Designed for wind band teachers of all levels,
the five-day symposium includes full-band and chamber conducting opportunities, as well as open rehearsals and discussion sessions with master teachers. Activities appeal to the dual roles of musician and educator and provide a growth experience for anyone interested in the art of teaching and conducting.
Conducting
Workshop
2026 UCLA Wind Conducting Workshop
Sunday, June 21–Thursday, June 25
CONTACT
Questions? Please e-mail Professor Travis J. Cross at: Â Â tjcross@ucla.edu
Clinicians
AVAILABLE TRACK OPTIONS
Applicants may elect the Blue Track or the Gold Track.
BLUE TRACK
Participants in the Blue Track conduct approximately four times with either the workshop wind ensemble or chamber winds. There are 30 spots available in the blue track, and they are awarded to teachers with at least one year of experience on an application basis; this allows us to create a community of learners with diversity of demographics, aspirations, and experiences.
GOLD TRACK
Participants in the Gold Track may have opportunities to conduct brief excerpts or can choose instead to play and observe, rather than conduct. Many pre-professional teachers and first-time attendees choose this option, as well as experienced teachers who wish to engage with the content and support the growth of their colleagues without having to take a turn on the podium. Applicants who are not selected for the blue track may subsequently opt for the gold track.
STUDENT FELLOWSHIPS
The fellowship program enables up to eight undergraduate or graduate student conductors to attend at the significantly reduced cost. Fellows conduct in small-group sessions and once with either the workshop wind ensemble or chamber winds and participate in all other sessions, providing an introduction to the conducting workshop experience and invaluable opportunities to network with more experienced teachers in the Blue and Gold Tracks.
Students interested in a fellowship should ask their college band director of conducting teacher to e-mail a brief letter of endorsement for their participation in the workshop to tjcross@ucla.edu. Applications will be reviewed on the same timeline as the Blue Track.
HOW TO APPLY
Applications will be reviewed on Wednesday, April 1, and acceptance or waitlist notifications sent via e-mail within a couple business days. Further applications after April 1 will be reviewed on a rolling basis, space permitting. Credit-card payment instructions will be sent via e-mail, with an April 17 due date.
Meyer and Renee Luskin Conference Center
ACCOMMODATIONS
We anticipate availability of on-campus (residence hall) housing. Rates in 2025 were $122/night for a single room and $72/night per person for a shared double room (including breakfast); rates for 2026 are likely to be marginally higher. Triple-occupancy rooms are also available (at approximately $65/night per person), if you have a pre-arranged triple group.
Three university affiliated hotel options are the 254-room UCLA Meyer and Renee Luskin Conference Center, UCLA Guest House on campus, and the UCLA Tiverton House in downtown Westwood. There are also many Airbnb options in Westwood and across Los Angeles. Participants interested in finding a roommate to minimize hotel or short-term rental costs should e-mail Travis J. Cross at tjcross@ucla.edu.
REPERTOIRE
Full-band and chamber-ensemble repertoire will be announced in early spring and include standard masterworks that appear frequently on workshop lists, as well as some pieces for younger players.
CONTACT
Questions? Please e-mail Travis J. Cross at: tjcross@ucla.edu
Questions? Please e-mail Travis J. Cross at: tjcross@ucla.edu