German Choral Conducting Award
Highlight and conclusion of the promotion of young talented choral conductors by the Forum Dirigieren
The German Choral Conducting Award – an initiative of the German Music Council in cooperation with the RIAS Kammerchor - is the highlight and conclusion of the Forum Dirigieren's support for young talented choral conductors and at the same time the only competition for young choral conductors in Germany. The RIAS Kammerchor, one of the world's leading professional choirs, is a partner in awarding the prize.
The competition for the 7th German Prize for Choral Conducting will take place in Berlin from 5 to 10 October 2026. The final concert will take place on 10 October 2026 at 7 pm at the Elisabeth Church in Berlin-Mitte.
The concert will be streamed live on the RIAS Chamber Choir’s YouTube channel (see below). The concert will be recorded by Deutschlandfunk Kultur.
With up to 50 concerts per season on stages in Germany and around the world, the RIAS Kammerchor is one of the country's most important touring choirs. In the 2023/24 season, it celebrates its 75th birthday. The choir is renowned for its precise sound. 34 professionally trained singers make up the multinational ensemble. Numerous awards document its international reputation, including the German Record Critics' Award, the ECHO Klassik and the Gramophone Award.
They have become choir directors at the Stuttgart State Opera or the Salzburg State Theatre, deputy choir directors at the Semperoper Dresden or chief conductors of the SWR Vokalensemble - the careers of the finalists of the previous German Choral Conducting Awards are as varied as they are impressive.
In the gallery below, you can watch and listen to the live stream of the final concert of the German Choral Conducting Award 2022.
Programme 2026
Johann Hermann Schein
Israelsbrünnlein (mit B.c.), Freue dich des Weibes deiner Jugend
Hugo Wolf
Sechs geistliche Lieder, Nr. 1 Aufblick + Nr. 2 Einklang
Murray Schafer
Magic Songs, Nr. 1 Chant to bring back the wolf
Wahlstück: Cyrillus Kreek
Taaveti laul 22 „Mu Jumal! Mu Jumal!“ (Psalm 22 „Mein Gott, mein Gott“)
Johann Hermann Schein
Israelsbrünnlein (mit B.c.), Wende dich, Herr, und sei mir gnädig
Hugo Wolf
Sechs geistliche Lieder, Nr. 3 Resignation
Murray Schafer
Magic Songs, Nr. 2 Chant to make fences fall down
Wahlstück: Max Reger
Schweigen, Op. 39 Nr. 1
Johann Hermann Schein
Israelsbrünnlein (mit B.c.), Lehre und bedenken
Hugo Wolf
Sechs geistliche Lieder, Nr. 4 Letzte Bitte + Nr. 6 Erhebung
Murray Schafer
Magic Songs, Nr. 9 Chant to make the magic work
Wahlstück: Albert Becker
Du Hirte Israels, höre (Op. 89, 2)
Finalists 2026
Bobin Kim
Deputy Chorus Director, Bavarian State Opera
Benedikt Kantert
Artistic Director, University Choirs, TU Dresden
Nikolaas Schmeer
Conductor, freelance
Jury 2026
Sponsors of the German Choral Conducting Award
Winners since 2014
Katharina Morin
Awardee of the German Choral Conducting Award 2024
Hyunju Kwon
Awardee of the German Choral Conducting Award 2022
John Lidfors
Awardee of the German Choral Conducting Award 2021
Hsin-Chien Fröhlich
Awardee of the German Choral Conducting Award 2018
Hannes Reich
Awardee of the German Choral Conducting Award 2016
Manuel Pujol
Awardee of the German Choral Conducting Award 2014
In addition, the awardee receives an engagement with the RIAS Kammerchor, the SWR Vocal Ensemble, the WDR Rundfunkchchor and the MDR-Rundfunkchor.
All finalists will receive a sponsorship prize from the Bärenreiter publishing house in the form of a music voucher worth 300 euros each.
Furthermore, the Ursula Lübbe Foundation is sponsoring the audience award, worth 500 euros, and the live stream.
