Symphonic Workshops was founded in 1991 by Dr. Harry Hurwitz*, who continues to work with us in an advisory capacity and as a mentor. Dr.Hurwitz, an amateur musician and conductor himself, saw the need to offer musicians the opportunity to gain experience playing/working with full orchestras. For most developing musicians the costs involved in working with a full professional orchestra at home are prohibitive, he saw a great opportunity in Eastern and Central Europe and Symphonic Workshops was "born" in partnership with the Bohuslav Martinu Philharmonic Orchestra in Zlin, Czech Republic. 

In the ensuing decade and a half we worked with Czech orchestras from Zlin, Kromeriz, Olomouc, Opava, Karlovy Vary, Marianske Lazne, Hradec Kralove, Teplice and Brno among others as well as with orchestras in Slovakia, Romania, Russia and Bulgaria . The first workshop, The International Workshop for Conductors," with Artistic Director Kirk Trevor, (IWC) now in it's 18th year, proved wildly popular and a second workshop "The Practical Course for Conductors"  (now part of the new IWC structure) for less experienced conductors was started in Kromeriz, where Symphonic Workshops implemented many new programs and workshops over the next 12 years. 

The perennially popular Repertoire Workshop c. 1992 in, Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic which originated under the artistic direction of Otakar Trhlik (1922 - 2005) and Frantisek Vajnar, continues to offer conductors the opportunity to perform with the Hradec Kralove Philharmonic Orchestra in a supportive and idyllic setting. Our collaboration with Hradec Kralove has been expanded and now includes the Hradec Kralove Opera Festival providing International Opera Workshop participants and alumni with expanded performance opportunities. 

The International Opera Workshop began in 1994 in Opava, Czech Republic, with the immortal Georg Tintner (1917-1999) as Artistic Director and continues to provide singers and conductors fully-staged professionally produced productions in which to hone their skills and increase their experience with the Bourgas (Bulgaria) Philharmonic and Opera Society. 

In 1999 as part of the Kromeriz International Music Festival  we began to provide young concert pianists and amateurs with workshops and master classes which include the chance to play with a full orchestra, these workshops are now in their eighth year and continue today as the International Piano Master Class and Amateur Piano & Classical Guitar Program in Varna, Bulgaria.

Since 1991 Symphonic Workshops has provided performance and development opportunities to thousands of musicians from around the world in partnership with professional orchestras and world renowned faculty. Our programs have a 50% or greater return rate and many participants have taken part in multiple workshops before moving on to the Professional Development Program and/or Recording Projects. Many participants have been invited to conduct, sing or perform in concert with host orchestras or other orchestras in host countries. In many cases participants and past faculty have developed their own workshops through contacts made during their involvement with Symphonic Workshops. 

Today there are a multitude of workshops to choose from, which undoubtedly increases our competition, however, the music world has been greatly enriched. Symphonic Workshops continues to deliver more podium time, more performance opportunities, more value for the cost, than any other organization of its kind.

* See what Dr. Hurwitz is doing now at www.lessinginstitute.com