Students and alumni of the conducting program have many successes to share. Master’s conducting student Jonathan T. Rush and Paola Avila (MM ‘18, Orchestral Conducting) are the current Project Inclusion Conducting Freeman Fellows, with the Chicago Sinfonietta. In the 2018-19 season, they have received training, mentoring, coaching, development of fundraising and programming materials, and opportunities to conduct ensembles in the Chicago area. Master’s student Hilo Carriel, conducting, is a finalist in the 2019 Chicago Symphony Orchestra Solti Competition. Gonzalo Farias (GPD ‘18, Conducting) was a semi-finalist in the Malko Competition. Doctoral candidate Michael Repper, conducting, was recently appointed Artistic Director of the Northern Neck Orchestra of Virginia. Finally, Michelle Rofrano (MM ’15, Conducting) is the assistant conductor at Florida Grand Opera. Last summer, she was also the assistant conductor at the Glimmerglass Festival.