• 90 minutes of podium time conducting the Orchestra of the Ústí nad Labem Opera and Ballet Theatre
• 60 minutes of podium time in four-hand piano sessions with the soloist.
• All active participants are expected to conduct in the dress rehearsal and final concert, as well as attend all meetings and rehearsals.
Each semi-active participant will be entitled to:
• 90 minutes of podium time in four-hand piano sessions with Maestro and the soloist.
• Attendance at all meetings, classes, rehearsals and the final concert, without an opportunity to conduct the orchestra.
There is no age limit for participation in the course.
A certificate of participation will be provided to all participants who complete this course for conductors.
Maestro
Martin Sieghart is an internationally experienced Austrian conductor and educator with more than 50 years of professional musical experience.
He has conducted leading orchestras throughout Europe, Asia and beyond, including the Philharmonia Orchestra London, NHK Symphony Orchestra Tokyo, Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra, Vienna Symphony Orchestra, Tokyo Symphony Orchestra and Japan Philharmonic, as well as major radio symphony orchestras in Germany.
His principal conducting positions have included the Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra, Bruckner Orchestra Linz and Linz Opera, and the Arnhem Philharmonic Orchestra. He has also served as Principal Guest Conductor of the Israel Chamber Orchestra.
Alongside his international conducting career, Martin Sieghart has extensive experience as a teacher and mentor of young conductors. He was Professor at the University of Music and Performing Arts Graz and continues to teach conducting through international masterclasses, working closely with emerging conductors on orchestral technique, interpretation and professional rehearsal practice. Read more about Maestro Martin Sieghart
Wikipedia: https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Sieghart
Official website: www.martin-sieghart.com
Orchestra
The Orchestra of the Ústí nad Labem Opera and Ballet Theatre is a long-established professional Czech orchestra with extensive experience in operatic, symphonic and concert repertoire. The orchestra consists of 41 professional musicians and is an integral part of one of the principal cultural institutions of northern Czechia.
Its repertoire includes major works by Mozart, Verdi, Tchaikovsky, Dvořák, Smetana, Brahms, Sibelius and other leading composers, giving the musicians considerable experience across different styles and orchestral traditions.
Accustomed to demanding productions, intensive rehearsal schedules and collaboration with different conductors, the orchestra combines strong ensemble discipline with flexibility and precise response to conducting gesture.
For conducting masterclasses, this provides participants with the opportunity to work with a full professional orchestra capable of responding sensitively to tempo, articulation, phrasing, dynamics and musical direction — an authentic environment for advanced conductor training.
We have successfully cooperated with this wonderful orchestra since February 2016.
Concert
The concert program will be divided among participants. The final concert will be held at 7:00 pm on March 5, 2027 at the City Theatre in Ústí nad Labem. Apply to the masterclass
SOLOIST
Yunxi Peng is a Chinese violinist based in Germany, currently pursuing the Konzertexamen (Artist Diploma) at the Hochschule für Musik Trossingen under Prof. Alexander Janiczek.
He completed his violin studies at the École Normale de Musique de Paris and earned a Master of Music degree at the Royal Conservatory of Brussels. He subsequently pursued post-master’s studies at ARTS2, Conservatoire royal de Mons.
His musical life has developed between China and a wide range of European artistic environments. Alongside his studies in France, Belgium, and Germany, orchestral, chamber music, and festival projects have repeatedly taken him to Luxembourg, Ireland, Spain, Malta, and Italy, including Sardinia.
Read more about the soloist
Born in Guangzhou into a family with a longstanding musical tradition, he grew up
surrounded by composition and performance. His grandfather, Peng Jiahuang, was a
National First-Class Composer in China, and his father, a composer who also played the
violin, introduced him to the instrument at an early age.
Peng received his early professional training at the Affiliated Middle School of the Xinghai
Conservatory of Music in Guangzhou and went on to complete his undergraduate studies at
the Conservatory under Professors Zhang Qiang and Li Dan.
Yunxi Peng currently pursuing the Konzertexamen (Artist Diploma) at the Hochschule für Musik Trossingen
under Prof. Alexander Janiczek.
He subsequently continued his studies in Europe, completing the Diplôme de 2e Cycle Supérieur
at the École Normale de Musique de Paris / Alfred Cortot with Liana Gourdjia,
graduating with Très Bien avec Félicitations du Jury.
He earned his Master of Music at the Royal Conservatory of Brussels(Koninklijk Conservatorium Brussel)
with Zygmunt Marek Kowalski and subsequently pursued the postgraduate Specialized Master
in Violin Solo Performance at ARTS², Conservatoire royal de Mons, under Karen Su.
His musical life has developed between China and a broad range of European artistic
environments. Alongside his studies in France, Belgium and Germany, orchestral, chamber
music and festival projects have taken him to Luxembourg, Ireland, Spain, Malta and Italy,
including Sardinia. These experiences include the Irish Chamber Orchestra Academy, the
Malta Spring Festival International Strings Academy and the UIMP-Ataúlfo Argenta
orchestral project in Spain, which he first joined in 2023 and returned to in 2025 as
concertmaster.
He has also served as concertmaster of the Xinghai Conservatory Symphony Orchestra in
China and as second concertmaster of both the symphony and chamber orchestras of the
Royal Conservatory of Brussels. His artistic development has been enriched by
masterclasses and guidance from musicians including Midori, Antje Weithaas, Dmitry
Sitkovetsky and Ivan Ženatý.
Drawing on his Chinese musical heritage and European experience, Peng is committed to
musical dialogue between cultures: sharing Chinese repertoire and musical perspectives
abroad while learning from the composers, traditions and musical identities of the places in
which he works. These encounters remain central to his artistic development.
Location
The course will take place in Ústí nad Labem, Czech Republic.
Address: Lidické nám. 1710/10, 400 01 Ústí nad Labem
Accommodation
Accommodation costs must be covered by each participant. Participants may stay in any hotel.
Transportation
Travel costs must be covered by each participant. Getting from Prague or Dresden to Ústí nad Labem by train
Approximately 1 hour; hourly IC/R trains.
Regular fare is €7.
Link: Click here to read more about trains from Prague to Ústí nad Labem.
Don’t hesitate to contact us; we will help you plan your trip.
Language
The masterclass will be taught in English. Maestro Sieghart also speaks German, French, Italian and Dutch.
Recording
Video recording of orchestra rehearsals and the concert is included in the price.
All sessions with the orchestra will be video-recorded, and each conductor will receive their videos via the internet.
Masterclass fees
The active participant’s fee is €2000.
The fee includes:
- conducting the Orchestra of the Ústí nad Labem Opera and Ballet Theatre | 90 minutes
- individual lessons with Maestro | 60 minutes of podium time in piano sessions;
- participation in all meetings, classes and rehearsals;
- the final concert;
- video recordings of orchestra rehearsals and the final concert.
Please email the Masterclass Manager regarding other options.
We also offer flexible terms for half-active participants.
Semi-active participant fee is €600. Semi-active participant fee includes:
- 90 minutes of podium time in piano sessions.
- attendance at all meetings, classes, rehearsals and the final concert as an observer.
- possible podium time. Daily visitor (passive participation) fee is €40.
There is no registration or application fee. Payment schedule
- 25% of the participant fee must be paid upon confirmation of your participation by the organizers;
- the remaining balance must be paid via bank transfer no later than 30 days before the start of the masterclass.
The deposit is fully refundable only if the masterclass is canceled by the organizer.
For an individual payment plan, please contact the Course Manager
A certificate of participation will be provided to all participants who have completed the masterclass for conductors.
Masterclasses for conductors with a full-size orchestra. Conducting programs include opera and orchestral conducting masterclasses and workshops. Masterclass venues & locations: Prague, Pardubice, Marienbad, Karlovy Vary.
Martin Sieghart is an internationally experienced Austrian conductor and educator with more than 50 years of professional musical experience.
Yunxi Peng is a Chinese violinist based in Germany, currently pursuing the Konzertexamen (Artist Diploma) at the Hochschule für Musik Trossingen under Prof. Alexander Janiczek.