Tutors

Yuval Weinberg

(Advanced-Level Conducting)

Yuval Weinberg is the Chief Conductor of the SWR Vokalensemble Stuttgart and designated chief conductor of The Norwegian Soloists’ Choir. He regularly collaborates with leading ensembles across Europe, including the Bavarian Radio Choir, Bachchor Salzburg, Chorwerk Ruhr, MDR Rundfunkchor, Netherlands Radio Choir, Rundfunkchor Berlin, the Bulgarian National Philharmonic Choir, and the Turkish State Choir.

His recent recordings with the SWR Vokalensemble Stuttgart have received wide acclaim, including the Diapason d’Or and the German Record Critics’ Award (Preis der deutschen Schallplattenkritik).

Yuval is frequently invited to lead masterclasses and seminars at music academies throughout Europe, including programs such as Forum Dirigieren and Dirigentløftet. In addition to his teaching activities, he is dedicated to working with young singers, having collaborated with youth choirs such as the European Youth Choir (2019–2022), the German National Youth Choir, the Norwegian National Youth Choir (2017–2019), and the Meesters&Gezellen project in the Netherlands.

He studied choral conducting at the Norwegian Academy of Music and at the Hochschule für Musik ‘Hanns Eisler’ in Berlin, under the guidance of Prof. Grete Pedersen and Prof. Jörg-Peter Weigle, as well as orchestral conducting at the Buchmann-Mehta School of Music in Tel Aviv. As a student, Yuval received several honors, including the Gary Bertini Prize for Choral Conductors (2016), First Prize at the International Choir Conducting Competition in Wroclaw (2014), and the Best Conductor Award at the International Chamber Choir Competition Marktoberdorf (2017).

Yuval has conducted numerous premieres of new choral and vocal works, often in close collaboration with composers. As a chorus master, he has prepared choirs for conductors such as Bernard Haitink, Herbert Blomstedt, Gustavo Dudamel, and Teodor Currentzis.

Dr Bernie Sherlock

(Intermediate-Level Conducting)

Bernie Sherlock is the founding conductor of the chamber choir New Dublin Voices. She is a former artistic director of the Irish Youth Choirs (2020-2025), co-conductor of EuroChoir 2021, and is a guest conductor with Chamber Choir Ireland. She also conducts the award-winning TU Chamber Choir at the TU Dublin Conservatoire where she established and teaches the Masters in choral conducting.

Her work in oratorio spans more than 25 years, notably with Ireland's two longest-established large-scale choirs, the Dublin University Choral Society (Trinity College) and the Culwick Choral Society. Bernie takes special pleasure in exploring the music of living composers and has given over one hundred world premieres, ninety of them with New Dublin Voices. International accolades include individual conducting prizes at competitions in Belgium, Finland, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Poland, Slovenia and Wales, as well as in Ireland.

In demand as an adjudicator at international conducting and choral competitions, and as a director of choral workshops in numerous countries, Bernie's work has taken her all around Europe and to the US, Canada and China. She is a founding board-member of the World Choral Conducting Network, represents Ireland on the World Choir Council, and for twelve years directed the International Choral Conducting Summer School hosted annually at the University of Limerick. Bernie is co-director with composer Seán Doherty of the annual Dublin International Choral Masterclasses which offer masterclasses in conducting and composition.

After completing her BMus in Trinity College, Dublin, Bernie earned a Hungarian government scholarship and studied conducting for two years in Hungary with Ildikó Herboly-Kocsár and Péter Erdei. Following her return to Ireland she earned her Masters and Doctorate degrees in Dublin, studying orchestral conducting with Gerhard Markson.

João Barros

(Foundation-Level Conducting)

João Barros holds a master's degree in Choral Conducting and a bachelor's degree in Music Education and Choral Conducting from Escola Superior de Música de Lisboa. His musical education began at Conservatório D. Dinis, where he studied piano with Elsa Cabral. In 2012, João began studying Singing at Escola de Música do Conservatório Nacional with Nuno Villalonga. As an Erasmus student in 2013, he attended the Liszt Academy Kodály Intezet in Kecskemét, Hungary, where he studied Choral Conducting with László Nemes and singing with Renáta Darázs. Furthermore, he has worked with Kaspars Putniņš, Neil Ferris, Georg Grün and studied with Daniel Reuss.

In 2018 João founded Nova Era Vocal Ensemble. Nowadays, Nova Era Vocal Ensemble is recognized as one of the most prestigious choirs in Lisbon, regularly performing at Portugal's most important venues and collaborating with orchestras such as Orquestra Metropolitana de Lisboa, Divino Sospiro and Americantiga Ensemble.

In 2018, João was awarded a scholarship by Interkultur for outstanding conducting achievements, providing him the opportunity to work with Andre Van der Mewer and the Rundfunk-Jugenchor Wernigerode.

Since 2018 João became the artistic director of ISCTE Choir, the choir of the University Institute of Lisbon.

João Barros is the founder and the artistic director of the Lisbon Choral Conducting Masterclass. In 2024, João was selected for the semifinals of Eric Ericson Award. In 2025, João had his debut as the artistic director of an Opera with the production of Orfeo ed Euridice by Gluck, together with the Orquestra 1755 and the ISCTE Choir. Later that year, he was the assistant conductor of Daniel Reuss at the 2025 edition of the World Youth Choir.

Dr Seán Doherty
(Choral Composition)

Seán Doherty is an award-winning composer from Ireland whose captivating compositions are fast becoming a favourite of choirs worldwide. His music has a deep connection to the text, often with strong moral and social themes. Seán’s work has been described as ‘unfailingly gripping’ (Irish Times) and music of ‘power, subtlety and richness’ (Josep Vila i Casañas: World Youth Choir).

He was first introduced to music through the Irish fiddle tradition of his hometown of Derry. As a teenager, singing in a performance of Duruflé’s Requiem inspired him to begin composing. He went on to read music at St John’s College, Cambridge, after which he completed a PhD in musicology at Trinity College, Dublin. Seán compositions draw inspiration from a wide variety of musical influences, from arcane medieval techniques to electronic dance music.

Seán’s choral works have been performed by choirs including the Stellenbosch University Choir, the National Youth Choir of Scotland, Ex Cathedra, the Choir of Clare College, Cambridge; New Dublin Voices and the World Youth Choir. His music has also garnered numerous awards including the Choir and Organ Magazine composition competition and Béla Bartok Competition, Hungary.

Seán’s chamber and orchestral works have been performed by the Vanbrugh String Quartet, Barry Douglas and Camerata Ireland, and the Kensington Symphony Orchestra.

Seán is an assistant professor of music in Dublin City University, where he leads a Masters in Choral Studies with his colleague Dr Róisín Blunnie. He is active as a choral singer, singing with the internationally acclaimed chamber choir New Dublin Voices, conducted by Dr Bernie Sherlock, who have premiered many of his works. His choral works are published by Cailíno Music Publishers.

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