Mason Selected for Prestigious International Conducting Residency in Austria
Dr. Lorissa Mason, director of choral studies at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, has been selected for an international conducting residency with MidAm International in Austria in the summer of 2026.
The residency will take place June 14-21 and marks Mason鈥檚 debut as the featured conductor of the festival, which will bring together American choral groups to perform in some of Europe鈥檚 most iconic musical settings.
鈥淭his is the first residency where I am the featured conductor, and I couldn鈥檛 be more honored,鈥� Mason said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 especially meaningful that I鈥檒l be conducting in Vienna, a city with such a rich musical legacy.鈥�
As part of the residency, Mason will conduct 鈥�Dixit Dominus鈥� by 18th-century composer Marianna Martines, a contemporary of Mozart and Haydn whose music has only recently begun receiving the recognition it deserves. The featured performance will take place Wednesday, June 17, at the historic Minoritenkirche in Vienna, with the Symphonischesorchester Wien and distinguished soloists.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a piece I鈥檝e especially enjoyed throughout my career,鈥� Mason said. 鈥淭he charm of performing Martines鈥檚 music in her home city, where there鈥檚 no record of it ever being performed in her lifetime, makes this an incredibly powerful moment. She was a woman composer in a time when that was rare, and to bring her work to the forefront in this setting feels like reclaiming part of that history.鈥�
The trip, organized through MidAm International, a division of MidAmerica Productions鈥攖he same organization Mason has twice conducted with at Carnegie Hall鈥攊ncludes guided tours of Vienna and Salzburg, visits to Mozart鈥檚 birthplace, Beethoven鈥檚 home, Sch枚nbrunn Palace, and St. Stephen鈥檚 Cathedral. A second, smaller chamber concert may also take place at Mullner Kirche in Salzburg.
Mason鈥檚 invitation to conduct is a direct result of her successful past collaborations with MidAmerica Productions.
鈥淭hey鈥檝e seen me work, they know I can run a rehearsal, and they offered me a choice of residencies in Europe,鈥� she said. 鈥淎ustria stood out for the music and the timing. I鈥檝e always wanted to do summer conducting in Europe, and this is a dream come true.鈥�
Students, alumni, faculty, staff, and community members are invited to join Mason for the trip, either as singers or as traveling companions to singers. Participants will be part of the Ozark Festival Singers, one of Mason鈥檚 affiliated ensembles. The Arkansas Chamber Singers, as well as an Arkansas high school choir, and musical groups from around the country will also join the performance.
Anyone interested in participating in the residency should contact Mason at [email protected].