Third Hour and Liturgy in the main church

11.00 Teaching, feedback

12.30 Lunch

(13.45 Monastery taxi)

Room checkout by 12:00 at the latest

Rights to changes reserved

Teacher

Sidoroff Mikko

Mikko Sidoroff (born 1985) is a Finnish choirmaster and composer living in Germany. From autumn 2018 until 2022, he worked as the choirmaster of the Landestheater Coburg, where he was responsible for the training and conducting of the full-time opera choir and an additional choir consisting of amateurs. From 2023, Mikko Sidoroff moved to the Chorakademie in Dortmund, Europe's largest choral institute, where he conducts two adult choirs: the mixed choir Collegium Musicum and the Women's Choir, which will be established in spring 2023. At the beginning of the same year, Sidoroff was appointed artistic director of the Symphonischer Chor Bamberg, which consists mainly of professional singers.

Before moving to Germany, Sidoroff has conducted numerous choirs in Finland, the longest of which were the Turku University Choir and the Wiipurilainen Osakuntan Laulaji. In 2003, Sidoroff founded the Krysostomos Chamber Choir, which performs new Orthodox church music, and he continues to serve as its artistic director. In the summer of 2016, Sidoroff worked as a guest conductor in the Europa Cantat Euro Choir project and also performed as the choir's conductor at the 2018 Europa Cantat festival in Tallinn.

Mikko Sidoroff has extensive experience as a composer and choral pedagogue. He has taught choral conducting at the University of Eastern Finland, Tampere University of Applied Sciences, Valamo Folk High School summer courses, and is currently at the Bundesakademie in Wolfenbüttel, Germany, and since March 2023 at the Technical University of Dortmund. He has written compositions for almost all of Finland's leading choirs and vocal ensembles. Sidoroff is published by the Finnish Singers and Musicians' Association, Sulasol ry.

Sidoroff graduated with a Master of Music degree from the Sibelius Academy in spring 2011, in the orchestral and choral conducting program, and continued his studies at the Mannheim University of Music. He has been taught by, among others, Matti Hyökki, Jani Sivén, and Harald Jers. In addition, Sidoroff has participated in master classes by, among others, Tatjana Hitrova, Kaspars Putniņš, Hans-Christoph Rademann, and Volker Hempfling.