OCA CONDUCTING ACADEMY
An International Training Programme for Conductors
Artistic Director & Lead Tutor - Luis Miguel Clemente
From Interpretation to Sound
The OCA Conducting Academy is an international, season-based training programme dedicated to the artistic, technical and professional development of conductors.
Developed under the artistic direction of maestro Luis Miguel Clemente, the Academy offers a structured working environment grounded in extended podium practice, close pedagogical guidance and real professional conditions. Participants work in small groups and benefit from one-to-one mentoring, allowing time for observation, reflection and consistent feedback — essential conditions for meaningful and sustained artistic growth.
The OCA Conducting Academy supports conductors through a continuous training path, designed to foster clarity of technique, depth of interpretation and confidence at the podium, translating score study and interpretative decisions into sound through focused rehearsal work.
From Interpretation to Sound: A Coherent Training Method
At the core of the OCA Conducting Academy lies one of the central demands of the profession: the connection between interpretation → gesture → sound. The programme is built around the ability to transform musical intention into sound through clear gesture and effective rehearsal, following a clear and transferable working cycle:
Interpretation: Musical decisions grounded in score study, structure, orchestration, style and historical context.
Gesture: Clear, economical and purposeful physical communication, capable of shaping sound and guiding rehearsal work with precision.
Sound: Active listening, timing and responsibility for the orchestral response generated by the conductor’s gesture.
Particular attention is given to the phenomenology of conducting gesture — how movement, impulse, timing and intention generate sound. Through sustained work at the podium, conductors develop a reliable physical instrument and a transferable working method (think clearly, act decisively, lead and rehearse efficiently) that remains stable across repertoire, ensembles and professional situations.
Training at the Podium
The OCA Conducting Academy places practical work at the centre of the learning process. Participants engage with clearly defined musical priorities that reflect professional standards, working under real constraints of time, communication and interaction with musicians. This environment allows space for experimentation, adjustment and consolidation, supporting clarity of intention, economy of gesture and effective collaboration with an orchestra.
The programme integrates:
in-depth work on conducting technique and gesture, including silent conducting and phenomenological awareness supported by detailed feedback and guided reflection
extensive and guided podium time, allowing technical and musical issues to be addressed through repetition and individual feedback
score study and analytical preparation, shaping informed interpretative decision
rehearsal technique and communication, linking intention, gesture and sound
practical sessions with pianos and the Orquestra da Costa Atlântica, where artistic decisions are tested in real working conditions
This approach provides a high-impact training experience aligned with the concrete demands of professional practice, supporting conductors’ aspirations as artists, interpreters and musical leaders.
What You Will Leave With
Participants attending the OCA Conducting Academy leave with a clearer, more integrated and more confident approach to orchestral conducting, developed through sustained podium work and guided reflection. Participants develop:
a more reliable and consistent conducting technique, with greater awareness of how gesture produces sound and influences orchestral response
a more precise interpretative approach, rooted in score study and informed musical decision-making
the ability to translate musical intention into clear rehearsal action, identifying and addressing priorities efficiently
increased confidence at the podium, gained through extended and repeated practical work with piano and orchestra
a structured personal working method, clarifying how to prepare, rehearse and perform across different repertoires and professional situations
a clearer sense of artistic direction and individual voice, supporting conscious and responsible and musical leadership
Who Is This Programme For?
The OCA Conducting Academy welcomes conductors at different stages of their artistic development who wish to deepen and refine their practice through focused study, podium work and close pedagogical guidance from maestro Luis Miguel Clemente. The programme is particularly well suited for:
Conducting students and aspiring conductors, including musicians transitioning from instrumental performance or composers wishing to conduct their own works, seeking to build solid technical foundations and gain structured podium experience.
Early-career conductors in active professional development, looking to refine technique, deepen interpretation, expand repertoire and consolidate rehearsal practice
Conductors preparing for competitions and professional engagements, requiring focused results-oriented work, efficiency and overall professional readiness.
The OCA Conducting Academy welcomes participants from a wide range of musical backgrounds and nationalities, supporting conductors at different stages of their artistic development.
The video below offers a brief insight into the OCA Conducting Academy’s working practice and artistic context.
Season 2026 - Masterclasses Overview
A Message from the Artistic Director
As Artistic Director of the OCA Conducting Academy, I am pleased to continue developing this season-based programme of masterclasses, created to support conductors in the gradual and consistent growth of their artistic and professional practice.
Throughout my work as a conductor and pedagogue, I have been particularly interested in the moment where musical intention takes form at the podium — where interpretation becomes gesture, and gesture becomes sound. The OCA Conducting Academy was conceived as a space where this transition can be explored in depth, through sustained work at the podium, close guidance and attentive listening.
Working with conductors at different stages of their development, and accompanying them as they refine their technique, clarify their ideas and gain confidence in rehearsal, remains one of the most rewarding aspects of my profession. The Academy is built on care, precision and reflection, encouraging each participant to develop a clear working method and a responsible artistic voice.
I look forward to welcoming you to the OCA Conducting Academy.
— Luis Miguel Clemente
Artistic Director & Lead Tutor
