You're invited to observe sessions of the conducting course given by Baltimore Chamber Orchestra music director Markand Thakar this week.

Ten budding conductors, who come from around this country as well as Germany and Taiwan, will work on Schubert's Symphony No. 5 and Beethoven's Seventh. 

Thakar, co-director of graduate conducting at Peabody Conservatory, has a long track record of mentoring podium talent. This week's sessions provide a good opportunity for music lovers to get an inside look into what it takes to make music with an orchestra.

The classes are at 6:30 to 9 p.m. Monday (Schubert) and Tuesday (Beethoven) at Johns Hopkins University's Mattin Center. Admission is free. Call 410-685-4050 or send an email to info@thebco.org.