Application German Conducting Award

The application period for 2025 has ended. The next application procedure is expected to start in spring 2027.

Selection Process 2025

Conductors of all nations aged 33 and younger (effective date: 31 October 2025) can apply.

The application deadline is 15 May 2025.

The decision on the selection of the ten participants will be announced at the beginning of July 2025.

General information

Application requirements

  • Conductors of all nations
  • Conductors who are 33 years old and younger (see current deadline in the box above!)

Participation fee

No fee will be charged to the participants of the competition.

Admission and adjudication

Based on the applications submitted, a section of the jury selects ten candidates to take part in the competition for the German Conducting Award. The German Music Council is committed to gender equality (m/f/d). For this reason, the percentage gender distribution within the applications will be taken into account proportionally when awarding the ten available places. Two further candidates have qualified for the German Conducting Award through their successful participation in the Forum Dirigieren, combined with several jury decisions.

The decisions of the jury are irrefutable; no explanation will be given.

Other conditions

Participants are responsible for their travel planning and accommodation themselves. They can be accommodated free of charge in host families by request.

The organiser retains the right to record and to broadcast the audio and video recordings. No royalties can be claimed by the contestants for the exploitation of any of their recordings.

With their registration for the German Conducting Award, the participants recognise the terms and conditions of the contest and the decisions to be taken by the jury as binding. Any legal action is precluded. Applications that do not coincide with the conditions of the German Conducting Award can be rejected. In case of doubts about the interpretation of the contest’s rules, the German version of the rules is binding. In the case of disputes, Bonn / Germany is the court of jurisdiction in charge.

The following are required for the online application

  • completed online application form
  • copy of your ID or passport (possibly with a translation)
  • recent video recording with a length of roughly 15 minutes which shows the applicant working as a conductor (no back view)
  • Recordings from piano rehearsals are not admitted.
  • The video recordings filed should illustrate, if possible, the conductor’s work both with a symphonic and an opera repertoire.
  • 3 high-resolution photos, one of which should be a portrait photo, including photo credit

Should you have any questions, you are welcome to contact us:

forum-dirigieren@musikrat.de
+49 228 2091-140